History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c48.61.3

v3.c48.61.3

The adhvaryu then holds the winnowing basket near the mouth of the mortar to its east or north with the words 'thou art grown by rain'²³¹² (as it is made of bamboo) and touches the beaten grains (to be used for puroḍāśa) with 'you are grown by rain'. He then puts with his hand the beaten grains into the winnowing basket with 'may (the śūrpa) know thee' (the grains as its own). Holding the śūrpa over the *utkara* he thrice winnows the grains and frees them from the husk (which falls on the *utkara*) with 'thrown away is the evil spirit, thrown away are the enemies' (i. e. the husks are meant to be the portion of evil spirits). He makes the husks sticking to the śūrpa fall on the utkara with 'blown away are the enemies'. He puts the husks from the place of the utkara over the (middle) potsherd (on which the cake is to be baked) and places them (the husks) underneath the black antelope skin in its north-west corner with 'thou art the portion of evil spirits'. He does not look at these husks. He presses down with his hand the spot where the husks are kept with 'pressed down is the evil spirit'. He touches water, sprinkles the potsherd (on which the husks were) with water and keeps the potsherd in its place. He separates the husked and unhusked grains with 'may the wind separate you.' He then pours out the grains of rice from the śūrpa in the pot with the words 'may the god Savitṛ with his golden hands (rays) accept you'.