History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c50.16.2

v3.c50.16.2

Then the adhvaryu or yajamāna sits to the south of the yūpa and anoints it with ordinary ājya (over which no saṁskāra has been performed) by means of a chip from its top to its bottom including all its angles (but excluding the upara). While the adhvaryu is doing this he issues a direction to the hotṛ priest to repeat a verse for the yūpa that is being anointed²⁴⁹² and the hotṛ repeats 'añjanti tvām' (Ṛg. III. 8. 1) and stops when he has repeated half of it (Āśv. III. 1. 8). Then the caṣāla is anointed both inside and outside and placed on top of the yūpa with a mantra (Vāj. S. VI. 2, Tai. S. I. 2. 2. 3). Then that angular part of the yūpa which is to face the fire together with the corresponding part of the upara is anointed in a continuous stream and the adhvaryu touches all round and holds with his hand that part of the yūpa over which a girdle would be placed later on. At the direction of the adhvaryu the hotṛ priest repeats the verses Ṛg. III. 8. 2-3, I. 36. 13-14 and III. 8. 5 (half), while the yūpa is being raised up. It is laid in the hole with a mantra (Vāj. S. VI. 3, Tai. S. I. 3. 6. 1 'yā te dhāmāni) in such a way that its top will slant towards the āhavanīya and its corner (which is more prominent than the rest) will face the āhavanīya fire. If there are eleven yūpas in an animal sacrifice, then those prominent corners of all eleven yūpas should face the āhavanīya. He fills from left to right the hole for the yūpa with earth with ‘brahmavanim tvā’ (Vāj. VI.