History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c52.32.2

v3.c52.32.2

The deity to whom an offering is made is appropriate to the person in whose house the offering is made and the offerings and fees also differ. The twelve persons (according to Kāt.) are the sacrificer, the commander of the army, the purohita, the crowned queen, the sūta (minstrel?), grāmaṇī (village headman), the kṣattṛ (chamberlain), saṁgrahītṛ (treasurer or charioteer?), akṣāvāpa (superintendent of gambling), govikarta (hunter?), dūta or pālāgala (courier), parivṛkti (the discarded queen) and the deities respectively are Indra, Agni Anīkavat, Bṛhaspati, Aditi, Varuṇa, Maruts, Savitṛ, Aśvins, Rudra (for both akṣāvāpa and govikarta), Agni, Nirṛti (the offering in this case is a caru of black rice husked with the nails). The dakṣiṇās also vary (vide Āp. XVIII. 10. 15-30, Kāt. XV. 3. 16-34). Then follow several offerings. Then comes the Abhiṣecanīya rite which is the central ceremony in Rājasūya and which lasts for five days (one day dīkṣā, three days upasads and one sutyā day of soma pressings). The dīkṣā of Abhiṣecanīya (anointing rite) is performed on the first of Caitra. It is performed on the southern part of the sacrificial ground while the Daśapeya is performed on the northern portion. In the Abhiṣecanīya and Daśapeya the hotṛ must be of the Bhṛgugotra (Tāṇḍya Br. XVIII. 9. 2, Kāt. XV. 4. 1, Śāṅ. XV. 13. 2). The Abhiṣecanīya follows the procedure of the Ukthya.