History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.664.2

v6.c81.664.2

If a brāhmaṇa offered wine he would lose his status as a brāhmaṇa. When wine is laid down as a necessary offering he should offer cocoanut water in a vessel of bell-metal or honey in a copper vessel." But there were texts that contradict this For example, it is said in the Kālikāpurāṇa 'goat, he-buffalo, human being are declared to be bali, mahābali and atibali, respectively.' ⁴²⁵ It has to be remembered that though an animal is killed still what is offered to the Devī is generally blood and the head of the victim. The Kālikāpurāṇa⁴²⁶ says 'blood purified by the recitation of mantras over it and the head (of a victim) are said to be nectar; in the worship (of Devī) the adept worshipper should offer flesh rarely (if at all) except blood and the head, which (two) become nectar". The Kālikāpurāṇa further states that Śivā (Durgā) partakes of the head as well as the flesh of the victim, that one should offer in pūjā the blood and head of the victim, but the wise (devotee) should employ flesh in edibles and in *homa*. The Durgārcanapaddhati (pp 669-671) prescribes an elaborate ritual about killing the *bali* and offering its blood and head and the rites and mantras slightly differ according as the bali is a goat, a buffalo or the performer's own blood The⁴²⁷ *bali* is made to face the east, the *sādhaka* (devotee) faces the north and repeats certain mantras one of which is Vāj. S. 23. 17 'Agni was the animal to be sacrificed.