History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.t1.358.2

v5.c73.t1.358.2

Just as Viṣṇu renders ineffective the eyes of all men of evil sight, so one should make a maṇḍala with ashes and when this is done there is no blemish in sitting in the same row for dining. Then the purification of the hand (right) of the brāhmaṇas is done, beginning with the pitrya brāhmaṇa first. Then the performer requests ‘let me perform *agnaukaraṇa* with your permission in the hand¹¹⁰⁵ of the (pitrya) brāhmaṇa.’ The reply is ‘do so’. Then *apasavyam*. Taking some cooked food and anointing it with clarified butter and dividing it into parts, having touched the two parts placed towards the south he says ‘this for Soma accompanied by the Pitṛs, this for Agni, the carrier of kavya’ and having spread the left hand underneath the right hand, having cut off portions from the middle and the part to the east according to the rules for avadānas¹¹⁰⁶ and having poured clarified butter on the food in the vessel and on the food cut off for oblations, he should offer the oblations with the words 'To Soma accompanied by pitṛs, *svadhā* and adoration; this for Soma with the pitṛs and it is not (now) mine' and 'to Agni the bearer of *Kavya*, *svadhā* and adoration; this is for Agni Kavyavāhana and not mine.' This is the mode everywhere. He touches water with the left hand and repeats the following (which is called 'saṃsthā-japa' and occurs in Āśv. Śr. I. 11.15) 'Om ca me.. te namaḥ'. Obeisance to Agni. *Sviṣṭi*. Then he prays 'O Kavyavāhana!