History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c50.4.1

v3.c50.4.1

The animal sacrifice is an independent sacrifice and it is also performed in soma sacrifices as a constituent part (aṅga). The independent animal sacrifice is called nirūḍhapaśubandha (offering of an eviscerated animal) and the subordinate ones are called saumika (Āśv. III. 8. 3-4). The nirūḍhapaśu is really a modification of an animal sacrifice in somayāga (called agnīṣomīya paśu) as Jai. VIII. 1. 13 declares, but in many sūtras the full procedure of both is set out in the nirūḍhapaśu section (vide Kāt. VI. 10. 32 and com. on Kāt. VI. 1. 31). The nirūḍhapaśubandha itself becomes the prakṛti (archetype or model) of all other animal sacrifices, except savanīya paśu and anūbandhyapaśu. The independent animal sacrifice is to be performed every six months or every year by the āhitāgni throughout his life.²⁴⁸² If done once a year it was to be performed in the rainy season (i. e. in Śrāvaṇa or Bhādrapada) on New moon or Full moon day or if done six monthly then at the beginning of the southward and northward passages of the Sun (dakṣiṇāyana and uttarāyaṇa). Then it may have to be performed on any day and not necessarily on amāvāsyā or paurṇamāsī. According to Āśv. (III. 1. 2-6) optionally an iṣṭi before and after the independent paśubandha rite may be performed and if performed it is offered either to Agni or to Agni-Viṣṇu or to Agni and Agni-Viṣṇu. In this sacrifice there is a sixth priest called Maitrāvaruṇa (or Praśāstṛ) in addition to the five required in the cāturmāsyas.