History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c48.86.5

v3.c48.86.5

The yajamāna invokes the vedi with a mantra 'Having become the earth, it nourished greatness &c.' (Tai. Br. III. 7. 6). The adhvaryu addresses a mantra²³³⁶ (Tai. S. I. 1. 9) to the vedi 'O virapśin! Before the cruel (Araru) creeps out &c.', holds the sphya in a slanting position in a spot which is beyond ⅓ of the length of the vedi from its western side and issues a direction²³³⁷ 'obtain or set down the water for sprinkling, put down the idhma (fuel-sticks) and barhis (kuśa grass), clean the sruva and the sruc ladles, gird up the wife (of the sacrificer), and come out with clarified butter.' Then the āgnīdhra (or adhvaryu) places two pavitras inside the agnihotrahavaṇī (sruc), pours water into it, draws the sphya in a slanting position (from the spot where it had been held fixed) a short distance to the north thereby causing a furrowed line on the vedi, holds the sphya in the left hand inside the vedi and the agnihotrahavaṇī in the right hand, drops a little water from the agnihotrahavaṇī on to the furrowed line made by the sphya and places the agnihotrahavaṇī (containing the water) on the spot where the sphya had been originally held fixed slantingly with 'O abode of ṛta.' The adhvaryu brings to his mind him whom the yajamāna hates. When the prokṣaṇī waters are being placed the yajamāna mutters a mantra.