Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c53: Chapter XXXV. Sautrāmaṇī and Other Sacrifices

History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c53

Language
English

Contents

Chapter XXXV. Sautrāmaṇī and Other Sacrifices

v3.c53.2

²⁶⁶⁰ The word Sautrāmaṇī is derived from sutrāman (a good protector), an epithet of Indra (vide Ṛg. X. 131. 6-7). Śat. Br. V. 5. 4. 12 derives it as 'one who was well saved (by the Aśvins)'.

v3.c53.3

This rite is included among the seven forms of haviryajñas (Gaut. VIII. 20, Lāṭ. V. 4. 23). It is not a soma sacrifice but is a combination of an iṣṭi with animal sacrifice (Śat. Br. XII. 7. 2. 10). The chief characteristic of it is the offering of *surā* (wine) in it. In modern times milk is offered in place of *surā* in the Sautrāmaṇī. According to Lāṭ. V. 4. 20 and Āp. XIX. 5. 1 there are two kinds of this rite, viz. Kaukilī and Caraka-sautrāmaṇī (or the ordinary one). Kaukilī is an independent rite, while the ordinary Sautrāmaṇī is performed at the end of the Rājasūya (one month after it) and also at the end of the piling of the fire-altar (agnicayana). Lāṭ. V. 4. 21 states that there is chanting of *sāmans* only in the Kaukilī and not in the other variety and according to Kāt. XIX. 5. 1 (com.) it is the brahmā that chants the Sāman to Indra in the Bṛhatī tune (viz. Vāj. S. XX. 30) Āp. XIX. 1. 2. states that in the ordinary sautrāmaṇī the procedure is that of the nirūḍhapaśubandha and that (XIX. 5. 2) in Kaukilī also the same procedure applies. There are two fires as in Varuṇapraghāsa, but the southern one is not established on a *vedi* (Kāt. XIX. 2. 1 and V. 4. 12). Some held (as is done by Śat. Br. XII. 7. 3. 7) there were two vedis behind which two mounds were raised, one for cups of milk and the other for cups of *surā*. The rite takes four days, during the first three out of which wine is prepared from various ingredients, while on the last day three cups of milk and three of *surā* are offered to Aśvins, Sarasvatī and Indra and animals are slaughtered for the same three.

v3.c53.4.1

In this rite the victims are a reddish-white goat for the Aśvins, an ewe for Sarasvatī, and a bull for Indra Sutrāman (Śāṅ. XV. 15. 1-4, Āśv. III. 9. 2). A brief description of the method in which wine was prepared in the Sautrāmaṇī is given below from the Śat. Br. V. 5. 4, XII. 7. 2, Kāt. XV. 9. 28-30, XIX. 1-2 (and com. thereon). Rice-grains²⁶⁶¹ (or malted rice grains and malted barley or śyāmāka) germinated and ungerminated covered in linen cloth are purchased from an eunuch in exchange for lead, wool and fried grain for thread. This purchase takes place on the southern one of the vedis specially prepared for this rite near the peg called antaḥpātya on a hide. The rice grains are cooked in plenty of water and the malted barley grains are powdered and boiled. The water and scum are strained through woollen cloth. The hair of the lion, the wolf and the tiger are thrown into the mixture (this is symbolic of the characteristics of prowess, impetuosity and fury found in those wild beasts). Certain vegetable substances such as myrobalans, ginger, nutmeg (which serve as yeast and are mentioned in the note below), are powdered and boiled in plenty of water. The hot watery scum from the two pots of boiled rice and powdered barley is taken into two vessels and the extract of vegetables is poured in both of them, the mixture being called *māsara*.

v3.c53.4.2

The boiled rice and barley are also mixed with the extract of powdered vegetables, put in a kumbhī (a big jar) along with contents of the māsara vessels and the jar is placed in a pit dug to the south-west of the sacrificial hall and kept there for three nights. On the first day the milk of one cow meant for Aśvins is poured into the kumbhī placed in the pit and powder of śaṣpa is added. The next day the milk of two cows meant for Sarasvatī is poured into the kumbhī and powder of tokma is added. On the third milk of three cows meant for Indra is added and also the powder of fried rice grains (lāja). To the west of the mound prepared on the southern vedi a pit is dug (outside the vedi according to com. on Kāt. XIX. 2. 7.) on which is spread bull's hide over which a sieve of bamboo is held and the liquid from the large jar is poured over the sieve (called kārotara).²⁶⁶² The wine thus purified is collected in a *sata* (a vessel of palāśa wood) and it is further purified by means of the hair of the tail of a cow and a horse. Of this purified wine the pratiprasthātṛ fills the cups for being offered to the three deities, viz. the Aśvins, Sarasvatī and Indra. Either one or three cups are filled for each of the three deities (Kāt. XV. 10. 13). This is done after the offering of the omentum and after mārjana. According to Āp. XIX. 2. 9-11 and Kāt. XV. 10. 12 powders of kuvala, karkandhū and badara fruits are added to the wine in the cups and they are offered in the dakṣiṇa fire (Kāt.

v3.c53.4.3

XV. 10. 17). There was only one puronuvākyā, one praiṣa and one yājyā for all cups.²⁶⁶³ On the dakṣiṇa fire a vessel having a hundred holes covered with a hair strainer and gold and containing the remnants of the wine cups was hung by means of a *śikya* and the trickling drops of wine were offered to pitṛs called Somavat, Barhiṣad and Agniṣvātta with Vāj. S. XIX. 52-60. It is to be noted that the remnants of the wine were not drunk by the priests, but were either drunk by a brāhmaṇa hired for the purpose (Āp. XIX. 3. 3) or they were poured over an ant-hill. Āśv. (III. 9. 5-6) says that the priests muttered a verse (which is Vāj. S. XIX. 35) and only smelt the remnants of the wine offered (this is called prāṇabhakṣa). Śāṅ. notes that some teachers recited the puronuvākyā, yājyā and praiṣa in an entirely changed form (probably as directly mentioning only surā and not in the phraseology of soma) but it should not be so done, since that is a method fit only for asuras. From this one may plausibly argue that the Sautrāmaṇī was practised among Asuras (non-Aryan people or schismatics) and was adopted by the Vedic Aryans, with appropriate changes. But it is clear that the drinking of surā by priests was condemned even then.²⁶⁶⁴ Eggeling (in S. B. E. vol. 44 p. 246 n) does not appear to be right so far at least as the sūtra literature goes when he says that the priests drank the remnants of the wine cups (though the Śat. Br.

v3.c53.4.4

uses the somewhat doubtful word 'bhakṣayanti' which in the sūtras also means 'smelling').

v3.c53.5

²⁶⁶¹ Kat. (XIX. 1. 18 ff) uses the words शष्प (malted rice or grass), तोक्म (malted barley), नग्नहु (vegetable substances). The com. on Kāt. XIX. 1. 20 quotes verses specifying these latter: 'सर्जत्वक् त्रिफला चैव शुण्ठी चैव पुनर्नवा। चतुर्जातक्संयुक्ता पिप्पला गजपिप्पली। वंशोऽरुका बृहच्छत्रा चित्रकं चेन्द्र-वारुणी। अश्वगन्धां समुत्पाट्य मूलान्येतानि निर्वपेत् ॥ धान्यकं च यवानीं च जीरकं कृष्णजीरकम्। द्वे हरिद्रे वचा चैव विरूढा व्रीहयो यवाः।' Āp. XIX. 5. 4 defines नग्नहु differently.

v3.c53.6

²⁶⁶² Āp. XIX.5-6 and Baud. XVII.31-32 state methods of preparing surā which differ in several details,though the principle is the same. It is prepared by fermentation from rice, barley and other corn. So this surā would be 'paiṣṭī' out of the three varieties mentioned in Manu XI. 94.

v3.c53.7

²⁶⁶³ Vide Āśv. III. 9. 3. The puronuvākyā is Ṛg. X. 131. 4, the yājyā is Ṛg. X. 131. 5 and the praiṣa to the hotṛ to repeat the yājyā is: 'होता यक्षदश्विना सरस्वतीमिन्द्रं सुत्रामाणं सोमानां सुराम्णां जुषन्तां व्यन्तु पिबन्तु मदन्तु सोमान् सुराम्णो होतर्यज।' (Āśv. III. 9. 3.). It will be noticed that surā is referred to in terms of soma. Śāṅ. says 'सर्वानेके विकृतानामनन्ति। तदु तथा न कुर्यादासुरं तत्'. According to Śāṅ. the adhvaryu recited Vāj. S. XIX. 34 (= Tai. Br. II. 6. 3) and the pratiprasthātṛ and udgātṛ recite Vāj. S. XIX. 35 as the mantra for smelling surā. Vide Lāṭ. V. 4.15 also for भक्षमन्त्र.

v3.c53.8

²⁶⁶⁴ ब्राह्मणं परिक्रीणीयादुच्छेषणस्य पातारम्। आप. XIX. 3.3. This is quoted by Śabara on Jai. III 5. 15. सत्या. (XIII. 8. 28-31) has 'ब्राह्मणं परिक्रीणीते ग्रहोच्छेषणस्य पातारम्। ... वल्मीकवपायामवनयेत्। स्वयं वा पिबेत्। सर्वहुतां वा जुहुयात्।'. Vide note 1892 for a quotation from Tai. Br. to the same effect.

v3.c53.9

All three animals in the sautrāmaṇī may be goats. A fourth animal was offered to Bṛhaspati under certain circumstances (Āp. XIX. 2. 1-2). Though the omentum of the victims was offered to Aśvins, Sarasvatī and Indra, the paśupuroḍāśas were offered to Indra, Savitṛ and Varuṇa (Āśv. III. 9. 2). This rite was performed at the end of Rājasūya or for one who performs *cayana* or for one who suffers from purging due to excessive drinking of soma beverage or who vomits soma or from the openings of whose body (except the mouth) soma flows out. The independent (*kaukilī*) sautrāmaṇī was performed for a brāhmaṇa who desired prosperity, or for a king who was driven from his kingdom or for one who had no cattle (Kāt. XIX. 1. 2-4). In the beginning and at the end there was a *caru* to Vditi.

v3.c53.10

The northern vedi is in extent only one-third of the vedi for a soma sacrifice. When the uttaravedi is being prepared the pratiprasthātṛ takes earth from the cātvāla pit, makes a mound to the south of the uttaravedi, a second mound for keeping wine cups in front of the dakṣiṇa fire, brings fire from the dakṣiṇa fire and establishes it on the mound which is to the south of the uttaravedi. According to Kāt. XIX. 2. 11 (which is part of the description of the independent sautrāmaṇī) the adhvaryu purifies on the northern vedī milk contained in a vessel made of reeds (*vetasa*) and fills cups of milk, the one for Aśvins being made of aśvattha wood, and those for Sarasvatī and Indra being made of udumbara and nyagrodha. The three cups of milk are offered together by the adhvaryu. After the offering to Vanaspati in the animal sacrifice a couch of muñja cords is placed between the two vedis and the sacrificer sits on the couch which is covered with a black antelope skin with a silver piece under his left foot and a golden one under his right foot. The adhvaryu offers thirty-two cups of *vasā* (fat) from vessels made of the hoofs of bulls with Vāj. S. XIX. 80-95. The remnants of fat are contained in a *śata* (vessel) of reeds. The adhvaryu sprinkles over the yajamāna whose body has been rendered fragrant with unguents the liquid from that vessel till it trickles down up to his mouth. The adhvaryu touches the sacrificer who summons his men and servants calling them by auspicious names (such as suśloka). The men lift him gradually first up to the knee, then up to the navel &c. The sacrificer alights on a black antelope skin when a 33rd cup of fat is taken, a sāman in the Bṛhat tune for Indra (Vāj S. XX. 30) is chanted by the brahmā priest and the nidhana (finale) of it differs according to the varṇa of the sacrificer2664a and is sung in chorus by all and then the 33rd cup is offered. There is the final purificatory bath as in Somayāga. Finally, after the caru to Aditi āmikṣā is offered to Mitra and Varuṇa and then an animal to Indra Vayodhas. Jaimini lays down certain propositions about the Sautrāmaṇī. In III. 5. 14-15 he states that all the contents of the grahas of milk are offered in the fire on the northern vedi and of the wine cups into the southern fire and nothing is left out of them for being offered as Sviṣṭakṛt offering or for the purpose of iḍā. In IV. 3. 29-31 it is established that when the Vedic text says 'after piling the fire altar one should perform Sautrāmaṇī' there is no injunction about the time of performing Sautrāmaṇī but what is declared is that the Sautrāmaṇī is an aṅga (a subordinate constituent) of the principal rite viz. agnicayana and in IX. 3. 40-41 it is stated with reference to the same text that the sautrāmaṇī is not necessarily performed immediately after agnicayana but on the Full Moon day or New Moon day thereafter. In VIII. 2. 1-9 Jaimini declares that though the surā offered in Sautrāmaṇī is spoken of as soma and though several actions such as purchase of surā, tying in cloth are common to surā and soma, the general procedure to be followed in Sautrāmaṇī is that of darśapūrṇamāsa and not of soma sacrifice and that surā is spoken of as soma by way of lauding the offering of wine cups.²⁶⁶⁵

v3.c53.11

2664a संभवसे विश्वभवसे सरथ्यभवसे अवस इति सर्वे निधनमुपयन्ति । संजित्यै विजित्यै सरथ्यजित्यै जित्या इति क्षत्रियस्य । संपुष्ट्यै विपुष्ट्यै सत्यपुष्ट्यै पुष्ट्या इति वैश्यस्य । कात्यायन XIX. 5. 3-5; vide Lāṭ. V. 4. 19 for a similar rule.

v3.c53.12

²⁶⁶⁵ Vide for details Tai. S. I. 8. 2, Vāj. S. XIX and XX, Tai. Br. I. 4. 2, I. 8. 5-6, II. 6-7, Śat. Br. V. 5. 4-5, XII. 7-8, Āśv. III. 9, Śāṅ. XV. 15, Lāt. V. 4. 11 ff, Kāt. XV. 9-10, XIX, Āp. XIX. 1-10, Prof. Kieth's Intro. to Tai. S. pp. CXXII-CXXIII and 'Religion and Philosophy of Veda', part 2, pp. 352-354.

Aśvamedha (Horse-sacrifice)

v3.c53.s1.1

This is one of the most ancient sacrifices. Ṛg. I. 162 and 163 show that the horse-sacrifice was in vogue long before the composition of those two hymns. It was believed, as said above (on p. 982), by the composer of those hymns that the horse when sacrificed went to heaven. A goat was led in front of the horse (Ṛg. I. 162. 2-3 and I. 163. 12). The horse was decked with ornaments, it was anointed with the svaru (I. 162. 9) and it perambulated fire thrice or fire was carried round it thrice (I. 162. 4); cloth and a piece of gold are provided for the dead body of the horse to lie down upon (I. 162. 16). Horse's flesh was cooked in a pot called ukhā (I. 162. 13) and offered in fire (I. 162. 19); 34 ribs are mentioned in Ṛg. I. 162. 18, while 26 ribs are mentioned in other texts with reference to the goat. It appears that āgūḥ, yājyā and vaṣaṭkāra were uttered in making offerings of the horse's flesh (Ṛg. I. 162. 15). The horse is identified with Āditya, Trita and Yama (Ṛg. I. 163. 3).

v3.c53.s1.2

This rite is described in the Śat. Br. XIII. 1-5, Tai. Br. III. 8-9, in which several ancient monarchs are enumerated who performed the Aśvamedha. The Tai. Br. III. 8. 9 identifies the Aśvamedha with the kingdom²⁶⁶⁶ and states 'he, who being weak, offers an Aśvamedha, is indeed thrown away (lit. spilt away). If the enemies (of the king) were to secure the horse, the sacrifice would be destroyed'. The sūtras closely follow the Brāhmaṇas. The Aśvamedha is deemed in the sūtras to be an *ahīna* of three pressing days (Āśv. X. 8. 1, com. on Kāt. XX. 1. 1., Śāṅ. XVI. 1. 2). A paramount sovereign (*sārvabhauma*) or a crowned king who is not a sārvabhauma may perform this sacrifice (Āp. XX. 1. 1, Lāṭ. IX. 10. 17). Āśv. X. 6. 1 states (probably following the Ait. Br. about the Mahābhiṣeka in Rājasūya) that one who desires to secure all objects, to win all victories (including one over his own senses) and to attain all prosperity may perform Aśvamedha.²⁶⁶⁷ A beginning is made on the 8th or 9th of the bright half of Phālguna or on the same days of Jyeṣṭha or Aṣāḍha according to some (Kāt. XX. 1. 2-3, Lāṭ. IX. 9. 6-7). Āp. holds that it should be begun on the Full Moon of Caitra (XX. 1. 4). Rice from four vessels, four *añjalis* and four handfuls is cooked (it is called *brahmaudana*); it is smeared with ghee and given to the four principal priests who are also given one thousand cows each and gold weighing one hundred berries (Kāt. XX. 1. 4-6, Lāṭ. IX. 9. 8). Two *iṣṭis* are performed, the first for Agni Mūrdhanvan and the 2nd for Pūṣan (Āśv. X. 6. 2-5, Kāt. XX. 1. 25). The yajamāna cuts off his hair, pares his nails, brushes the teeth, bathes, puts on new garments, wears a golden ornament (*niṣka*), observes silence. Vide Tai. Br. III. 8. 1 and Āp. XX. 4. 9-14 for these. His four queens well-decked and wearing niṣkas come near the king, the crowned queen accompanied by princesses, the 2nd queen (*vāvāta*, the favourite one) accompanied by daughters of kṣatriyas, the third (*parivṛkti*, the discarded one) accompanied by daughters of sūtas and village headmen and the fourth (*pālāgalī*, of low origin) accompanied by daughters of kṣattṛs (chamberlains) and saṁgrahītṛs.²⁶⁶⁸ The yajamāna enters the fire-hall and sits to the west of the gārhapatya facing the north.

v3.c53.s1.3

²⁶⁶⁶ राष्ट्रं वा अश्वमेधः। ... ... परा वा एष सिच्यते योऽबलोऽश्वमेधेन यजते। यद्समित्रा अश्वं विन्द्रेरन् हण्येतास्य यज्ञः। तै. ब्रा. III. 8. 9. The Ait Br. does not describe the Aśvamedha, but the Mahābhiṣeka (called Aindra) of the Rājasūya.

v3.c53.s1.4

²⁶⁶⁷ सर्वान् कामानाप्त्यन् सर्वा विजितीर्विजिगीषमाणः सर्वा व्युष्टीर्व्यश्नुवानोऽश्वमेधेन यजेत। आश्वं. X. 6. 1; स य इच्छेदेवंवित् क्षत्रियमयं सर्वा जितीर्जयेतायं सर्वांल्लोकानभिसंभवेतायं सर्वेषां राज्ञां श्रैष्ठ्यमतिष्ठां परमतां गच्छेत साम्राज्यं भौज्यं स्वाराज्यं पारमेष्ठ्यं राज्यं माहाराज्यमाधिपत्यमयं समन्तपर्यायी स्यात्सार्वभौमः सार्वायुष आन्तादा परार्थात् पृथिव्यै समुद्रपर्यन्ताया एकराडिति तमेतेनैन्द्रेण महाभिषेकेण क्षत्रियं शापयित्वाभिषिञ्चेत्। ऐ. ब्रा. 39. 1. The words from साम्राज्यं to एकराडिति are quite familiar to all brāhmaṇas even in modern times.

v3.c53.s1.5

²⁶⁶⁸ या पत्नीनां प्रियतमा यजमानस्य सा वावाता राजपुत्री। अनपचिता परिवृक्ती। लाट्यायनश्रौ. IX. 10. 1-2.

v3.c53.s1.6.1

Various rules are stated about the horse's colour and other qualities (Śat. Br. XIII. 4. 2. 4, Kāt. XX. 1. 29-35, Lāṭ. IX. 9. 4). The horse must be all white with dark circular spots and of great speed, or the front part of its body may be dark and the rest of the body white, or it may have a tuft of dark blue hair. The horse is sprinkled with holy water by the four principal priests standing in the four directions (from the east), each surrounded respectively by a hundred princes, a hundred ugras who are not kings, by sūtas and village headmen, and by chamberlains and saṁgrahītṛs (Āp. XX. 4, Śat. XIV. 1. 31). A dog with four eyes (i. e. having two natural eyes and two depressions in the skin above the eyes) is killed by a man of the āyogava caste or by a voluptuary with the pestle of sidhraka wood. The horse is made to enter water and the corpse of the dog is with a loop of reeds made to float under the horse (Āp. XX. 3. 6-13, Kāt. XX. 1. 38 ff., Śat. XIV. 1. 30-34). The horse is brought near the fire and offerings are made in the fire till the water ceases to drip down from the horse's body (Kāt. XX. 2. 3-5). A girdle made of muñja grass or of darbhas 12 or 13 aratnis long and smeared with the ājya that remains after being poured over the brahmaudana is invoked with the mantra ‘imām—agṛbhṇan raśanām ṛtasya’ (Tai. S. IV. I. 2. 1, Vāj. S. 22. 2) and the horse is bound with it after taking the permission of the brahmā priest.

v3.c53.s1.6.2

The horse, having water sprinkled over it with mantras and after the sacrificer repeats into its right ear the several appellations for a horse (Āp. XX. 5. 1–9), is let off to roam over the country accompanied by four hundred guards with the mantra ‘O gods, the guardians of quarters, protect this horse &c.’ (Vāj. S. XXII. 19, Tai. S. VII. 1. 12. 1). The guards include one hundred princes deserving to be seated on couches in the presence of the king, wearing armour and the other guards are armed with swords, arrows and thick clubs according to their rank (Tai. Br. III. 8. 9, Āp. XX. 5. 10–14, Kāt. XX. 2. 11). The horse is allowed to roam for a year where it likes and is not made to turn back, but it is prevented from associating with mares or plunging into water for a bath (Kāt. XX. 2. 12–13). While doing their duty of guarding the horse, the guards are to subsist by demanding food from brāhmaṇas who do not know the procedure of Aśvamedha (or depriving them of it) or on cooked food taken from all brāhmaṇas; they may stay in the houses of chariot-makers (Āp. XX. 5. 15–18, Kāt. XX. 2. 15–16). Every day during the year that the horse is absent, three iṣṭis are offered to Savitṛ in the morning, mid-day and evening, when Savitṛ is respectively addressed as Satyaprasava, Prasavitṛ and Āsavitṛ; (Āśv. X. 6. 8, Lāṭ. IX. 9. 10, Kāt. XX. 2. 6).

v3.c53.s1.6.3

When the prayāja offerings are made a brāhmaṇa (other than the priests) with a vīṇā chants three laudatory gāthās in honour of the king composed by himself stating ‘you donated this, you performed such and such a sacrifice, you cooked food for distribution’ (Āp. XX. 6. 5, Kāt. XX. 2. 7). This singing took place thrice a day after the iṣṭi to Savitṛ (Śat. Br. XIII. 4. 2. 8–14, Tai. Br. III. 9. 14). A kṣatriya lute player also sang three laudatory songs (Śat. Br. XIII. 1. 5. 6, Āp. XX. 6. 14) referring to the battles fought and victories won by the sacrificer. Every day for a year after the iṣṭi to Savitṛ is finished the hotṛ sitting on a golden cushion to the south of the āhavanīya fire recites to the crowned king surrounded by his sons and ministers the narratives called ‘Pāriplava’ (revolving or recurring legends). When about to commence the Pāriplava the hotṛ makes the summons ‘adhvaryo3’ and the adhvaryu seated on a golden seat (with four legs) responds with ‘ho hotar' (Āśv. X. 6. 10–13).²⁶⁶⁹ The other priests also sit down on cushions or boards and bands of singers holding lutes sit down to the south and sing of the good deeds of the king along with those of his ancestors (Āp. XX. 6. 13). As the king is thus engaged in sacrifices and in listening to the Pāriplava²⁶⁷⁰ and to the songs, Āp. (XX. 3. 1–2) notes that, till the Aśvamedha is performed, the adhvaryu becomes the king, as the sacrificer (the crowned king) declares 'O brāhmaṇas and nobles!

v3.c53.s1.6.4

this adhvaryu is your king. Whatever honour you (usually pay to me) should be paid to him. May whatever he does be regarded as done by you.' Āśv. (X. 7. 1–10) sets out what the Pāriplava is. Śat. Br. XIII. 4. 3 and Śāṅ. XVI. 2 also deal at length with the Pāriplava and they agree with Āśv. in most places. For ten days one after another different texts are recited and this goes on for a year in narrative cycles of ten days. On the first day the hotṛ says 'Manu was the son of Vivasvat, men are his subjects' and points at the house-holders sitting down in the sacrificial hall with 'they (men as subjects of Manu) are here sitting down' and then recites some one hymn of the Ṛgveda saying 'to-day the Veda is that of ṛks.' On the second day he says 'Yama is the son of Vivasvat, the pitṛs are his subjects' and points to the old men assembled and recites one anuvāka from the Yajurveda. On the 3rd day Varuṇa and the gandharvas (as his subjects identified with fine looking young men) are mentioned and some hymn from the Atharva-veda dealing with diseases and their cure was narrated. On the 4th day the narration relates to Soma, son of Viṣṇu and Apsarases (identified with beautiful young women), and some hymn containing magic spells from the Āṅgirasa Veda; on the 5th the narration relates to Arbuda Kādraveya and serpents (identified with visitors who know serpent lore and poison lore);

v3.c53.s1.6.5

on the 6th day to Kubera Vaiśravaṇa, his subjects the Rakṣases (identified with evil doing selagas and the lore of Piśāca Veda (?). On the 7th the narration relates to Asita Dhānvana, his subjects the Asuras and usurers and some illusion (a trick) from Asura lore, on the 8th day to Matsya Sāmada, his subjects aquatic animals, Puñjiṣṭhas (fishermen) from Matsya country and some Purāṇa passage from the Purāṇa-veda, on the 9th to Tārkṣya, son of Vipaścit, his subjects the birds and brahmacārins and some narrative (itihāsa) from the itihāsaveda; on the 10th day Dharma Indra, his subjects the gods and the young śrotriyas who accept no gifts, and some sāman from the Sāmaveda. Every day for a year in the evening four oblations called Dhṛti were made in the āhavanīya (Kāt. XX. 3. 4). On the first day 49 homas called Prakramas were made in the dakṣiṇa fire with Vāj. S. XXII. 7-8 (beginning with 'hiṁkārāya svāhā'). Vide Śat. Br. XIII. 1. 3. 5, Tai. S. VII. 1. 19. In this way the Sāvitrī iṣṭis, singing, listening to Pāriplava and Dhṛti offerings went on for a year. For a year the sacrificer kept observances as in the Rājasūya (Lāṭ. IX. 9. 14). Large fees were given to the hotṛ and adhvaryu (Lāṭ. IX. 9. 12-13 and 16) and to the singers (Kāt. XX. 3. 7).

v3.c53.s1.7

²⁶⁶⁹ Various methods of response (प्रतिगर) are mentioned by Āp. and others. 'उपविष्टेष्वाध्वर्यो३इत्यध्वर्युं होता मन्त्रयते। हो३चि होतरित्यध्वर्युः प्रतिगृणाति। ओं होतरिति वा।' आप. XX. 6. 11-12; 'हवै होतरिति प्रतिश‍ृणोति।' कात्या. XX. 3. 2; होयि होतरिति सर्वत्र प्रतिश‍ृणोति। शाङ्ख्यायन 16. 1. 27. Āp. (XX.6.7) says that Pāriplava and Bhauvanyava are recited every day for a year.

v3.c53.s1.8

²⁶⁷⁰ The following quotations will illustrate the Pāriplava recital. प्रथमेहनि मनुर्वैवस्वतस्तस्य मनुष्या विशस्त इम आसत इति गृहमेधिन उपस मानीताः स्युस्तानुपदिशत्यृचो वेदः सोऽयमिति सूक्तं निगदेत्। द्वितीयेहनि यमो वैवस्वतस्तस्य पितरो विशस्त इम आसत इति स्थविरा उपस मानीताः स्युस्तानुपदिशति यजुर्वेदो वेदः सोयमित्यनुवाकं निगदेत्। आश्व. X. 7. 1-2. In the Vedāntasūtra (III. 4. 23–24) the conclusion is stated that the ākhyānas (such as that of Pratardana and Indra in Kauṣītaki Up. III. 1, of Jānaśruti in Chān. Up. IV. 1. 1 and of Yājñavalkya and his wives in Bṛ. Up. IV 5. 1) in the Upaniṣads are not meant to be recited in the Pāriplava, since only certain legends alone are specified in the texts for that purpose.

v3.c53.s1.9.1

Several expiatory ceremonies are prescribed (Āp. XXII. 7. 9-20, Kāt. XX. 3. 13-21) if the horse died or suffered from disease. If the horse was carried away by an enemy the sacrifice was destroyed. At the end of the year the horse was brought to a stable and the sacrificer underwent dīkṣā (initiation). There were 12 dīkṣās, 12 uposads and three sutyā days (days on which soma was pressed). Vide Śat. Br. XIII. 4. 4. 1, Āśv. X. 8. 1, Lāṭ. IX. 9. 17. After the dīkṣā the sacrificer is sung as on a par with the gods and on the pressing days, at the time of avabhṛtha, the udayanīyā iṣṭi, the anubandhyā and the udavasānīyā he is spoken of as on a par with Prajāpati.²⁶⁷¹ There are 21 yūpas (stakes) all being 21 aratnis high. The central one is of Rājjudāla (śleṣmātaka) tree. On its two sides are two pine yūpas and on both sides thereafter there are three yūpas each of bilva, khadira and palāśa (Tai. Br. III. 8. 9, Śat. Br. XIII. 4. 4. 5, Āp. XX. 9. 6-8, Kāt. XX. 4. 16-20). Large numbers of animals are tied at all these stakes and slaughtered. Even wild animals like boars and birds are bound and held between the intervals of the yūpas (Āp. XX, 14. 2 ff.). Vide Vāj. S. XXIV for a list of hundreds of animals out of which those from Kapiñjala onwards (Vāj. S. XXIV. 20 ff.) are let off after fire is carried round them (Kāt. XX. 6. 9, Āp. XX. 17. 5).

v3.c53.s1.9.2

The 2nd among the three pressing days is the most important and is full of several very striking matters (such as the ribald dialogue, the brahmodya &c.). The horse to be sacrificed is yoked to a chariot along with three horses, the adhvaryu and sacrificer occupy the chariot and take it to a lake or reservoir of water, make the horses enter it (Kāt. XX. 5. 11-14). On the horse's return to the sacrificial ground it is anointed with clarified butter by the crowned queen, the favourite queen and the discarded queen in the front, the middle and hind parts of its body respectively. They also respectively tie 101 golden beads on the head, mane and tail of the horse with bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ and svaḥ. They give the remnants of the previous night's offering to the horse with Vāj. S. XXIII. 8. If it does not eat it the remnants are cast into water. Near the yūpa a dialogue takes place between the hotṛ who asks 'who wanders alone' (Vāj. S. XXIII. 9) and 'who was the first to be thought of' (Vāj. S. XXIII. 11) and the brahmā replies with Vāj. S. XXIII. 10 and 12 respectively. The horse is praised by repeating Ṛg. I. 163 (Āśv. X. 8. 5). A piece of cloth is spread over grass, thereon a mantle is spread and a gold piece is placed thereon and the horse is killed thereon. Before the words 'adhṛigo śamīdhvam' in the adhṛigu praiṣa Ṛg. I. 162 and Ṛg. I. 163. 12-13 are to be recited.

v3.c53.s1.9.3

When the horse is killed, the wives of the king go round it thrice from left to right with 'gaṇānām tvā', thrice from right to left with 'priyāṇām tvā' and again thrice from left with 'nidhinām tvā' (all in Vāj. S. XXIII. 19). They fan the dead horse with their garments while braiding their hair on the right side upwards loosening the hair on the left side and strike their left thighs with their right hands (Āp. XXII. 17. 13, Āśv. X. 8. 8). The crowned queen lies down by the side of the dead horse and both are covered by the adhvaryu with the mantle on which the horse lies and she unites with it (Āp. XXII. 18. 3-4, Kāt. XX. 6. 15-16). Then according to Āśv. X. 8. 10-13 outside the vedi the hotṛ abuses the crowned queen in obscene language and she returns the abuse along with her one hundred attendant princesses and the brahmā priest and the favourite wife enter into a similar obscene abuse. According to Kāt. XX. 6. 18 the four principal priests and the chamberlain enter into an obscene abusive dialogue (given in Vāj. S. XXIII. 22-31) with the queens along with their young female attendants. Vide Śat. Br. XIII. 2. 9 and Lāṭ. IX. 10. 3-6. The attendant princesses raise the crowned queen from near the horse with 'dadhikrāvṇo' (Ṛg. IV. 39. 6 = Vāj. S. XXIII. 32). The horse is cut up with golden, silver and iron (*lauhī* may mean copper) needles by the crowned queen, the favourite queen and the discarded one with Vāj. S. XXIII. 33-38.

v3.c53.s1.9.4

They take out the fat of the dead horse in place of the omentum taken from the goat in other sacrifices (Āp. XXII. 18. 10-11, Kāt. XX. 7. 7). The blood of the horse is cooked and offered at the end of the other offerings to sviṣṭakṛt (Āp. XXII. 19. 10 and Kāt. XX. 8. 8.). Before the omentum of the animals meant for Prajāpati is offered there is *brahmodya* (a theological dialogue, where questions and riddles are propounded and answers given) between the priests in the *sadas*. According to Āśv. X. 9. 2-3 at first the hotṛ asks the adhvaryu 'who roams alone &c.' (Vāj. S. 23. 45) and the adhvaryu replies 'the sun roams alone &c.' (Vāj. S. 23. 46). Then the hotṛ again asks 'what light is like the sun's &c.' (Vāj. S. 23. 47) and the adhvaryu replies 'truth is light equal to the sun &c.' (Vāj. S. 23. 48, which however reads 'brahma sūryasamam'). Then the brahmā priest asks udgātṛ and he replies (Vāj. S. 23. 49-50), then the udgātṛ asks a question and the brahmā replies (Vāj. S. 23. 51-52). Then the four priests come out and each asks the sacrificer who sits facing the east the question 'I ask you the furthest limit of the earth &c.' (Ṛg. I. 164. 34) and the sacrificer replies 'this vedi is the furthest limit' (Ṛg. I. 164. 35). Vide Lāṭ. IX. 10. 9-14 for almost the same questions and answers.²⁶⁷² Kāt. (XX. 7. 10-15) mentions Vāj. S. XXIII. 49-62 as the dialogue that takes place at this stage in the Aśvamedha and states that Ṛg. I. 164. 34 (= Vāj. S. XXIII.

v3.c53.s1.9.5

61) is the question propounded by the sacrificer (and not by the priests as Āśv. says). Two grahas called Mahiman are offered, one before the omentum is offered and the other after it (Śat. Br. XIII. 5. 2. 23 referring to Vāj. S. XXIII. 2, Āśv. X. 9. 4, Kāt. XX. 7. 16-17 and 27). Offerings of the vapā of all animals are made to the several deities of whom Prajāpati is the last. Then the king sits on a lion's or tiger's skin, a piece of gold is placed on his head with Rg. I. 90. 1, a bull-hide is held over his head, he is sprinkled with the remnants (saṁsrāva) of the offerings called *mahiman* and offerings are made to the twelve months, Madhu, Mādhava &c. and seasons Vasanta &c. After the several offerings, on the third pressing day, the sacrificer performs the final purificatory bath. At the end of the avabhṛtha iṣṭi, on the head of a bald man,²⁶⁷³ whose eye-balls are yellowish-brown, who has prominent teeth, who is suffering from white leprosy and who dips into water, an offering is made (three according to Āp. XX. 22. 6) with the words 'to Jumbaka, svāhā' (Vāj. S. XXV. 9). Vide Kāt. XX. 8. 16, Śāṅ. XVI. 18. 18 and Śat. XIV. 5. 4. The latter add two important details, viz. that the man should be of the Atri gotra and that he should enter such deep water that it should flood his mouth. The Tai. Br. III. 9. 15 says that the āhuti 'to Jumbaka, svāhā' is the last in Aśvamedha and that Jumbaka means Varuṇa. A hundred cows and a cart to which bulls are yoked are given to him.

v3.c53.s1.9.6

When the sacrificer comes out of the water after avabhṛtha persons guilty of such grave sins as brāhmaṇa murder plunge into that water and become purified without having performed the penances prescribed for such sins (Kāt. XX. 8. 17-18).²⁶⁷⁴

v3.c53.s1.10

²⁶⁷¹ विशुद्धवाचि यजमाने संप्रेष्यति वीणागणकिनो देवैरिर्म यजमानं संगायतेति। एवं सर्वौपवसथात् । प्रजापतिना सुत्यास्ववभृथोदयनीयानुबन्ध्योदवसानीयास्त्विति। आप. XX. 7. 14-16.

v3.c53.s1.11

²⁶⁷² In several sacrifices such riddles were mooted; vide Āśv. VIII. 13. 14 for one in Daśarātra which is taken from Ait. Br. 24. 6, and Śat. Br. IV. 6. 9. 20; vide Tai. S. VII. 4. 18, Tai. Br. III. 9. 5 for brahmodya and Ṛg. X. 88. 18 and VIII. 58. 1-2 for questions and answers.

v3.c53.s1.12

²⁶⁷³ खलतेर्विाक्लिधस्य शुक्लस्य पिङ्गाक्षस्य मूर्धन् जुहोति । एतद्वै वरुणस्य रूपम् । तै. ब्रा. III. 9. 15.

v3.c53.s1.13

²⁶⁷⁴ Vide note 333 above where Tai. S. (V. 3. 12. 1-2) is cited viz. तरति ब्रह्महत्यां योऽश्वमेधेन यजते; Śat. Br. XIII. 3. 1. 1 has the same words. According to Gaut. 22. 9, Āp. Dh. S. I. 9. 24. 22 and Manu IX. 82-83 if the murderer of a brāhmaṇa, after declaring his crime, bathed in water in which the king took his final avabhṛtha bath, he would be free from that sin. Prof. Eggeling (S.B.E. vol. 44 p. XL. note 1) does not advert to the fact that expiation for brāhmaṇa murder was thus prescribed by the dharmasūtras.

v3.c53.s1.14

Apart from the gifts provided for many of the subordinate rites performed in the Aśvamedha, Lāṭ. (IX. 10. 15—IX. 11. 4) prescribes that on the first and last of the three soma pressing days he should donate a thousand cows and on the second day he should donate all the wealth that belongs to the non-brāhmaṇa residents in one district (janapada) out of his realm, or he should donate to the hotṛ the wealth in the eastern part of the country conquered by him and the wealth in the southern, western and northern parts respectively to the brahmā, adhvaryu and udgātṛ and their assistants or he should at least donate 48,000 cows to each of the four principal priests, 24000, 12000, 6000 to each of the four groups of three assistants of the principal priests in order. Āśv. X. 10. 10 also says that he should donate the wealth of non-brāhmaṇas in the four conquered quarters except land and human beings. Kāt. (XX. 4. 27–28) contains similar rules.

v3.c53.s1.15

Even in ancient times this sacrifice must have been rare. The Tai. S. V. 4. 12. 3 and Śat. Br. XIII. 3. 3. 6 both state that the Aśvamedha was a sacrifice which was *utsanna* (gone out of vogue). The Atharvaveda (XI. 7. 7–8) also appears to regard the Rājasūya, Vājapeya, Aśvamedha, the sattras and several other sacrifices as *utsanna*. The origin of the rite is obscure. In it several popular, religious and symbolical elements are inextricably blended and some rites like the queen lying down near the dead horse must be regarded as unaccountable survivals from the hoary past. Various theories have been advanced to account for the origin, but there is, as is to be expected, no agreement among scholars. Vide S. B. E. vol. 44. pp. XVIII–XXXIII, Prof. Keith's Introduction to Tai. S. pp. CXXXII ff. and 'Religion and Philosophy of the Veda' part 2 pp. 345–347 for the several theories of European scholars.

v3.c53.s1.16

In the Āśvamedhika parva of the Mahābhārata Aśvamedha is described at some length. It is probable that in the epic only the popular elements and a few of the religious rites were emphasized. In chap. 71. 16 Vyāsa tells Yudhiṣṭhira that the Aśvamedha purifies a person of all sins.²⁶⁷⁵ The dīkṣā took place on the full moon of Caitra (72. 4). The sphya, kūrcas and utensils were made of or inlaid with gold (72. 9–10.). The greatest warrior of the day, Arjuna, was appointed to guard the horse during its rambles for a year, and he was asked to avoid battle and carnage as far as possible (72. 23–24). The horse was kṛṣṇasāra (marked with dark spots, 73. 8). Arjuna was accompanied by a pupil of Yājñavalkya and many learned brāhmaṇas (73. 18) for the performance of propitiatory rites (śānti). No indication is given as to the number of soldiers that accompanied Arjuna. The horse is said to have wandered over the whole of India from east to south, then west to north. After many fights with opponents Arjuna meets death at the hands of his son Babhruvāhana, king of Maṇipura, whom he upbraided for meek submission, but is brought back to life by his wife Ulūpī, the Nāga princess (chap. 80). Arjuna spares the lives of the opponents whom he vanquishes and invites them to the sacrifice. The description of the sacrifice follows the general outline given above. But there is hardly any detailed or graphic description of the special features of Aśvamedha and one rather carries the impression that the author does not depict what he has seen but only what he has heard or read. The pravargya (88. 21) and the pressing of soma are mentioned (88. 22). There were six yūpas of bilva, 6 of khadira, two of devadāru and one of śleṣmātaka (88. 27-28). Bull's heads and aquatic animals were built into the fire altar (88. 34). Draupadī was made to lie by the dead horse (89. 2-3). There are several points of difference. The altar is shaped like a Garuḍa (88. 32), the bricks were of gold, and 300 animals were sacrificed. It is said that the vapā of the horse was offered (89. 3), while Āp. (XX. 18. 11) emphatically states that there is no vapā in the case of the horse. Great emphasis is laid on the huge masses of food distributed to all, on the drinking bouts and singing parties and the feeding of the poor and helpless (88. 23, 89. 39-43). Crores of niṣkas were donated to brāhmaṇas and the whole earth to Vyāsa (89. 8-10) who returned it to Yudhiṣṭhira for gold to be given to him and to brāhmaṇas. The Bālakāṇḍa of Rāmāyaṇa (chap. 13-14) contains a more graphic description of the Aśvamedha performed by Daśaratha for securing sons. It expressly refers to the Kalpasūtra (tryaho'śvamedhaḥ saṁkhyātaḥ kalpasūtreṇa brāhmaṇaiḥ).

v3.c53.s1.17

²⁶⁷⁵ अश्वमेधो हि राजेन्द्र पावनः सर्वपाप्मनाम् । तेनेष्ट्वा त्वं विपाप्मा वै भविता नात्र संशयः ॥ आश्वमेधिक 71. 16.

v3.c53.s1.18

In I. A. vol. VIII. p. 273 (at p. 278) we find that a general, called Udayacandra, of Nandivarma Pallavamalla (about the 9th century A. D.) defeated Pṛthivivyāghra, king of Niṣadha, who had accompanied the horse in his horse sacrifice. In E. C. vol. X. Kolar No. 63 it is stated in an inscription of 757 A. D. that the Cālukya emperor Pulakeśi was purified by his bath at an Aśvamedha. In the very ancient Nanaghat Inscription (A. S. W. I. vol. V. pp. 60-61) an Andhra king²⁶⁷⁶ is described as having performed the Rājasūya, two Aśvamedhas, Gargatrirātra, Gavāmayana and Aṅgirasām-ayana.²⁶⁷⁷ In the first half of the 18th century Savaī Jayasiṅg, king of Amber, performed an Aśvamedha (vide Īśvaravilāsakāvya of Kṛṣṇa-kavi, D. C. Ms No. 273 of 1884-86 and 'Poona Orientalist,' vol. II. pp. 166-180).

v3.c53.s1.19

²⁶⁷⁶ In the Bhāgavata-purāṇa XII. 1. 20 the founder of the Andhras is said to have been a vṛṣala and the Matsya (144. 43) says that śūdra kings will perform Aśvamedha in the Kali age.

v3.c53.s1.20

²⁶⁷⁷ For further information on Aśvamedha vide Tai. S. IV. 6. 6-9, IV. 7. 15, V. 1-6, VII. 1-5; Tai. Br. III. 8-9, Śat. Br. XIII. 1-5, Āp. XX. 1-23, Śat. XIV, Āśv. X. 6-10, Kāt. XX, Lāṭ. IX. 9-11, Baud. XV; S. B. E. vol. 44 Intro. pp. XXIV-XXXIII, Prof. Keith's tr. of Tai. S. CXXXII-CXXXVII.

Sattra

v3.c53.s2.1

It was shown above (pp. 1213-1214) that the Dvādaśāha sacrifice partook of the characteristics of both ahīna and a sattra and a few points of difference between the two were also set out there. Sattras are sacrificial sessions, the duration of which varies from 12 days to a year or more. Their archetype (prakṛti) is the Dvādaśāha (Āśv. XI. 1. 7). Sattras again may for convenience be divided into those called Rātrisattras and those called Sāṁvatsarika (carried on for a year or more). Āśv. (XI. 1. 8-XI. 6. 16) and Kāt. (XXIV. 1-3) speak of numerous Rātrisattras called Trayodaśarātra and so on up to Śatarātra, state the principles on which these sattras are evolved from the Dvādaśāha, the model, and set out the schemes of all of them. If only one day has to be added then it is the Mahāvrata that is added before the last day called Udayanīya. If two or more days are required to be added then they are added before the Daśarātra (that forms the central part of the Dvādaśāha and comes after the Prāyaṇīya day). In the case of Rātrisattras of many days' duration ṣaḍahas are added (Kāt. XXIV. 1. 5-7, Āśv. XI. 1. 8-14); the Daśarātra is never repeated but is only one in the same sattra (Kāt. XXIV. 3. 34). For want of space all the Rātrisattras will be passed over. The Gavām-ayana²⁶⁷⁸ (lit. the course or way of the cows i. e. the sun's rays or days) is the model of all Sāṁvatsarika sattras (Āśv. XI. 7. 1 and com., Jai. VIII, 1. 8, Kāt. XXIV. 4. 2). Several sattras of the duration of one year or more are mentioned in the sūtra texts such as Ādityānām-ayana (Āśv. XII. 1. 1), Aṅgirasām-ayana Kuṇḍapāyinām-ayana (Āśv. XII. 4. 1), Sarpāṇām-ayana, Traivārṣika (one for three years), Dvādaśavārṣika, Ṣaṭ-triṁśadvārṣika, Śatasaṁvatsara for sādhyas (Āśv. XII. 5. 18) and Sahasrasaṁvatsara, Sārasvata (performed on the holy Sarasvatī river). A few words will be said only about the Gavām-ayana.

v3.c53.s2.2

²⁶⁷⁸ Vide Tilak's 'Arctic Home in the Vedas' (1903) pp. 200-202 where he quotes a passage from the Ait. Br. (IV. 3) to the effect that "cows" means 'Ādityas' (months, or days and nights). Vide pp. 193-212 for the significance of Gavām-ayana and its purpose.

v3.c53.s2.3

Gavām-ayana which is a Sāṁvatsarika sattra (extending over 12 months of 30 days each) consists of the following parts (Tāṇḍya XXIV. 20. 1, Āśv. XI. 1. 2-6 and 7. 2-12, Śat. XVI. 5. 18-40, Āp. XXI. 15 ff.):

v3.c53.s2.4

A. Prāyaṇīya Atirātra (opening day) Caturviṁśa day, an Ukthya Five months, each consisting of four Abhiplava ṣaḍahas and one Pṛṣṭhya ṣaḍaha (i.e. each month of 30 days). . Three Abhiplavas and one Pṛṣṭhya / Abhijit day (Agniṣṭoma) / Three Svarasāman days. 28 days. All these together come to six months of 30 days each.

v3.c53.s2.5

B. The Viṣuvat²⁶⁷⁹ or central day (which is Ekaviṁśastoma) on which an Atigrāhya Soma cup is offered to the sun and also a victim.

v3.c53.s2.6

²⁶⁷⁹ The Viṣuvat day is like the central ridge of a shed from which on two sides two thatches spread slantingly downwards. In order to imitate the Sun's passage to the north and south, the arrangement shown in A is reversed in C. अथ विषुवानेकविंशः । न पूर्वस्य पक्षसो नोत्तरस्य । आश्व. XI. 7. 7-8. For a description of Chandomas vide Haug's tr. of Ait. Br. p. 347 n.

v3.c53.s2.7

C. . Three Svarasāman days (on / which sāmans called Svara are / chanted, Tāṇḍya IV. 5) / Viśvajit day (Agniṣṭoma) / One Pṛṣṭhya and three Abhiplava / ṣaḍahas 28 days. Four months, each consisting of one Pṛṣṭhya in the beginning and four Abhiplava ṣaḍahas . Three Abhiplava ṣaḍahas / One Goṣṭoma (Agniṣṭoma) / One Āyuṣṭoma (Ukthya) / One Daśarātra (ten days) 30 days. Mahāvrata day (Agniṣṭoma) Udayanīya (Atirātra). All these in C come to six months.

v3.c53.s2.8.1

The Gavām-ayana was performed for various rewards viz. progeny, prosperity, plenty (or greatness), high position, heaven (Āp. XXI. 15. 1, Śat. XVI. 5. 14). About the day on which dīkṣā (initiation) for it took place there were several views. The Ait. Br. (19. 4) prescribes that it should be done either in Māgha or Phālguna. Some (Śat. XVI. 5. 16-17, Āp. XXI. 15. 5-6) said that dīkṣā took place four days before the Full Moon of Māgha or Caitra. Vide Lāṭ. X. 5. 18-19, Kāt. XIII. 1. 2-10 for the several days. Jai. VI. 5. 30-37 and Kāt. XIII. 1. 8 favour the view that the dīkṣā should be undertaken four days before the Full Moon day of Māgha (i. e. on ekādaśī day) since the Vedic texts prescribe the Ekāṣṭakā day of Māgha (i. e. 8th of dark half) for the purpose of soma (after 12 days of dīkṣā). In the Gavām-ayana the procedure of the Dvādaśāha as a sattra is to be followed (Āp. XXI. 15. 2-3, Jai. VIII. 1. 17), but some held that in Gavām-ayana there were to be 17 dīkṣās (instead of 12). There are certain general rules about sattras which may be stated here. They are to be performed by many as sacrificers and only brāhmaṇas can perform them (Jai. VI. 6. 16-23, Kāt. I. 6. 14). There are no separate priests (ṛtvij), but the yajamānas themselves are the priests (Jai. X. 6. 45-50 and 51-59, Śat. XVI. 1. 21). A text quoted by Śabara on Jai. VI. 2.

v3.c53.s2.8.2

1 says that the persons who engage together in a sattra must be at least 17 and not more than 24 and each of the performers secures the same unseen (or spiritual) reward for which the sattra is performed (Jai. VI. 2. 1-2). There is therefore no *varaṇa* (choosing) of priests and there is no question of remunerating them for their services by several gifts as in Jyotiṣṭoma (Jai. X. 2. 34-38). At the time when gifts are made in other rites, in sattras the sacrificers perform the Dākṣiṇa homas and waving their dark antelope skins they go out with their faces turned northwards by the path by which dakṣiṇas are taken away in other rites (Śat. XVI. 2. 19, Kāt. XII. 2. 18). As no dakṣiṇas are to be donated in sattras agents (called sanīhāras) are not to be sent for collecting subscriptions (Śat. XVI. 1. 40). The sacrificial utensils (yajñapātras like juhū) to be used in the sattra are specially got prepared for the common use of all, while each keeps his own utensils separate with which he is cremated if he dies in the midst of the performance (Jai. VI. 6. 33-35). Though the general rule is that there is no *pratinidhi* (substitute) for the performer of rites like agnihotra, the sattra is an exception, since if any one of the many performers dies in the midst of a sattra another person may be substituted by the others in his place (Jai. VI. 3. 22), but he is only an agent secured by payment and the spiritual unseen reward of the sacrifice goes to the performer that is dead (Jai. VI.

v3.c53.s2.8.3

3. 23-25). The Tāṇḍya Br. IX. 8. 1 states that if one of the performers of a sattra dies after dīkṣā, he should be cremated, his bones should be tied in his antelope-skin and placed beyond the mārjālīya shed and his son or other very near relative should be given dīkṣā and be associated in the sattra. Only those who have consecrated the three Vedic fires can engage in sattras except in the Sārasvata sattra (Jai. VI. 6. 27–32). According to Jai. (VI. 6. 1–11) only those who follow the same procedure can join in the sattra, otherwise difficulty is caused in the case of the Prayājas and the Āprī verses. The second prayāja deity in the case of Vasiṣṭhas and Śunakas is Narāśaṁsa, while Tanūnapāt is the second prayāja deity in the case of other gotras. After stating the view of Gāṇagāri that only those who have the same gotra can join in a sattra, Āśv. (XII. 10. 2-3) states the view of Śaunaka (and it is his view also) that even persons of different gotras may join in a sattra, that where in a particular matter there is a difference of procedure in accordance with the difference of gotra, the procedure should be regulated by the gotra of one (called gṛhapati) of those who join in the sattra. Jai. (VI. 6.

v3.c53.s2.8.4

24–26) states the somewhat striking rule that even among brāhmaṇas those who belong to the Bhṛgu, Vasiṣṭha and Śunaka gotras cannot join in a sattra but only those who belong to the Viśvāmitra gotra or who have a similar procedure (about prayājas &c.), since śruti requires that the function of hotṛ in a sattra must be performed by one belonging to Viśvāmitra gotra. If after making a resolve to join in a sattra or if after just beginning a sattra a man gives up the idea, he had to perform by way of penance the Viśvajit rite (Jai. VI. 4. 32 and VI. 5. 25–27).

v3.c53.s2.9

Though in a sattra all are yajamānas yet one of them becomes the gṛhapati; those actions which only one can perform and which are done in other sacrifices by the yajamāna (except what are saṁskāras like *vapana*) are here done by the gṛhapati alone and others only touch him (e. g. in tying the veda or placing a fuel-stick on fire, Kāt. XII. 1. 9–15). In performing dīkṣā a peculiar procedure is followed (Kāt. XII. 2. 15, Sat. XVI. 1. 36, Āp. XXI. 2. 16–XXI. 3. 1). The adhvaryu first gives dīkṣā to the gṛhapati and to brahmā, hotṛ and udgātṛ; the pratiprasthātṛ gives dīkṣā to adhvaryu, then to maitrāvaruṇa, brāhmaṇācchaṁsin and prastotṛ; the nestṛ gives dīkṣā to the pratiprasthātṛ and the acchāvāka, āgnīdhra and pratihartṛ; the unnetṛ gives dīkṣā to nestṛ, the grāvastut, and subrahmaṇya and lastly the pratiprasthātṛ or another brāhmaṇa (who is himself a dīkṣita) or a Veda student or snātaka gives dīkṣā to unnetṛ. Each of the wives of all these is given dīkṣā along with her husband (Kāt. XII. 2. 16). Every day one of those who join in a sattra guards soma silently and others are allowed to study their Veda and to fetch fuel-sticks (Śat. Br. IV. 6. 9. 7, Kāt. XII. 4. 1 and 3). On the tenth day there is brahmodya²⁶⁸⁰ as in Aśvamedha or they engage in the abuse of Prajāpati for having created such pests as bees and wasps and thieves (Āp. XXI. 12. 1–3, Śat. XVI. 4. 33–35, Kāt. XII. 4. 21–23).

v3.c53.s2.10

²⁶⁸⁰ The Tāṇḍya Brāhmaṇa (IV. 9. 12 and 14) speaks of both brahmodya and the parivadana of Prajāpati 'ब्रह्मोद्यं वदन्ति ब्रह्मवर्चस एव प्रतितिष्ठन्ति । प्रजापतिं परिवदन्त्याल्पवैवैनं तद् व्याचक्षते वावदापामैनमिति ।'. The com. gives several explanations of both. द्राक्षायणश्रौत (IX. 4. 16–18) says 'प्रजापतिं परिवदन्ति । पापैः कर्मभिरित्येके । अपि वाश्वयुर्बहुवृषानां किंचित् स्यात् ।.'

v3.c53.s2.11

While engaged in the sattra the performers have to observe certain rules (Āśv. XII. 8, Drāhyāyaṇa Śr. VII. 3–9 ff). From the day the dīkṣaṇīyā iṣṭi is performed in the sattra, the usual duties to pitṛs (such as piṇḍapitṛ-yajña), to gods (such as Agnihotra) are stopped till the end of the sattra. They have to give up sexual intercourse and must not run, they should laugh covering their teeth (so as not to show them), should not jest with women, should not speak to those who are not āryas, should not plunge in deep water, should give up falsehood and anger, should not climb up trees or enter a boat or chariot. Rules are laid down as to whom to bow to. A *sattrin* should eschew singing, dancing and instrumental music. While dīkṣās are going on he should subsist on milk. On pressing days he should partake of the remnants of *havis* only or of fruits and roots and other food fit for *vrata*.

First 57 of 112 passages. Read on

Linked texts (28)