History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c50.25.7

v3.c50.25.7

When leading her who has a jar of water in her hands for washing the feet and other limbs of the paśu, the priest²⁵⁰⁶ makes her recite a verse in honour of the sun 'namaste ātāna' (Vāj. S. VI. 12, Tai. S. I. 3. 8. 2). Āp. adds that the wife, priests and the sacrificer touch water on the cātvāla pit (VII. 18. 4) with a mantra (Tai. S. I. 3. 8. 2 'āpo devīḥ). The wife sitting down near the dead paśu washes with water the several parts of the victim's body viz. its mouth, nose, eyes, navel, penis, anus, feet (all together) with appropriate formulae in each case (viz. 'vācaṃ te śundhāmi' &c. Vāj. S. VI. 14). With the water remaining in the jar the adhvaryu and sacrificer sprinkle the other parts, such as the head, with Vāj. VI. 15 (Tai. S. I. 3. 9. 1). The adhvaryu turns the animal on its back and places on the victim's body a blade of kuśa with its end to the east about four fingers²⁵⁰⁷ below the navel of the animal with 'oṣadhe trāyasva' (Vāj. S. VI. 15), places the marked edge of the knife on that blade, makes a slit on the kuśa blade and the belly obliquely, takes in his left hand the portion of the blade cut off and anoints the ends of the other portion of the blade with blood (that spirts out from the slit) with 'thou art the portion of evil spirits' (Vāj. VI. 16), touches water and throws that blood-stained blade on the utkara.²⁵⁰⁸ The sacrificer treads²⁵⁰⁹ upon the blood-stained blade with the left foot (and then touches water with his hand).