History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t2.539.3

v4.c63.t2.539.3

In the Jyotiṣṭoma (which generally occupied five days), the dīkṣā (purification and initiation of the sacrificer) takes place on the first day in the afternoon (vide H. of Dh. vol. II. pp. 1134-1136). Soma is purchased on the 2nd day of the Jyotiṣṭoma (*ibid.* 1140-4) and the animal is sacrificed for Agni and Soma on the 4th day (*ibid.* pp. 1158-59). According to śruti therefore the food prepared in the house of a dīkṣita may be eaten only after the 4th day, while smṛti says that it may be eaten after the purchase of *soma* on the 2nd day. In this way there is contradiction. Kumārila¹⁶²² does not agree with Śabara as regards these examples in particular and as regards the general attitude towards smṛtis that are accepted by Vedic followers. He makes great efforts to explain how there is no real conflict in the cases cited by Śabara. As regards the cloth covering the *audumbarī* he says that it may cover the bottom and the upper portion of the post and leave a space of two or three finger-breadths in the middle uncovered (so that the audumbarī post can be touched in that particular portion), that (p. 188) there is a passage in the Śāṭyāyani Brāhmaṇa which refers to the cloth covering the audumbarī (and so there may at most be an option), that as regards the taking of food in the house of a dīkṣita after the purchase of *soma* there is a śruti passage in the Atharvaveda (pp.