Praśna 1, Kaṇḍikā 4

1. With the formula, “O divine straw, do thou rise with a hundred shoots,”^[1] he should touch the stumps (of grass).

2. He should touch himself with the formula, “May we rise with a thousand shoots.”^[2]

3. With the formula, “Guard from the contact with the earth; I gather thee with good gathering,”^[3] he should collect this (Barhis).

4. Out of this very Barhis, he should prepare a cord of three or five constituent parts.^[4]

5. With the formula, “The birth-place is unobstructed,”^[5] he should twirl the cord.

6. With the formula, “Thou art the girdle of Aditi,”^[6] he should accomplish each of the joints.

7-8. In this connection, this is the general rule: In respect of a cord which does not involve intertwining, one should twirl (the darbha-blades) by the right. In respect of a cord which involves intertwining, one should twirl (the darbha-blades) by the left, and intertwine (the two strands thus prepared) by the right.

9. After having spread out the cord with its top turned towards the north, the Adhvaryu should place upon it the Barhis with its top turned towards the east.

10. With the formula, “The birth-place has not gone astray,”^[7] he should place the prastara upon the uppermost handful.

11. With the formula, “The girdle of Indrāṇī,”^[8] he should fasten this (Barhis).

12. With the formula, “Let Pūṣan tie a knot for thee,”^[9] he should tie the knot.

13-14. With the formula, “That (knot) of yours has mounted upon me,”^[10] he should stick in (the loop) from the west towards the east.^[11] According to some teachers, he should stick it in from the east towards the west.

15. He should touch this (Barhis) with the verse, “The waters, the Aśvins, and the seven Ṛṣis have cleaned thee. I touch the Barhis, the banner of the Uṣas, with the rays of the sun.”^[12]

16. With the formula, “I lift thee up with the arms of Indra,”^[13] he should lift it up.

17. With the formula, “I carry thee on the head of Bṛhaspati,”^[14] he should place it upon his head.

18. With the formula, “Go along the wide region,”^[15] he should bring it (to the fire-chamber).

19. With the formula, “I place thee in the lap of Aditi,”^[16] he should put it down not directly on the ground^[17] within (the place intended for) the altar to the rear of the Āhavanīya fire on the spot where the (middle) enclosing stick is to be placed.

20. He should recite the formula, “Thou art going to the gods,”^[18] over the Barhis which has been put down.

21. He should deposit it at a height markedly.^[19]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā 1.1.2.1.

[2]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.2.1.

[3]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra 1.4.1 prescribes this formula for the putting down of the prastara on something placed on the ground.

[4]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra 1.4.10 prescribes the formula, “Thou art the girdle of Aditi,” for this purpose.

[5]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra II.4.11 reads ayupitā as in Maitrāyaṇī-saṃhitā, and prescribes this formula for the joining of the different parts.

[6]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā 1.1.2.2. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra 1.4.12 prescribes this formula for the spreading out of the cord.

[7]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra 1.4.15 has alubhitā yoniḥ.

[8]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.2.2.

[9]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.2.2.

[10]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā 1.1.2.2.

[11]:

So that the ends of the cord would point towards the west.

[12]:

See Maitrāyaṇī-saṃhitā IV. 1.2.

[13]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.2.2.

[14]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.2.2.

[15]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.I.2.2. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra 1.5.1 adds another formula, “This wise (rib) has come.” See note on 1.3.7.

[16]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.4.2.

[17]:

That is, he should first place something on the ground and then put down the Barhis upon it.

[18]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā ī.1.2.2. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra 1.5.3 prescribes the formula, “Thou art the Barhis going to the gods,” which is found in Maitrāyaṇī-saṃhitā.

[19]:

So that he may get it at the proper hour. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra 1.5.4: With the formula, “Thou art going to the gods,” he should place the Barbis not directly on the ground.