History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c51.35.2

v3.c51.35.2

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.