Praśna 12, Kaṇḍikā 3

1. The Adhvaryu should place the veda in front of the Dhruvā-ladle, and call upon (the Hotṛ) to recite the sāmidhenī verses.

2. There should be nine sāmidhenī verses.^[1]

3. After having poured out the libation of clarified butter by means of the spoon, he should give out a call (to the Āgnīdhra), “O Āgnīdhra, do thou cleanse the Āhavanīya fire and the enclosing sticks three times each.”

4. The procedure up to the choosing of the Hotṛ should be similar.^[2]

5. After having caused the Āgnīdhra to announce (and after the latter has responded), he should say, “Be seated, O Hotṛ.”

6. This much is the choosing.

7. When he comes to know of the Hotṛ reciting, “O Adhvaryu, do you take up the ladle containing clarified butter...,”^[3] the Adhvaryu should take up clarified butter from the Dhruvā—eight spoonfuls into the Juhū, and four spoonfuls into the Upabhṛt.

8. While taking up the clarified butter, he should say to the Hotṛ, “Do you recite the puronuvākyā relating to the offering for Agni.”

9. Having crossed the altar (towards the south) and having caused the Āgnīdhra to announce, he should say to the Hotṛ, “Do you recite the yājyā relating to the offering for Agni.”

10. At the vaṣaṭ-utterance by the Hotṛ, he should offer half the quantity of clarified butter from the Juhū.

11. Without crossing the altar back (towards the north), he should say to the Hotṛ, “Do you recite the puronuvākyā relating to the offering for Soma.”

12. After having caused the Āgnīdhra to announce, he should say to the Hotṛ, “Do you recite the yājyā relating to the offering for Soma.”

13. At the vaṣaṭ-utterance by the Hotṛ, he should offer the entire (remaining) quantity o clarified butter.

14. Standing at the same place, he should say to the Hotṛ, “Do you recite the puronuvākyā relating to the offering for Viṣṇu.”

15. After having poured out into the Juhū-ladle the clarified butter from the Upabhṛt, he should say to the Hotṛ, “Do you recite the yājyā relating to the offering for Viṣṇu.”

16. At the vaṣaṭ-utterance by the Hotṛ, he should make the offering.

17. Having crossed the altar back (towards the north), he should offer an upasad-oblation by means of the spoon with the formula, “That form of thine, O Agni, which rests in iron, the highest, that dwells in the depth—by that speech I have driven away harsh speech; I have driven away angry speech, svāhā.”^[4]

18. If a fight for winning the forts is going on, the Adhvaryu should put a piece of iron in the spoon and offer the oblation at the first Upasadiṣṭi, put a piece of silver and offer the oblation at the middle one, and put a piece of gold and offer the oblation at the last one. So is it said.^[5]

19. According to some teachers,^[6] (he should do so) if a battle is going on.

20. After the Upasadiṣṭi is performed, the officiating priests should cause king Soma to swell in the same way,^[7] and should beg pardon in the same way.^[8]

21. Then the Upasadiṣṭi should be performed.^[9]

22. Then the Adhvaryu should give out a call, “O Āgnīdhra, do thou recite the devapatnī formulas; O Subrahmaṇya, do thou call out the subrahmaṇyā.”

23. After having sat down to the rear of the Gārhapatya fire, the Āgnīdhra should recite the Anuvāka, “Senā is Indra’s (wife); Dhenā of Bṛhaspati; Pathyā of Pūṣan; Vāc of Vāyu; Dīkṣā of Soma; Pṛthivī of Agni; Gāyatrī of the Vasus; Triṣṭubh of Rudra; Jagatī of the Ādityas; Anuṣṭubh of Viṣṇu; Virāj of Varuṇa; Paṅkti of Yajña; Anumati of Prajāpati; Śraddhā of Mitra; Prasūti of Savitṛ; Marīci of Sūrya; Rohiṇī of Candramas; Arundhatī of the Ṛṣis; Vidyut of Parjanya; the four heavenly regions, the four midregions, day and night, plough and rain, heat and honour, water and herbs, life and pleasure are the wives of gods.”^[10]

24. The Subrahmaṇya should call out the subrahmaṇyā.

25. The Upasadiṣṭi should be thus concluded.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

There are three verses; each one is to be recited three times, cf. ĀśvŚS IV.8.5.

[2]:

II.14.8.

[3]:

II.16.2.

[4]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.11.2.

[5]:

Maitrāyaṇī-saṃhitā III.8.2.

[6]:

Ibid.

[7]:

XII.1.9.

[8]:

XII.1.10.

[9]:

The purpose of this sūtra is not clear. There is no parallel construction in Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra or any other Sūtra.

[10]:

Taittirīya-āraṇyaka III.9.