Praśna 13, Kaṇḍikā 33

1. “If the Adhvaryu desires, I shall furnish myself with the glory of the sacrifice,” so on and so forth is said in the Brāhmaṇa.^[1]

2. The Camasins should consume their respective goblets with the formula, “The gentle control....”^[2]

3. In this manner the Pratiprasthātṛ should go through the rites of the offering of the remaining two portions of the Ukthya vessel; he should, however, not consume the Soma.

4. Whichever may be the principal goblet, he should pour down therein the drops of Soma remaining in the cup.

5. With regard to the offering of the second portion from the Ukthya vessel the Brāhmaṇācchaṃsin’s goblet is the principal goblet, and with regard to the offering of the third portion the Acchāvāka’s goblet is the principal goblet.

6. Hereby is explained the sequence of the Śastras and the yājyās.^[3]

7. This much should be different: the formulas relating to the drawing and placing of the cup of the Brāhmaṇācchaṃsin should be, “Thou art taken with a support; for Indra thee. This is thy birth-place; for Indra thee.” The formula for consuming the cup should be the one relating to the cup for Indra.^[4] The formulas relating to the drawing and the placing of the cup of the Acchāvāka should respectively be, “Thou art taken with a support; for Indra-Agni thee.” “This is thy birth-place, for Indra-Agni thee.” The formula for consuming the Soma should be, “Gentle control....”^[5]

8. After having drawn the last (that is, the third) portion of the Ukthya vessel, the Pratiprasthātṛ should not touch that vessel.

9. After having poured down Soma from the Ukthya vessel, the Adhvaryu should draw the Ṣoḍaśin cup^[6] with the Anuvāka,^[7] “O Vṛtra-killer, do thou ride the chariot; thy steeds are yoked in the accompaniment of a prayer. May the pressing stone draw thy soul hither by its sound. Thou art taken with a support; for ṣoḍaśin Indra thee.” (He should place the cup with the formula,) “This is thy birth-place; for ṣoḍaśin Indra thee.” Or with the next one.^[8] “The two steeds carry Indra having irresistible power in response to the prayers offered by the Ṛṣis and the sacrifice performed by men. Thou art taken with a support; for ṣoḍaśin Indra thee.” (He should place the cup with the formula,)“This is thy birth-place; for ṣoḍaśin Indra thee.”

10. Or he should draw this cup as the last of those to be filled in with the stream.^[9]

11. In this manner he should draw the Ṣoḍaśin cup in each subsequent pressing (savana) with each subsequent Anuvāka.^[10]

12. After having drawn the Ṣoḍaśin cup, he should give out a call (to the Unnetṛ), “Do thou fill in the goblets for the last time; pour down the Droṇakalaśa into the Pūtabhṛt fill in the entire Soma into the goblets; cleanse the Droṇakalaśa and the Pūtabhṛt with the fringes of the woollen filter, and keep them upside down.”

13. After having responded to (the reciting of the last Śastra by the Acchāvāka in) the morning pressing,^[11] the Adhvaryu should cal! out, “O reciter of the Śastra.”

14. After having offered an oblation of clarified butter with the verse, “May Agni guard us in the morning pressing, he that belongs to all men, beneficial to all by his might; may he, the purifier, grant us wealth; may we, that share the drought, be long-lived,” he should call out, “O Praśāstṛ (= Maitrāvaruṇa). do you direct.” [? ^[12] ?]

15. The Praśāstṛ should say, “Do you disperse.”

16. The morning pressing thus comes to an end.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā VI 5.1.4,5.

[2]:

XIII.26.12.

[3]:

That is to say, the next Śastra and yājyā will be recited by the Brāhmaṇācchaṃsin, and the subsequent by the Acchāvāka.

[4]:

XIII.27.18.

[5]:

XIII.26.13.

[6]:

In the Ṣoḍaśin sacrifice.

[7]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.4.37.

[8]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.4.38.

[9]:

XIV.16.7.

[10]:

In the midday-pressing he should add Soma to the cup with the Anuvāka, “O Indra, Soma has been pressed for thee; O the most powerful and bold one, do thou come. May the might enrich thee as the sun enriches the midregion with his rays. Thou art taken with a support; for ṣoḍaśin Indra thee.” (He should place the cup with the formula,) “This is thy birth-place; for ṣoḍaśin Indra thee.” (Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.4.39). Or with the Anuvāka, “The earth, serving as the resting place for all, has placed thee in her lap. (O earth,) do thou be pleasant and easy to sit for him, and grant him extensive welfare. Thou art taken with a support; for ṣoḍaśin Indra thee.” (He should place the cup with the formula,) “This is tby birth place; for ṣoḍaśin Indra thee.” (Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.4.40.)

In the third pressing he should add Soma to the cup with the Anuvāka, “May ṣoḍaśin Indra, the great and having the thunderbolt in his hand, grant us welfare. May bountiful Indra grant us wellbeing and smite the wicked who hates us. Thou art taken with a support; for ṣoḍaśin Indra thee.” (He should place the cup with the formula,) “This is thy birth-place; for ṣoḍaśin Indra thee.” (Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.4.41). Or with the Anuvāka, “O Vṛtra-killer and brave Indra, associated with Maruts and knowing, do thou partake of Soma. Do thou kill our enemies and drive away the injurers, and make us fearless from all sides. Thou art taken with a support; for ṣoḍaśin Indra thee.” (He should place the cup with the formula,) “This is thy birth-place; for ṣoḍaśin Indra thee.” (Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.4.42.)

There are in all six Anuvākas given in (Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.4.37-42) in connection with the Ṣoḍaśin cup. Āpastamba (XIV.2.12) has mentioned the first, and Rudradatta prescribes that the remaining five should be regarded as optional. According to Baudhāyana-śrauta-sūtra (XI.3,6,13) the first three Anuvākas are intended for drawing and placing the Ṣoḍaśin cup respectively in the three pressings, and the next three should respectively be regarded as the optional ones. Bharadvāja seems to have employed the six Anuvākas in rather a different way.

[11]:

According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.29.11, optionally to the reciting of each Śastra in the morning pressing. See: Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.1.9.1.

[12]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.1.9.1.