History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c49.s1.2.4

v3.c49.s1.2.4

The pit is knee-deep, is outside the uttaravedi to its east and is measured from the northern corner of the uttaravedi at a distance equal to the yoke-pin and is square, the east side being 32 aṅgulas in extent or ½ of the vedi or of the extent of a yoke or of ten steps of the yajamāna (on all sides). In the midst of the northern vedi a hole (*nābhi*) is made, a span in length on four sides and having four corners or it may be as large as the hoof of a bull or a horse. On the uttaravedi water is sprinkled with a mantra and gravel is also spread with 'a lioness art thou' (Vāj. S. V. 10). That night the uttaravedi is covered with darbhas. In the morning the adhvaryu and pratiprasthātṛ carry forward fire on to the two *vedis* from the gārhapatya (according to Āp. VIII. 5. 22) or from the āhavanīya (according to Kāt. V. 4. 2–3) by means of kindled fuel-sticks (*idhma*) held in earthen pots or by dividing the āhavanīya in two parts. Jai. (VII. 3. 23–25) declares that the carrying forward of the fire is done only in the Varuṇapraghāsas and Sākamedhas. The pratiprasthātṛ draws with the sphya a line from the āhavanīya to the northern hind corner of the southern vedi or of the uttaravedi (according to Kāt. V. 4. 9–10) or he connects the two vedis (Āp. VIII. 5. 20) by drawing a line from the north hind corner of the southern vedi to the south front corner of the uttaravedi.