Part 2.1: Introductory Iṣṭi (prāyaṇīyeṣṭi)

[Full title: Rites Performed on the Second Day: (a) Introductory Iṣṭi (prāyaṇīyeṣṭi)]

The ritual of the second day of the Agniṣṭoma Somayāga covers the following sub-headings:

1. Introductory Iṣṭi (Prāyaṇīyeṣṭi)
2. Buying of soma (somakrayaṇa)
3. Brining of soma to the śālā (somasya śālāgamana)
4. Rite of hospitality in honour of soma (Ātithyeṣṭi)
5. Pravargya
6. Upasadiṣṭi

On the second day, after the completion of the necessary works by the priests, by the sacrificer and his wife, the priests proceed to perform the Prāyaṇīyeṣṭi in the morning.^[1] Sāyaṇa too makes it clear that this rite marks the beginning of saumika rites i.e., the rituals of Somayāga.^[2] Mention may be made here that in the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, it has been said that through the Prāyaṇīyeṣṭi one attains heaven.^[3]

The Prāyaṇīyeṣṭi starts with the preparation of a rice pap for Aditi.^[4] Kātyāyana too states that after the consecration rite, the Prāyaṇīyeṣṭi starts where a rice pap is prepared for Aditi.^[5] Apart from Aditi , the other four deities viz., Prathyāsvasti , Agni, Soma and Savitṛ are also worshipped here and thus, the total number of deities honoured in it is five.^[6] The Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra makes it clear that to the other four deities, clarified butter (ājya) is offered and before this offering of ghee to these four deities, two Ājyabhāgas are offered.^[7] As an Iṣṭi offering these are offered to Agni and Soma.^[8] The rice pap for Aditi is made ready in the āhavanīya fire and after having offered the clarified butter (ājya) to the four deities in four directions, the rice pap is offered to Aditi in the middle.^[9] The Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa states that all the rites of the Prāyaṇīya are repeated in the Udayanīya Iṣṭi. The priests, the barhiṣ and the utensils of the Udayanīya are the ones which have already taken part and have been used in Prāyaṇīya. The sthālī

i.e., the bowl where the rice pap is cooked is left as it is and the pot ladle is wiped clean and kept aside. Alternately one may throw the barhis and the ladle in to the fire and the bowl may be kept after having washed it. In case of priests also, this rule may not be applied.^[10] The Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra corroborates this view.^[11] The Prāyaṇīyeṣṭi ends with the recital of śaṃyuvāka.^[12] The word śaṃyuvāka stands for a benediction to be uttered by the Hotṛ when he is requested by the Adhvaryu to do so. This is uttered while the prastara and paridhi are being thrown in to the fire.This benediction begins with the words tat saṃyorāvṛṇīmahe etc. But, there are two Śaṃyuvākas recorded in the Ṛgveda viz.,1.43.4 and 10.143.6 .^[13] One is uttered after throwing of the prastara bunch in the fire by the Adhvaryu and the second is after the completion of Patnīsaṃyāja.^[14] Hence, here a question arises as to whether the Prāyaṇīyeṣṭi is to be completed after the first śaṃyuvāka or after the second śaṃyuvāka.

Though the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa does not clearly mention it yet, it gives a simple indication by saying as follows—

na patnīḥ saṃyājayanti / ^[15]

i.e., the rite Patnīsaṃyāja is not to be done in Prāyaṇīyeṣṭi.

From this prohibition, one may conclude that the Prāyaṇīyeṣṭi is to be completed after the first śaṃyuvāka. Kātyāyana is of the opinion that as there occurs the word anta in the text it refers to the first śaṃyuvāka.Moreover, there is no distinct mention in the Vedic text that the Prāyaṇīyeṣṭi is to be completed after the second śaṃyuvāka.^[16] Kātyāyana states another opinion where it has been said that one should perform the Prāyaṇīyeṣṭi up to the second śaṃyuvāka.^[17]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

cf., tato dvitīyasmin dine āvaśyakaṃ karma kṛtvāprātarevaprāyaṇiyeṣṭiṃ kuryāt/ Cinnasvamishastri, Pattabhiramashastri(ed.), op.cit., p.53.

[2]:

cf., praitiprārabhataanenasaumikaṃkarmetiprāyaṇīyaḥ/ Sāyaṇa on Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 3.2.3.1.

[3]:

cf., svargaṃ vā etena lokamupaprayanti yatprāyaṇīyastatprāyaṇīyasyaprāyaṇīyatvam/ Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, 1.2.1.

[4]:

cf., ādityaṃcaruṃprāyaṇīyaṃnirvapati/ Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 3.2.3.

[5]:

cf., dīkṣānteprāyaṇīyamadityaicaruṃnirvapati/ Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,7.5.13.

[6]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 3.2.3.8-12.

[7]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,7.5.14.

[8]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra , 3.3.10; Chitrabhanu Sen, op.cit., p.46

[9]:

cf., āhavanīye’gnau tamodanaṃ paktvā āhavaniya eva pūrvādiṣu catasṛṣvapi dikṣu pathyādibhyaḥ krameṇa ājyaṃ hutvā madhye adityā odanaṃ juhuyāt/ Cinnasvamishastri, Pattabhiramashastri(ed.), op.cit., p.53.

[10]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa , 3.2.3.21-22

[11]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra , 7.5.15-20

[12]:

cf., tacchaṃyvantaṃ bhavati/ Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 3.2.3.23; śaṃyvantaṃ bhavati/ Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,7.5.21.

[13]:

Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa , 3.5.11; Chitrabhanu Sen, op.cit., p.110.

[14]:

Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra ,3.6.14-15 & 7.13 respectively.

[15]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 3.2.3.23.

[16]:

cf., antavacane pūrvaṃ prāpteh/ aviśeṣaśruteḥ/ Kātyāyana Śrautasūtra , 7.5.22-23.

[17]:

Ibid., 7.5.24