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History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c51: Chapter XXXIII. Agniṣṭoma

History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c51

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Chapter XXXIII. Agniṣṭoma

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²⁵²⁹ Vide Tai. S. I. 2-4, III. 1-3, VI. 1-6, VII. 1, Tai. Br. I. 1. 1, I. 4. 1, and 5-6, I. 5. 4, II. 2. 8, Śat. Br. III-IV, Ait. Br. 1-15, Āp. X-XIII and XIV. 8-12, Kat. VII-XI, Baud. VI-X, Āśv. IV-VI, Satyāṣāḍha VII-IX, Lāṭ. I-II.

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Sacrifices are often divided for convenience into iṣṭi, paśu and soma. According to Gaut. VIII. 21 and Lāṭ. Śr. V. 4. 24 there are seven forms of soma sacrifices, viz. Agniṣṭoma, Atyagniṣṭoma, Ukthya, Ṣoḍaśin, Vājapeya, Atirātra and Aptoryāma. The Agniṣṭoma is the model (prakṛti) of all soma sacrifices. The Agniṣṭoma is a one day (aikāhika or ekāha) sacrifice and it is an integral part of the Jyotiṣṭoma so much so that the two are often identified. Soma sacrifices are classified into those that are finished in one day (and so called ekāha), those that are celebrated for more than one day up to twelve (and so called ahīna), those that extend over more than twelve days (and are called Sattra). The dvādaśāha is both a sattra and an ahīna.²⁵³⁰ The Jyotiṣṭoma occupies generally five days and the chief rites performed on these days are: (1) choosing of priests, madhuparka, dīkṣaṇīyeṣṭi, consecration of the sacrificer (dīkṣā); (2nd day) Prāyaṇīyā iṣṭi (i. e. opening iṣṭi), purchase of soma, ātithyeṣṭi (iṣṭi offering hospitality to soma), Pravargya,²⁵³¹ Upasad (homage twice a day in the morning and evening); (3rd day) Pravargya and Upasad twice again; (4th day) Pravargya and Upasad, Agnipraṇayana, Agniṣomapraṇayana, havirdhāna-praṇayana, animal sacrifice; (5th day called *sutya* or *savanīya*) pressing of soma, offering it and drinking it in the morning, mid-day and evening, the udayanīyā (concluding iṣṭi), avabhṛtha (final purificatory bath).

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In the following pages only a skeleton outline of Agniṣṭoma is presented, derived from the principal Śrauta sūtras. Jai. in VI. 2. 31 declares that the performance of Jyotiṣṭoma is obligatory on all members of the three higher varṇas, just as upanayana is, since the word brāhmaṇa in Tai. S. VI. 3. 10. 5 (a brāhmaṇa when born comes charged with three debts) is only illustrative. Agniṣṭoma is so called because in it Agni is praised or because the last chant (*stotra*) is addressed to Agni.²⁵³² It is to be performed in *vasanta* (spring) every year and on the New Moon or Full Moon day (Āp. X. 2. 2, 5 and 8, Kāt. VII. 1. 4 and Sat. VII. 1 p. 562). The general view expressed in Jai. IV. 3. 37 was that one should perform a soma sacrifice after having performed darśapūrṇamāsa, cāturmāsyas and paśu sacrifice, but some held that it could be performed even before darśa-pūrṇamāsa, but after agnyādhāna (Āśv. IV. 1. 1-2 and Sat. VII. 1. p. 556). Jai. (V. 4. 5-9) also states this as the view of some. Jaimini, however, declares that all modifications of the Agniṣṭoma must be performed after one has begun to perform darśapūrṇamāsa (V. 4. 26). The intending sacrificer sends a person called *somapravāka* (inviter to officiate at a soma sacrifice) to invite brāhmaṇas who are thorough masters of the Veda, neither too young nor too old, with clear and loud voices and not deficient in any limb (Tāṇḍya Br. I. 1. 1, Drāhyāyaṇa Śr. I. 1. 10, Āp. X. 1. 1).

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He invites the principal four or all the 16 (or 17, including ‘sadasya’) priests (*ṛtvij*), who make inquiries whether some other person has refused the office and whether the fee will be excellent. Those portions of the choosing mantras are uttered inaudibly wherein the priests are invoked as if they were divinities and the portion *asau mānuṣaḥ* or *tvam mānuṣaḥ* is uttered loudly.²⁵³³ When the priests come *madhuparka* is offered to them. The sacrificer goes to the king (of the country) to ask for a sacrificial ground (*devayajana*), even if he has one already, with the formula ‘god Varuṇa, give me devayajana’.²⁵³⁴ This is a mere form, but even the king has to make a similar request (in his case) to the hotṛ and other priests. The requirements of a proper devayajana have already been given above (p. 988n). In the western portion of the devayajana from which all roots are uprooted, a pavilion²⁵³⁵ (*vimita*, a four-cornered maṇḍapa) is erected, the central ridge and the covering bamboos of which run from west to east, which has doors (two cubits wide) in all directions and which slightly inclines towards the east, or a rectangular house (*śālā*) may be built, twenty *aratnis* long and ten aratnis wide (Kāt. VII. 1. 19–25, Āp. X. 5. 1–5, Baud. VI. 1). A shed for cooking the *vrata* food is erected to the south of the pavilion and another to the west for the patnī (wife of the sacrificer).

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The sacrificer while in his house implants his gārhapatya and āhavanīya fires on the araṇis with a mantra ‘ayam te yoniḥ’ (Vāj. S. III. 14., Tai. S. I. 5. 2), comes to the devayajana, enters (along with the priests and his wife) the maṇḍapa by the eastern door with the araṇis in his hand, and touches the central post of the pavilion. The things that are required (sambhārāḥ)²⁵³⁶ are also brought to the pavilion. In the pavilion a vedi is prepared and fires are established after being produced by attrition. Offerings of ājya with the sambhārayajus formulas (Tai. Ā. III. 8), with the sapta-hotṛ formulas (Tai. Ā. III. 5) are made and also a yūpāhuti is offered. Outside the pavilion to its north the sacrificer gets the hair on the head, arm-pits and on the face cut by a barber in a tent covered with mats, pares the nails of his hands first (of the right hand first from the small finger) and then of the feet. Jai. (III. 8. 3–11) establishes that it is the sacrificer (and not the adhvaryu) who pares his nails, cuts his hair, brushes his teeth, subsists on milk. Sat. VII. 1. p. 587 states that the nails of the left hand are pared first and then of the right hand. He brushes his teeth with an udumbara twig, then he bathes in a reservoir of water or in a kuṇḍa after putting a golden piece in it with mantras, performs ācamana and drinks water as a consecration.

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²⁵³⁰ Vide Jai. X. 6. 60-61 for sattra and ahīna. 'एकेन ह्नाहा योगादेकाहत्वम् । द्वयादिभिरहीनत्वं प्राग्द्वादशाहात् । स तु कथमप्युभयात्मा । तदूर्ध्विकमेव चासहस्रसंवत्सरं सततकालयोगनिमित्तं सत्रत्वम् । हविर्विशेषयोगादिष्टिपशुत्वमिति ।' तन्त्रवार्तिक p. 471 on जै. II. 2. 2.

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²⁵³¹ एका दीक्षा तिस्र उपसदः पञ्चमी प्रसुतः । तिस्रो वा दीक्षास्तिस्र उपसदः सप्तमी प्रसुतः । चतस्रो वा दीक्षास्तिस्र उपसदोऽष्टमी प्रसुतः । आप. X. 15. 1; also आश्व. IV. 2. 17 एका तिस्रो वा दीक्षास्तिस्र उपसदः सुत्यमहश्चतुर्थम् ।. Vide Jai. VI. 5. 28-29 where Śabara and Kumārila seem to disagree.

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²⁵³² स वा एषोऽग्निष्टोमस्तं यदस्तुवँस्तस्मादग्निस्तोमस्तमग्निस्तोमं सन्तर्माग्निष्टोम इत्याचक्षते परोक्षप्रिया इव हि देवाः। ऐ. ब्रा. 14. 5; अग्निष्टोमः प्रथमयज्ञः। आप. X. 2. 3; यज्ञायाज्ञियस्य स्तोत्रे अग्निस्तुत्या यस्य संस्था सोऽग्निष्टोमः प्रथमाहर्तव्यः। com. The Yajñāyajñīya is Ṛg. IV. 48. 1-2 (यज्ञा यज्ञा वो अग्नये &c.) = सामवेद (उत्तरार्चिक) I. 6. 1-2.

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²⁵³³ ‘अग्निर्मे होताऽऽदित्यो मेऽध्वर्युश्चन्द्रमा मे ब्रह्मा पर्जन्यो म उद्गाता... इत्युपांशु देवतादेशनम्। असौ मानुष इत्युच्चैः। आप. X. 1. 14; ‘अग्निर्मे दैव्यो होता त्वं मानुषः। &c. शां. श्रौ. V. 1.

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²⁵³⁴ देवा इज्यन्तेऽस्मिन्निति देवयजनं सकलप्रयोगानुकूलो भूमिदेशः। com. on कात्या. VII. 1. 10.

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²⁵³⁵ The pavilion is called prāgvaṁśa or prācīnavaṁśa and according to some it is 16 prakramas long (from west to east) and 12 prakramas wide (from south to north). It may have four or five (one in the north-east) doors and apertures in the four quarters. Vide Āp. X. 5. 5.

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²⁵³⁶ Baud. VI. 1 enumerates thirteen requisites (sambhāras) that the yajamāna brings with him and thirteen more which are placed round about the wife.

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All these from paring nails (called apsu-dīkṣā)²⁵³⁷ except the cutting of hair are also undergone by the wife at the instance of the pratiprasthātṛ priest (but without mantras). The adhvaryu hands over a fine silken fresh garment to the sacrificer which the latter wears. In the afternoon in the prāgvaṁśa he partakes of food (rice)²⁵³⁸ mixed with ghee and sprinkled over with curds and honey or whatever is liked by him. The wife also does the same. He takes up butter (*navanīta*) with two bunches of darbha grass and smears himself thrice with them beginning from the face. He applies collyrium with a darbha blade twice to the right eye and once to the left or thrice to both. The adhvaryu performs the purification (*pavana*) of the sacrificer outside the prāgvaṁśa to its north by three bunches of seven darbhas each rubbed twice over his body above the navel and once below the navel with mantras and the sacrificer also mutters mantras. The wife also does all this (smearing the body with butter, applying añjana and purification) without mantras at the instance of the pratiprasthātṛ. The sacrificer enters the pavilion by the eastern door and the wife by the western and occupy their respective seats. Then follows dīkṣaṇīyā iṣṭi²⁵³⁹ which is so called because it effects a saṁskāra in the man intending to sacrifice and because after it is performed he is entitled to be called 'dīkṣita'. The conclusion in Jai. V. 3.

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29-31 is that a man becomes a dīkṣita at the end of the dīkṣaṇīyā iṣṭi and has thenceforward to observe the rules laid down for a dīkṣita and that one does not become a dīkṣita by being given the staff or the girdle &c. At first six āhutis called dīkṣāhutis are offered, four with ājya taken from the dhruvā into the sruva, 5th with the sruc and the sixth is called pūrṇāhuti and is offered with sruc (in which twelve ladlings with sruva have been made). These six āhutis are called 'audgrahaṇa' (Āp. X. 8. 7 and com. on Śat. VII. 1. p. 591) or 'audgrabhana' (Kāt. VII. 3. 16). In the dīkṣaṇīyā iṣṭi a cake prepared on eleven potsherds is offered to Agni-Viṣṇu (or boiled rice with clarified butter). Some offered another offering of boiled rice to Aditi. Several matters that occur in the model iṣṭi (such as observing a vrata, the girding up of the wife, cutting off a portion for yajamāna, phalīkaraṇahoma, cooking anvāhārya rice as fee for the priests, samiṣṭayajus) are omitted in this iṣṭi (Baud. VI. 3 mentions ten matters that are omitted, Āp. X. 4. 12, Sat. VII. 1. p. 575). According to Jai. VIII. 1. 3-10 the several actions done in the model iṣṭi are not to be extended to somayāga unless the vedic texts expressly say so, and Jai. X. 1. 4 establishes that there is no ārambhaṇīyā iṣṭi in dīkṣaṇīyā and other iṣṭis of somayāga. The dīkṣanīyā ends with the patnīsaṁyājas and the eating of the 2nd iḍā (Sat. VII. 1. p. 578).

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Certain rules are laid down about the pitch of the voice in the several rites. According to Āp. X. 4. 9 everything is said inaudibly till the agnīṣomīya rite. According to Kāt. (VII. 2. 31-32) the voice reaches the highest pitch in the dīkṣaṇīyā iṣṭi, the mantras in the prāyaṇīyā and ātithyā iṣṭis are in a lower tone than in the dīkṣanīyā and the upasad mantras are repeated inaudibly. The dīkṣā (consecration) of the sacrificer and his wife proceeds as follows.²⁵⁴⁰ To the south of the āhavanīya two black antelope hides (or one if two are not available) with the neck portion to the east are spread on the altar with the hairy part outside. He (the priest) sits to the west of the antelope skin bending his right knee; the sacrificer touches the white and black spots (or the line that joins them, Kāt. VII. 3. 23), then creeps upon the hide with his right knee bent and sits down on the western side of the hide. The sacrificer ties round his waist above the garment worn by him a girdle of three strands made of hemp and muñja grass, covers his right shoulder with a fresh garment and folds round his head a piece of cloth, he is given the horn of a black antelope about a span in length with three or five folds (from left to right), which he ties to the hem of his garment (or in the corner of his upper garment).

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He touches his forehead above the right brow with the horn, draws a line with it from west to east outside the vedi, and if he wants at any time to scratch his body he does so with that horn. Jai. (XI. 4. 48-49) declares that the mantra is to be repeated only once even if the yajamāna feels the desire to scratch several parts of his body at the same time. The adhvaryu gives a staff of udumbara (or of some other sacrificial tree) which is as high as the sacrificer's mouth (or chin), which he raises up and keeps on his right shoulder. While the adhvaryu is doing these things for the yajamāna, the pratiprasthātṛ does the same things for the wife (without mantras) except that she has the yoktra girt round her upper garment, that her head is covered by a jāla (a net or fillet) of wool and she has a piece of some sacrificial tree one span long for scratching her body. The sacrificer and adhvaryu repeat long passages wherein the word dīkṣā occurs frequently (Āp. X. 10. 6 and X. 11. 1), and the adhvaryu makes him repeat the sambhāra-yajus mantras (Tai. Ā. III. 8). The sacrificer then contracts the fingers of both hands one after another with mantras (first the small fingers of both hands, then the ring-fingers of both hands and so on) and ultimately he clinches his fists. He observes silence.

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Some priest (like the pratiprasthātṛ) other than the adhvaryu inaudibly declares (to the gods) thrice and loudly proclaims to the world thrice 'this brāhmaṇa has undergone the consecration, son of so and so, grandson of so and so, great-grandson of so and so, the son of such and such a woman, grandson of such and such a woman and great-grandson of such and such a woman'. Even when the sacrificer was a kṣatriya or vaiśya, the announcement was still to be 'this brāhmaṇa²⁵⁴¹ &c.,' since after dīkṣā a person was supposed to be reborn and to be a child of holy prayer and to have become pure enough for receiving spiritual influences. The Śat. Br. III. 3. 3. 12 states 'he who is consecrated becomes an embryo'. Dīkṣā takes place in the afternoon (Āp. X. 12. 1) and the sacrificer observes silence till the appearance of stars in the evening. The adhvaryu directs the milking of two cows to supply milk for the sacrificer and his wife who are to subsist on the milk of the two cows during the period of the sacrifice. This vrata (observance) of subsisting on milk is declared by Jai. (IV. 3. 8-9) to be *kratvartha* (an obligatory rule) and not puruṣārtha (recommendatory). Vide also Jai. VI. 8. 28. Some allowed rice or barley to be cooked in that milk. The two cows were milked in two separate vessels, one of which (meant for the sacrificer) was heated on the gārhapatya and the other (for the wife) was heated on the dakṣiṇa fire.

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A kṣatriya or vaiśya sacrificer could take gruel or āmikṣā respectively or all persons could subsist on milk or on rice cooked in milk or on fruits (if enough milk was not available) or if he had a desire for curds, he could use curds or use fried barley grains or he could take ghee. He was to take his food at midday or midnight long after ordinary men have taken their meals and he took his food from a pot which was not earthenware and the wife from a copper pot. Persons who were not dīkṣitas were not to see him when taking his milk or other vrata diet. The wife was also to take her milk or other diet in her own place. Vide Āp. X. 16 and Kāt. VII. 4. 19-34 for details. The dīkṣita and his wife (to some extent) have to observe certain rules (till the final bath) and people also had to observe some rules with reference to him. He has to keep awake on the night of the dīkṣā (Jai. XII. 1. 17), on the night when soma is purchased and on the night before the pressing day. He is not ²⁵⁴² to speak with women or śūdras nor should a śūdra follow him. If he is obliged to speak to a śūdra he should do so by employing a messenger belonging to the three higher varṇas. He may speak to or bless another, but he was not to bow to another, even if the latter was his ācārya or father-in-law or a king. No one was to touch him or to address the dīkṣita by his name (but use only such terms of address as 'bhoḥ', 'dīkṣita' &c.).

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The sacrificer was not to keep aside the antelope horn till the fees were distributed. He could laugh covering his face with his hand and should not show his teeth. He was not ordinarily to answer calls of nature by day, but if he has to do so, he must do so in a shaded spot. He has to observe complete celibacy. While he is consecrated for the sacrifice, he does not go out by the western door, nor does he perform the daily agnihotra, nor vaiśvadeva nor offering of bali nor perform the darśapūrṇamāsa iṣṭi (Jai. XII. 1. 19-23), but he may employ another to do all these. He must speak the truth and address people in a pure and conciliatory style adding the word 'canasita' when addressing a brāhmaṇa and the word 'vicakṣaṇa' when addressing a kṣatriya or vaiśya (vide Ait. Br. I. 6). He must always be in the pavilion at sunrise and sunset; he sleeps on the ground to the south of the āhavanīya with his head to the east and sleeps on his right side and does not turn his back to the fire. He always sits on antelope hide and never leaves it and his staff (except when answering calls of nature). No one is to eat the food given by a dīkṣita till the agnīṣomīya victim or its omentum is offered. It is recommended by all the sūtras that dīkṣā (consecration) should not be finished in one day, but it should extend over 12 days or a month or a year or till from being fat he becomes lean (vide Āp. X. 14. 8, X. 15. 4, Āśv. IV. 2. 13-15).

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Every day (while the dīṣkā lasts) the sacrificer observes silence from the afternoon till the appearance of stars and in the morning from before sunrise till the sun goes up. The dīkṣita is allowed to go himself or to send agents called (sanīhāra)²⁵⁴³ to collect money and materials necessary for the sacrifice. He has to observe many rules on his journey (vide Āp. X. 19. 6-16).

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²⁵³⁷ For the word 'apsudīkṣā', vide Kāt. VII. 2. 7. According to Baud. the hair of the wife also is cut (VI. 3) The com. on Śat. VII. 1. p. 587 makes the interesting remark that according to the sūtrakāra the adhvaryu himself pares the sacrificer's nails, but that as in his time the priests had no instruction in such matters and as people had come to look with disfavour on such a practice, the barber pares the nails.

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²⁵³⁸ According to some the meal takes place before the cutting of hair (vide Āp. X. 6. 10).

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²⁵³⁹ दीक्षामप्रयोजना इष्टिर्दीक्षणीया । com. on आश्व. IV. 2. 1; शबर on Jai. V. 3. 31 says 'दीक्षणीयेति साङ्गत्यर्थंकारी समाख्या भवति'.

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²⁵⁴⁰ All these several actions in the dīkṣā are done to the accompaniment of mantras as in Vāj. IV. 9 ff. and Tai. S., but they are not referred to for reasons of space. Elsewhere also mantras have been often omitted.

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²⁵⁴¹ अथैनं त्रिरुपांश्वावेदयति त्रिरुच्चैरदीक्षिष्टायं ब्राह्मणोऽसावमुष्य पुत्रोऽमुष्य पौत्रोऽमुष्य नप्तामुष्याः पुत्रोऽमुष्याः पौत्रोऽमुष्या नप्तेति। ब्राह्मणो वा एष जायते यो दीक्षते। तस्माद्राजन्यवैश्यावपि ब्राह्मण इत्यावेदयति। आप. X. 11. 5-6; compare कात्या. VII. 4. 11-12, Baud. VI. 5, Sat. VII. 1. p. 597. The reference by name will be like the following 'अदीक्षिष्टायं ब्राह्मणो गोपीनाथशर्मा वासिष्ठो गणेशशर्मणः पुत्रः केशवशर्मणः पौत्रः कृष्णशर्मणो नप्ता यमुनादायाः पुत्रो लक्ष्मीदायाः पौत्रो रुक्मिणीदाया नप्तेति।' com. on Sat. or one may say 'यमुनादेव्याः पुत्रः' &c.

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²⁵⁴² Āp. X. 12-15, Baud. VI. 6 give long lists of the observances for a dīkṣita out of which a few are set out above.

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²⁵⁴³ तस्माद्दीक्षितो द्वादशाहं भृतिं चन्वीत। यज्ञमेव तत्संभरतीति विज्ञायते। पूषा सनेयेति सनीहारान् संशास्ति। आप. X. 18. 4-5, vide कात्या. VII. 5. 3-4.

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After the day (or days of dīkṣā), the next day the first rite is the prāyaṇīyā²⁵⁴⁴ (opening) iṣṭi. In this iṣṭi caru (rice) cooked in milk is offered to Aditi (Jai. IX. 4. 32-40) and four offerings of ājya to four more deities viz. Pathyā Svasti, Agni, Soma and Savitṛ in the four directions (viz. east, south, west and north) respectively. Caru is offered to Aditi in the centre. Agni Sviṣṭakṛt is the sixth deity. According to Āśv. IV. 3. 3 no ājyabhāgas are offered in this iṣṭi, but according to Kāt. VII. 5. 15 they are offered. The priests that officiate in this iṣṭi should as far as possible officiate in the Udayanīyā (concluding) iṣṭi. The rites of this iṣṭi end with the first Saṁyu,²⁵⁴⁵ but there is no patnī-saṁyāja and no samiṣṭayajus.

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²⁵⁴⁴ प्रतिपद्यन्तेऽनया यज्ञं दीक्षिता इति प्रायणीया। com. on Āp. X. 21. 1.

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²⁵⁴⁵ Vide Jaimini X. 7. 38-42 for the propositions that the prāyaṇīyā ends with the first saṁyu and the ātithyā with the first iḍā.

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The puronuvākyā verses in this iṣṭi become the yājyā verses in the udayanīyā iṣṭi and *vice versa* (vide Āśv. IV. 3. 2 for them). He keeps aside in a well-known place in the *prāgvaṁśa* the cooking pot (from which the leavings of rice sticking to the bottom are not removed according to some), the mekṣaṇa and the *barhis* (except the prastara) for use in the udayanīyā. Jai. (XI. 2. 66–68) refers to this use of niṣkāsa in the udayanīyā iṣṭi.

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Then comes the purchase of soma (referred to in the Brāhmaṇas and Sūtras as ‘rājan’). Soma is purchased from a brāhmaṇa of the Kutsa gotra or from a śūdra (Āp. X. 20. 12 allows it to be purchased from any brāhmaṇa).²⁵⁴⁶ Jai. III. 7. 31 states that the vendor of soma is someone other than the priests. The seller of soma is asked to free it from the weeds that may be mixed up with it; the adhvaryu turns his back towards soma when this (weeding) is being done and neither the adhvaryu nor his assistants nor the sacrificer nor the latter's sons should do the weeding out nor does anyone of these see it being done (Sat. VII. 1, p. 609). The soma plant is placed on the southern part of the red hide of a bull by the pratiprasthātṛ spread on the place where uparavas (four sounding holes) will be made later on and the seller of soma sits on the northern part of the hide. A water jar is placed in front of soma. The doors of the sacrificial hall are shut, the adhvaryu pours into the juhū four times ājya from the dhruvā ladle used in the prāyaṇīyā (or five times for those who are *pañcāvattins*), ties a piece of gold by a blade out of the darbhas spread on the altar, puts down into the juhū the blade with the gold and makes an offering into the āhavanīya of that ājya (this offering is called hiraṇyavatī āhuti); he takes out the piece of gold, casts the blade (with which it was tied) on the vedi and ties the gold piece with a thread.

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The doors of the hall are opened and the adhvaryu and yajamāna come out. To the south of the eastern door of the sacrificial hall stands a heifer (called *somakrayaṇī*), that is one, two or three years²⁵⁴⁷ old, is tawny, has yellowish brown eyes or is red (but has no red eyes), has not given birth to a calf, has no deficiency and is not tied (vide Āp. VI. 20. 2-5 and Sat. VII. 2, p. 623 for further details). The cow is not held by her ear or her foot is not tied by a rope (she may be held by the neck, if necessary). She is invoked by the adhvaryu (who is sitting) with a mantra 'cidasi' (Vāj. S. IV. 19, Tai. S. I. 2. 4. 1). The cow is led towards the north, the adhvaryu and yajamāna follow her. After she goes six steps, at her 7th step, the brahmā and yajamāna sit down to the cow's right, behind her sits the adhvaryu and the neṣṭṛ priest to her north. They keep the golden piece on the spot where the 7th step is put by her (which is first covered with his folded hands by the adhvaryu) and make an offering of it to Aditi (adityai idam na mama). Taking the sphya the adhvaryu draws lines round the 7th foot-print (once with a mantra, twice silently) from right to left (Āp. X. 23. 3 adds that lines are drawn also with the antelope horn of the sacrificer); the dust on the lines is gathered with the hand and put into a pot (sthālī) and handed over to the yajamāna who passes it on to his wife who invokes the cow with a mantra.

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He washes his hand (that has the piece of gold in it) on the 7th foot-print (of the cow), pours some water on the dust collected in a pot, divides the dust into three parts, one of which is placed on the cold ashes of the gārhapatya, the 2nd on the cold ashes of the āhavanīya and the third is given to the wife who places it in the house. The adhvaryu ties the piece of gold to his small finger (on which it must be at the time of āpyāyana and pressing of soma and at the time of taking the aṁśu and adābhya cups). The adhvaryu directs the sacrificer's servant to bring a piece of cloth for tying soma, another for covering it all round and a turban; the first is carried by the adhvaryu or yajamāna and the rest by the pratiprasthātṛ. They go with their faces to the east towards the soma which is in a four-wheeled cart covered all round and above with mats &c. Detailed rules follow how soma stalks (*aṁśu*) are selected and taken with the hand, tied in the cloth and covered with the turban (Āp. X. 24. 7-14, Kāt. VII. 7. 12-21). The yajamāna pays homage to soma and waits upon Aditi (Āp. X. 25. 1). The adhvaryu hands over the soma (so tied and turbaned) to the vendor of soma²⁵⁴⁸ and there ensues a dialogue (which is a mock drama) between the vendor and the adhvaryu wherein they higgle for the price of the soma (five times, beginning with a kalā or 1/16th or the thigh of the cow and ending with the whole cow).

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Gold piece is also offered to the vendor of soma, who says 'soma is sold to you but offer me some other animals' and the adhvaryu replies 'yours are the gold piece, clothes, goats, another cow, a cow and bull and three other cows.' Adhvaryu comes with the soma in his right hand and pushes aside the garment from the sacrificer's right thigh and places the soma tied in a piece of cloth on the thigh of the sacrificer, who mutters the text '*śvāna bhrājāṅghāre*²⁵⁴⁹ &c.' (Vāj. VI. 27, Tai. S. I. 2. 7. 1). Ultimately the gold piece and somakrayaṇī cow are brought back, another is offered in exchange and the former is sent to the cowpen belonging to the sacrificer. Āp. (X. 27. 8) and Sat. (VII. 2. p. 644) say that according to some the vendor is always struck with sticks and clods of earth (i. e. there is a show of seizing the soma from him and driving him away with sticks, vide Kāt. VII. 8. 27 also). The sacrificer's staff is handed over to the maitrāvaruṇa priest (vide Jai. IV. 2. 16-18) and the sacrificer holds in both his hands the bundle of soma placed on his thigh, gets up, places his hand on his head and thereon the bundle of soma, approaches a cart (*śakaṭa*) kept to the south (of the place where soma was bought ) that is washed, is covered with a mat or the like and has all its parts complete.

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The adhvaryu spreads on the box of the cart a black antelope-skin with the neck portion to the east and hairy side upwards, places the soma thereon, covers it with another piece of cloth, ties a skin to a staff as a flag. Two oxen are yoked to the cart, the Subrahmaṇya priest ( an assistant to the udgātṛ ) standing on the ground between the two shafts of the cart drives the oxen holding two palāśa branches in his hand ( as whips ). The adhvaryu touches the cart and directs the hotṛ to repeat a verse for soma that is bought ( or being taken round ) and directs the subrahmaṇya priest to pronounce the Subrahmaṇyā invocation. The hotṛ stands three steps behind the cart between the two wheel-tracks, and while keeping his heels firm and unmoved throws up to the south with a verse ( tvam vipraḥ, Āśv. IV. 4. 2 ) clods ( or dust ) thrice with the forepart of his foot, then utters standing ' hiṁ bhūrbhuvaḥ svarom ' and a verse ' bhadrād abhi śreyaḥ prehi ' ( Āśv. IV. 4. 2). While following the moving cart between wheel-tracks he recites Ṛg. I. 91. 9-11, X. 71. 10, IV. 53. 7 ( half ) and stops. When the cart stops the hotṛ approaches the soma from the south side of the cart, and stands facing it. He touches the soma or the cloth covering it with two verses ( called paridhānīyā viz. Ṛg. I. 91. 19 and VIII. 42. 3 ). Then the sacrificer touches the soma and comes to the sacrificial hall ( śālā ) along with all the priests.

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The subrahmaṇya priest recites the famous subrahmaṇyā litany ²⁵⁵⁰ (which is an invitation to Indra). According to Lāṭ. I. 3. 1 this litany is recited after the performance of ātithyā iṣṭi, but according to Āp. and Kāt. it is recited before Ātithyā. At the time of each upasad the subrahmaṇyā litany is recited (Sat. VII. 4. p. 676). According to Lāṭ. the subrahmaṇya stands inside the spot where the altar would be prepared and recites the litany and the yajamāna touches him and the wife touches the yajamāna. The formula is 'O Subrahmaṇya (Indra who protects excellent prayers), come, O Indra! O Lord of *hari* (bay) steeds! Ram of Medhātithi! Menā (wife or daughter?) of Vṛṣaṇaśva! Attacking buffalo! Lover of Ahalyā! O Kauśika! O brāhmaṇa! Thou who callest thyself Gautama!'. Then he should state 'in so many days, to the soma feast.' Then he adds 'Ye Gods and brāhmaṇas! come hither!' While the Subrahmaṇyā is being recited the sacrificer mutters certain prayers (Āp. X. 28. 5). Near the eastern door of the prāgvaṁśa the pratiprasthātṛ stands holding by the ear a goat (as a present to king Soma) that has white and dark spots of hair or red and dark ones, that is hornless, fat and bearded. The cart is stopped to the east of the prāgvaṁśa with its shafts to the east or north, the yoke-pins are taken out; the oxen are released from the yoke (or only one ox, the northern one, is released).

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While this is being done preparations are made for ātithyeṣṭi to receive hospitably as a guest king Soma. The adhvaryu and three other priests make ready a stool or couch (āsandī) of udumbara wood, having feet as high as the navel, with a board one *aratni* square plaited with cords of muñja grass, on which a black antelope skin is spread. On this the soma is placed after being taken out of the cart. Soma thus seated on the couch is brought inside the śālā by the eastern door, is taken to the west of the āhavanīya and established to the south of the āhavanīya to the east of the seat of the brahmā priest. Then follows the work of ātithyeṣṭi. The wife quickly takes out the materials for a cake on nine potsherds for Viṣṇu (who is the principal deity in this iṣṭi). In all iṣṭis (in Agniṣṭoma) after the dīkṣaṇīyā up to udayanīyā (the concluding iṣṭi) there is no agnyanvādhāna, no taking up of vrata, no subsisting on fast food, no gifts and no choosing of brahmā. There are only five prayāja offerings and no anuyājas.²⁵⁵¹ Fire is produced by attrition, and the iṣṭi comes to an end after the first iḍā. For details see Āp. X. 30 and Kāt. VIII. 1. After the iḍā is eaten there is tānūnaptra, a solemn convenant made by the sacrificer and the priests pledging themselves in the name of Tanūnapāt (the mighty blowing wind, that is the witness of all living beings) not to injure each other.

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They make this²⁵⁵² covenant by touching simultaneously clarified butter taken in a vessel of kāṁsya or in a camasa from the ājya in the dhruvā ladle used in the ātithyā and placed on the southern hip (south corner of west side) of the altar. That clarified butter used for this covenant is shaken by the adhvaryu and is kept by him in a vessel (which is not earthen-ware) in a well-known spot and is given mixed with the fast milk (vrata-dugdha) to the sacrificer in the afternoon (for eating). Then follows the avāntara-dīkṣā (intermediate consecration) of the sacrificer, in which he offers a fuel-stick in the āhavanīya fire (with 'agne vratapās' Vāj. S. V. 6), the wife also silently offers a fuel-stick in gārhapatya; he touches water heated in a vessel called madantī, clenches his fists more closely, tightens his girdle and drinks only hot milk. All priests also touch the madantī water and together with the sacrificer strengthen²⁵⁵³ the soma stalks with their hands holding golden pieces with the mantra 'aṁśur-aṁśu' (Vāj. S. V. 7, Tai. S. I. 2. 11. 1). Then they place their right hands one after another on the prastara which is on the southern end of the vedi with the palms turned upwards and cover the palms with their left palms turned downwards (this action being called nihnava, according to Āp. XI. 1. 12 and Kāt. VIII. 2. 9). Nihnava²⁵⁵⁴ is a kind of salutation to Heaven and Earth.

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²⁵⁴⁶ राजानं क्रीणन्ति। आश्व. IV. 4. 1; कौत्साद्वाजानं क्रीणीयादन्यस्माद्वा ब्राह्मणादित्युकथ्वाहाप्यब्राह्मणादिति। आप. X. 20. 12; सोमविक्रयिणं प्रपादयति कौत्सं शूद्रं वा। सत्याषाढ VII. 1. p. 606, where the com. remarks ‘स च ब्राह्मण: कौत्स: कुत्सगोत्र: कुत्सितकर्मा वा।... शूद्र: सच्छूद्रो गोपो नापितो वा।... शाखान्तरे शमितुस्सोमविक्रयिणौ कुलालाविच्छांनानात्कुलालोपि पक्षे। निषादरथकारवद्दाविद्यर्थमभ्यनुमतेतेषाम्। अयं च शूद्रो विमाभावे द्रष्टव्य:।।’

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²⁵⁴⁷ अरुणयैकहायन्या पिङ्गाक्ष्या गवा सोमं क्रीणाति quoted by Śabara on Jaimini III. 1. 12, who engages in a lengthy discussion about the purport of this passage. Vide तै. सं. VI 1. 6. 7 'एकहायन्या, क्रीणाति। ... अरुणया पिङ्गाक्ष्या क्रीणात्येतद्वै सोमस्य रूपं स्वयैवैनं देवतया क्रीणाति।' where other requirements are set out. The idea was that the cow (the price of Soma) was to resemble the soma beverage in colour as much as possible. Vide also Jai. IV. 1. 25. The cow was called somakrayaṇī as soma was purchased with it; सोमः क्रीयते यया गवा सा सोमक्रयणी says com. on Sat. VII. 2 p. 623.

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²⁵⁴⁸ The Śat. Br. III. 3. 3 (S. B. E. vol. 26. pp. 69-70) contains the higgling at length. Vide also Āp. X. 25. 1-16, Kāt. VII. 8. 1-21. Sat. (VII. 2. pp. 636-643) sets out what things are offered in exchange of soma and the dialogue between the adhvaryu and the vendor of soma. There were several options as to the things offered in exchange for soma. They were ten viz. seven cows, a gold piece, clothes, a she-goat; some said they were 13 (ten cows plus the other three) or only four (one cow and the other three).

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²⁵⁴⁹ Śvāna, Bhrāja and others are supposed to be Gandharvas, guardians of the cow and other things offered as the price of soma. Vide Śat. Br. III. 3. 3. 11 (S. B. E. vol. 26 p. 72). Jaimini (XII. 4. 5-7) states that ten things are offered as the price of soma and that soma is not purchased by offering these separately, but by offering them in one lot (*samuccaya*). Baud. VI. 14 enumerates them in one place.

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²⁵⁵⁰ The formula is : ' सुब्रह्मण्यो३म्। सुब्रह्मण्यो३म्। सुब्रह्मण्यो३म्। इन्द्रागच्छ हरिव आगच्छ मेधातिथेर्मेष वृषणश्वस्य मेने गौरावस्कन्दिन्नहल्यायै जार कौशिक ब्राह्मण गौतम-ब्रुवाण एतावदहे सुत्यां यावदहे स्यात् । देवा ब्रह्माण आगच्छतागच्छतागच्छत । ' लाट्यायन I. 3. 1 ff. and द्राक्षायण I. 3. 3-5. Vide Sat. Br. III. 4. 17-20 for the formula and explanation, Ait. Br. 26. 3 (explains why this nigada is called subrahmaṇyā in the feminine gender ), Tai. Br. I. 12. 3-4. This litany is required on the 2nd and following days of the Agniṣṭoma and almost on all days of other Soma sacrifices. On the 2nd day, after the word गौतमब्रुवाण, the subrahmaṇya says ' द्व्यहे सुत्याम् ', on the 3rd day त्र्यहे सुत्याम्, on the 4th day श्वः सुत्याम् and on the last day ( soma-pressing day ) अद्य सुत्याम्. Vide Jai. XI. 4. 27-29 about the indication of the day of soma in the Subrahmaṇyā in Dvādaśāha. As to the last sentence ' devā brāhmaṇa ' there were divergent views. Some employed only आगच्छ मघवन्, others employed the word 'आगच्छ' before देवा ब्राह्मण. Śabara on Jaimini XI. 4. 27 shows that he accepted ' सुत्यामागच्छ मघवन् ' as the text of the call. Vide Drāhyāyaṇa I. 3. 10-12 for the views. Pāṇini ( I. 2. 37-38 ) gives rules about the accents of the Subrahmaṇyā. According to Lāṭ. and Drāhyāyaṇa I. 3. 17 the subrahmaṇyā litanies after the upasads are finished are recited near the utkara outside the altar. The priest takes breath at each of the first two words (सुब्रह्मप्यो३म्), then again after मेने and after ब्रुवाण. This invocation is repeated thrice (Āp. X. 28. 6, Lāṭ. I. 3. 10). On the Agnīṣomīya day (day before pressing) before the reference to sutyā, the words 'asau yajate' (this, so and so, offers sacrifice) occur and the names (nākṣatra, gotra and vyāvahārika names) of the sacrificer are mentioned with the names of his ancestors (son of so and so, grandson of so and so, great-grandson of so and so) and then the names of his living descendants according to seniority by birth, both males and females, in the words 'father of such and such a son &c.'. Manu IX. 126 refers to this last. In Ṛg. I. 51. 1 and I. 52. 1 Indra has the appellation 'meṣa' and there is a legend that Indra became a ram and drank the soma of Medhātithi Kāṇva. In Ṛg. VIII. 2. 40 it is said that Indra in the form of a ram carried off Medhyātithi Kāṇva. In Ṛg. I. 51. 13 Indra is spoken of as born of the Menā of Vṛṣaṇaśva (menābhavo vṛṣaṇaśvasya) and Sāyaṇa quotes the Tāṇḍya that Menā was the daughter of Vṛṣaṇaśva. Indra is addressed as Kauśika in Ṛg. I. 10. 11. The legend of Indra's love for Ahalyā, the wife of Gautama, is well-known. Vide Rāmāyaṇa I. 48 and Viṣṇupurāṇa I. 9. 21. Jaimini (in IX. 1. 42-44) states that when the Subrahmaṇyā litany is uttered in Agniṣṭut and other rites and when for Indra the word Agni is substituted, there is no substitution of other adjectives in place of Harivat and others. Śabara, however, notes that yājñikas do substitute other words viz. they says 'अग्न आगच्छ रोहिताश्व बृहद्भानो धूमकेतो जातवेदो विचर्षण इति।'. Kumārilabhaṭṭa in his Tantravārtika (p. 208 on Jai. I 3. 7) explains, like a modern comparative mythologist, that Indra in this legend means the Sun and Ahalyā means the night एवं समस्ततेजाः परमैश्वर्यनिमित्तेनेन्द्रशब्द्वाच्यः सवितैवाहनि लीयमानतया रात्रेहरल्याशब्द्वाच्यायाः क्षयात्मकजरणहेतुत्वाज्जार इत्युस्माद्देनैवोदितेनेत्यादित्य एवाहल्याजार उच्यते।. Vide Haug's tr. of Ait. Br. pp. 383-84, S. B. E. vol. 26, p. 81-82.

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²⁵⁵¹ Vide Jaimini X. 7. 38-39 and 40 for the proposition that there are no anuyāja offerings in ātithyeṣṭi and that it ends with iḍā.

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²⁵⁵² अनाधृष्टमसीति यजमानसप्तदशा ऋत्विजस्तानूनप्त्रं समवमृशन्ति । आप. XI. 1. 2. Vide also Sat. VII. 3. p. 660.

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²⁵⁵³ This is called 'āpyāyana' (strengthening or increasing), which according to com. on Āp. XI. 1. 11 and Sat. VII. 3. 661 means 'touching with a mantra' or according to others 'sprinkling with water'. Vāj. S. V. 7. and Tai. S. I. 2. 11. 1 read अंशुंरंशुष्टे देव सोमाप्यायतामिन्द्रायैकधनविदे, in which the word 'āpyāyatām' occurs.

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²⁵⁵⁴ निह्नवो नाम नमस्कारः द्यावापृथिव्योभ्यामेव तन्नमस्कुर्यादिति दर्शनात् । तेन पाणिनिधानं नमस्काराञ्जलिरूपेण कर्तव्यम् । com. on आश्व. IV. 5. 7.

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Then follows Pravargya and after that Upasad or the Upasad may precede Pravargya (Āp. XI. 2. 5, Sat. VII. 4. p. 662). Both are done twice, in the morning and then in the afternoon, for at least three days (2nd, 3rd and 4th) if soma is to be pressed on the 5th, but if soma is to be pressed on the 7th or any later day (from the beginning) then there will be more Pravargyas and Upasads.²⁵⁵⁵ The same barhis, prastara and paridhis employed in the ātithyā are used in the upasads and in the rite of Agniṣomīya paśu.

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²⁵⁵⁵ एवं सायं प्रातः प्रवर्ग्योपसद्भ्यां प्रचरन्ति । त्र्युपसत्के षट्कृत्वः । षडुपसत्के द्वादशकृत्वः । द्वादशोपसत्के चतुर्विंशतिकृत्वः । आप. XV. 12. 5.

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Pravargya is separately dealt with in most sūtras, as in Āp. XV. 5-12, Kāt. XXVI, Baud. IX. 6 ff. It was supposed to provide the sacrificer with a new celestial body²⁵⁵⁶. It was an independent rite by itself (apūrva) and was not the modification of any other rite (vide com. on Kāt. XXVI. 2. 5). It appears from Āp. XIII. 4. 3-5 that the Pravargya rite was not necessarily performed in every Agniṣṭoma. The gharma is styled Samrāṭ in Vāj. S. 39. 5, is identified with the sun, is said to be the head of Yajña and the hot milk was divine life and light. Vide Ait. Br. IV. 1, Śat. Br. XIV. 1-4, Tai. Ār. IV. 1-42, V. 1-12; and Haug's translation of Ait. Br. pp. 41-43 (note), S. B. E vol. 44, Intro. XLVI—L. An earthernware vessel, one span in height, is made, the middle of which is contracted (like a mortar), which has a rim or belt (mekhalā) about three fingers lower down from the top which is a large and deep bowl and has at the end a hole or spout for pouring in liquid. This is called mahāvīra and it resembles three pots placed on one another. There are two other earthenware vessels (which are called mahāvīra). There are also two milking bowls (pinvana) and two round plates called rauhiṇa for baking two cakes. All the three are heated with the fire of horse dung kindled at the gārhapatya (or dakṣiṇa according to some) fire, baked in a square pit like ordinary pans and then taken out.

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The two puroḍāśas baked on the round rauhiṇas are offered into fire in the morning and evening to Day and Night respectively. The vessel called mahāvīra is placed on a raised clay platform and fire is kindled round it, and when it is hot ghee is poured into it. The principal mahāvīra is the first vessel and the other two are not to have the different processes performed on them (they are apracaraṇīya, Āp. XV. 6. 11). These other two are kept covered with cloth on the big āsandī to the north of the stool on which soma is placed and to the south of the āhavanīya (Kāt. XXVI. 2. 17). To the boiling ghee in the principal vessel are added the milk of a cow and of a she-goat having a male young one. The hot milk thus mixed and contained in the mahāvīra is called 'gharma', of which offerings are made to Aśvins, Vāyu, Indra (with Vasus and Rudras and Ādityas), to Savitṛ, Bṛhaspati, Yama. The sacrificer drinks (the priests only smell) the remainder by the upayamani. The hotṛ repeats several mantras at various stages from the time the mahāvīra is placed on the raised platform up to the time when the hot milk is offered and the priest called prastotṛ chants sāmans. The whole of this ceremony is called Pravargya. A few interesting matters out of the numerous details of this rite are indicated here.

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All the doors of the sacrificial hall are screened with cloth, the wife's shed also is so screened and she is to sit in her shed (and not to see the mahāvīra,²⁵⁵⁷ but at a later stage she looks at it and repeats a mantra, Kāt. XXVI. 4. 13). Whatever wooden pātras are required in this rite they are²⁵⁵⁸ made of udumbara and the cords are made of muñja grass. The paridhis were thirteen and of vikaṅkata and the fuel-sticks for boiling the gharma were to be of the same wood or of khadira, palāśa, udumbara and a few other trees. There were three black antelope skins to be used as fans and two rukmas (plates or bars) of gold and silver, two vedas (bunches of kuśa), one of which has its ends cut off. Special rules are laid down about the clay out of which the mahāvīra vessel is to be made (vide Āp. XV. 1. 9 ff.) viz.²⁵⁵⁹ it was to be dug from a pit to the east of the āhavanīya fire; with that earth was to be mixed the dust dug by a wild boar and the clay from an ant-hill, pūtīka (a plant), the hair of a goat and of a black antelope skin; on it an ajā (she-goat) was to be milked. The clay so mixed is to be carried only by men of the higher castes and hot water is to be poured on the clay only from madantī vessels²⁵⁶⁰ in order to mix the various ingredients. No śūdra nor woman is to look at all this. Two vessels for milking the cow and the she-goat are made of this very clay.

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The Mahāvīra is to be lifted up only with two wooden pieces like tongs (called pariśāsa or śapha) and never otherwise. The āsandī (stool or chair) on which the mahāvīra is to be placed is bigger than the one for king Soma (thereby bringing out its super-eminence as samrāṭ) and it is placed north of the seat for Soma. Two kharas (mounds covered with sand) are made to the north of the gārhapatya and of the āhavanīya and a third mound (called ucchiṣṭa khara) is made in the north-east of the prāgvaṁśa, having a channel outside (the śālā) for wiping off the leavings. A silver blade or plate of one hundred *raktikās* (berries for weighing) in weight is inserted in the loose sand of the western mound, sheaths of reed grass kindled at the gārhapatya are thrown on the mound and the mahāvīra vessel is placed thereon. Then pieces of vikaṅkata wood (paridhis) are laid round the Mahāvīra by the adhvaryu and pratiprasthātṛ, in all 13, the last being placed by the adhvaryu. Then a gold bar or plate (representing the Sun) is placed on the Mahāvīra pot. The adhvaryu fans the fire thrice by means of the three fans made of black antelope skin from right to left and then thrice from left to right. When a blaze is produced the gold plate is taken away. According to the Ait. Br. IV. 2 and Āśv. IV. 6. 3 the hotṛ recites several verses (21 in number) when the empty Mahāvīra is being heated (they constitute the *pūrva paṭala*) and several operations such as anointing it are being performed. The Ait.

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Br. IV. 5 further prescribes 21 verses for recitation by the hotṛ when the cow is being milked (they are called *uttara paṭala*). Vide Āśv. IV. 7. 4 also.

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²⁵⁵⁶ सोऽग्रेर्देवयोन्या आहुतिभ्यः संभवति ऋङ्मयो यजुर्मयः साममयो वेदमयो ब्रह्ममयोऽमृतमयः संभूय देवता यज्ञक्रतुना अप्येति... ... यश्चैवं विद्वान्नेतेन यजते । ऐ. ब्रा. IV. 5.

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²⁵⁵⁷ The pravargya was an awful and mystic or recondite affair and so the wife was not to see it. 'उग्रो ह्ययं प्रवर्ग्यः' com. on Āp. XV. 5. 4.

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²⁵⁵⁸ For the pātras and things required vide Kāt. XXVI. 1. 2 and 2. 10 and Āp. XV. 5. 7-20. Vide also Śat. Br. XIV. 1. 2 and com. on Kāt. XXVI. 1. 1.

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²⁵⁵⁹ The Śat. Br. XIV. 1. 1. 10-11 explains by a legend the names gharma, pravargya, mahāvīra and samrāṭ. तद् (विष्णोः शिरः) घृङ्ङिति पपात। तत्पतित्वासावादित्योऽभवद्यच्चेतरे प्राङेव प्रावृज्यत तद्यद् घृङ्ङित्यपतत्तस्माद्घर्मोऽथ यत्प्रावृज्यत तस्मात्प्रवर्ग्यः। ते देवा अब्रुवन्। महान्बत नो वीरोऽपादीति तस्मान्महावीरस्तस्य यो रसो व्यक्षरत्तं पाणिभिः संममृजुस्तस्मात् सम्राट्। शतपथ XIV. 1. 1. 10-11. The Śat. Br. further on (XIV. 1. 1. 18ff) says that Dadhyan̄ Ātharvaṇa knew the doctrine of Pravargya (called Madhu) and imparted it to Aśvins and refers to Ṛg. I. 116. 12.

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²⁵⁶⁰ In the Pravargya wherever water is to be used it is hot water and taken from the madantī vessel. According to Kāt. VIII. 1. 11 wherever after the avāntaradīkṣā water is required it is to be taken from the madantī (and it is to be hot) till the time when the sacrificer loosens his clenched fists.

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According to Śat. Br. XIV. 2. 2. 44-46 and Jai. III. 3. 32-33 the Pravargya was not to be performed at a sacrificer's first soma sacrifice and it was not to be performed for anyone and everyone, but only for him who was well-known or was a complete master of the veda. On the day previous to the soma pressing day, the two performances of pravargya and upasad are combined and gone through in the morning and on that day takes place the 'udvāsana' (setting out or orderly discharge) of the pravargya either by laying out the pravargya apparatus in the form of a human body or by throwing them in the midst of water or in a river island &c. They (the priests and yajamāna) set out as a general rule (Āp. XV. 16. 6) all the implements on the uttaravedi, the principal mahāvīra vessel as the head is placed close to the front side of the navel of the uttaravedi, the two other mahāvīras are placed to its east, the bunch of kuśa grass (called veda) is placed on top of the mahāvīra to represent śikhā (top-knot of hair), the two lifting sticks (śaphas) are placed on two sides as arms and so on. Vide Śat. Br. XIV. 3. 1. 16, Āp. XV. 15, Kāt. 26.7.14 ff. According to Āp. XV. 11. 10-13 the yajamāna and some of the priests viz. hotṛ, adhvaryu, brahmā, pratiprasthātṛ and āgnīdhra drink the remainder of the milk (gharma) from the upayamani (a large wooden spoon).

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When a person performs pravargya he should not for a year partake of meat, should not approach a śūdra woman for sexual intercourse, should not drink water from an earthen pot and should not allow a śūdra to eat the leavings of his food (Āp. XV. 12. 13). According to Śat. Br. XIV. 3. 1. 32 ff the gold plate goes to the brahmā, the gharma to adhvaryu, while according to Āp. XV. 13. 1 the sacrificer gives the gold and silver plates to adhvaryu, the cow to hotṛ, the she-goat to āgnīdhra and a pregnant cow to brahmā.

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Upasad²⁵⁶¹ is an iṣṭi. The several processes such as agnyanvādhāna found in the darśa-pūrṇamāsa are not performed in this iṣṭi, but a start is made from the carrying forward of the praṇītā water. Offerings of clarified butter are made in this iṣṭi to Agni and Soma with the juhū ladle and to Viṣṇu with the juhū after pouring therein the ājya taken in the upabhṛt ladle; that is, the principal deities are Agni, Soma and Viṣṇu and that besides the āhutis of ājya to these there are the upasad āhutis with the mantra ‘yā te’ &c. Vide the com. on Kāt. VIII. 2. 35 for all details. All actions done after the ātithyā iṣṭi such as the strengthening of soma, the ninhava, the recital of the subrahmaṇyā litany take place in each upasad (performed in the morning and afternoon for three or more days). There are no ājyabhāgas, no prayājas nor anuyājas and no offering to Agni Sviṣṭakṛt (Āśv. IV. 8. 8.). The three verses, Ṛg. VII.15.1-3, are repeated thrice each, so as to make nine kindling verses (sāmidhenīs) in the morning and Ṛg. II. 6. 1-3 (repeated thrice) are sāmidhenīs in the evening, Upasad offering is made by the sruva ladle with the mantra ‘yā te agne ayaḥśayā tanūr’²⁵⁶² (Vāj. S. V. 8) on the first day, on the 2nd day with the same verse but reciting ‘rajaḥśayā’ for ‘ayaḥśayā’ and on the 3rd day with ‘hariśayā’ for ‘ayaḥśayā’.

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²⁵⁶¹ According to the com. on Sat. VII. 4. p. 665 the word is derived from ‘sad’ (to shatter) with ‘upa’ and means ‘that by which the allied cities became shattered’; ‘उप उपगतानि संगतानि एतादृशानि पुराणि विशीर्णानि भवन्ति यया सोपसत् । उप उपगताः स्वेन सह सङ्गता अपि भ्रातृव्या विशीर्णा भवन्ति यजमानस्य यया सा । ... ... तेषामसुराणां तिस्रः पुर आसंस्तित्यत्रोपसद्विषयिण्याख्यायिका प्रसिद्धा ।’. Vide Kauṣ. Br. VIII. 8 for the legend.

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²⁵⁶² या ते अग्ने अयःशया तनूर्वर्षिष्ठा गह्मरेष्ठा । उग्रं वचोऽपावधीत्त्वेषं वचोऽपावधीत्स्वाहा । वाज. सं. V. 8. The Tai. S. I. 2. 11. 2 reads ‘या ते अग्नेऽयाशया रजाशया हराशया. Vide Jai. II. 1. 48 for the proposition that the very words तनूर्वर्षिष्ठा &c. are to be connected with the words रजाशया and हराशया (and no other ordinary words are to be coined for completing the sentence). Vide Jai. V. 3. 3 for another detail.

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