History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c93.550

v7.c93.550

2-3). It is also provided that each of the 17 paśus should have several saṃskāras performed on it such as *prokṣaṇa* (consecration by sprinkling sacred water on it), upākaraṇa (bringing near). One may take any of the 17 animals first and begin to perform the first of the saṃskāras on it; but having once begun with a particular animal he must perform the second and other saṃskāras one after another on the same animal; i. e. the order of the saṃskāras on an animal is determined by the commencement. Kāṇḍa or sthāna is exemplified as follows : The Jyotiṣṭoma is the model sacrifice (prakṛti) of which Sādyaskra is a vikṛti (modification). It is prescribed by the Veda in the case of Sādyaskra that all animals should be sacrificed together at the savanīya stage.²¹⁶³ In Jyotiṣṭoma, there are three animals offered viz. ‘agnīṣomīya’ in the morning, ‘savanīya’ in the noon and ‘anubandhya’ in the evening. Sādyaskra, being a vikṛti, all these have to be performed in it; but the particular text about it provides that all three must be sacrificed together at the savanīya stage. This (offering all three simultaneously) is impossible and therefore all that can be done is to offer (them) one after another (and not at three different times in the day); it would appear at first sight that the Agnīṣomīya paśu comes first; but that is not so, since simultaneous offerings being laid down at the savanīya stage in sādyaskrayāga, the savanīyapaśu is to be first offered (and not Agnīṣomīya) and then the Agnīṣomīya immediately after and then Anubandhya or these two may be offered in any order one likes (but immediately).