History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c48.53.3

v3.c48.53.3

36-37) concludes that this mantra is the same even in all modifications of the darśapūrṇamāsa and Śabara explains 'savituh prasave' as meaning 'urged by the yajamāna' (or when the sun rises), 'aśvins' as meaning the sacrificer and his wife (as they make a gift of the horse in agnyādheya) and pūṣan as meaning 'yajamāna' himself (who supports all). In Jai. XI. 4. 44-45 it is stated that the mantra for nirvāpa 'devasya tvā', the mantra for cutting off barhis (barhirdevasadanam dāmi) are to be repeated and not to be uttered only once. In Jai. V. 2. 4-5 it is established that all the saṁskāras are to be performed on all the grains after four handfuls are taken and not on each handful as it is taken out. The sacrificer invokes with a mantra while the adhvaryu is making the nirvāpa 'I call here Agni, the hotṛ and the gods that are well disposed to sacrifice; may the gods, pleased in mind, come and may they partake of this my offering.' Having finished the taking out of grains in four handfuls, (the adhvaryu) throws on them some more grains with his hand. If no cart is available, he keeps an earthen vessel on the sphya placed on the altar with its tip to the north or east and takes out the grains from that vessel (this is the modern practice) and then removes the wooden sword from underneath it. The same procedure is followed in the case of puroḍāśas for other deities.