History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c50.4.2

v3.c50.4.2

An udumbara staff is given to the sacrificer when he is initiated for a sacrifice like Agniṣṭoma. In the paśubandha when the Maitrāvaruṇa enters the sacrificial ground after the priests are chosen the adhvaryu (or yajamāna in some śākhās)²⁴⁸³ hands over that staff (which in length would reach the mouth of the sacrificer) to the maitrāvaruṇa with a mantra and the maitrāvaruṇa accepts it with a corresponding mantra. The maitrāvaruṇa stands slightly bent to the south of the seat of the hotṛ resting his staff on the vedi and utters directions to the hotṛ to repeat yājyās. Till he utters the first praiṣa he is not to touch himself or any one else with the staff. The maitrāvaruṇa is to utter in a standing posture while holding the staff the praiṣas and the anuvākyās wherever a praiṣa is employed and do a few other acts standing; but the rest of his duties in soma sacrifices he does sitting. Jaimini (IV. 2. 16-18) has a discussion (arising out of Tai. S. VI. 1. 4. 2 ‘krīte some maitrāvaruṇāya daṇḍaṁ prayacchati’) on the question whether the handing over of the staff to maitrāvaruṇa is a pratipattikarma or an arthakarma (the conclusion is that it is the latter). The adhvaryu makes an offering of clarified butter in the āhavanīya, which is called yūpāhuti, with the *sruva* or with a *sruc* in which four ladlings of ājya have been poured, with the mantra ‘uru viṣṇo’ (Vāj. S. V. 41, Tai. S. I. 3. 4. 1).