History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c51.11.3

v3.c51.11.3

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).