Praśna 1, Kaṇḍikā 21

1. The Adhvaryu should take the skin of a black antelope with the Sāvitra formula^[1] and, with its neck upwards and the inner side outwards, shake it, three times, on the rubbish-heap with the formula, “The Rakṣas is shaken; the evil spirits are shaken.”^[2]

2. He should spread it towards the north of the sanctuary,^[3] with its neck turned towards the west and the hairy side turned upwards, with the formula, “Thou art the skin of Aditi.”^[4]

3. He should fold towords the west (the part of the skin near) the hip with the formula, “May the earth recognise thee.”^[5]

4. Without leaving (contact with) the skin of a black antelope, he should place the mortar upon it with the formula, “Thou art the plank of wood;” may Aditi’s skin recognise thee.”^[6]

5. Without leaving (contact with) the mortar, be should pour out the oblation-material into it with the formula, “Thou art the body of Agni, the loosener of speech; I grasp thee for the joy of the gods—three times with the formula, and the fourth time without reciting any formula.

6. He should take the pestle with the formula, “Thou art the stone of wood,”^[7] and call upon the preparer of the oblation-material, three times with the words, “Come, O preparer of the oblation-material (haviṣkṛd ehi)” in the sacrifice of a Brāhmaṇa sacrificer, with the words, “Hasten up, O preparer of the oblation-material (haviṣkṛd ādrava)” in the sacrifice of a Rājanya sacrificer, and with the words, “Come, O preparer of the oblation-material (haviṣkṛd āgahi)” in the sacrifice of a Vaiśya sacrificer.^[8]

7. He should pound the corn with the formula, “May I smite down the Rakṣas, the enemy, from the heaven.”

8. As soon as the grains become visible, he should give out a call to the Agnīdhra with the words, “In order to strike from high.”^[9]

9. The Āgnīdhra should take a stone with the formula, “Thou art a sweet-tongued cock,”^[10] or the yoke-pin with the Sāvitra formula, and strike with it the lower and the upper crushing stones with the formula, “Proclaim food, proclaim strength; do you make glorious sounds. May we be victorious in contest.”^[11] He should strike the lower crushing stone two times and the upper crushing stone once. By moving (the stone or the yoke-pin) thrice each time, he should accomplish the striking nine times in all.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Devasya tvā savituḥ etc.

[2]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.5.1.

[3]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra I.19.4 prescribes that he should spread it towards the north of the Gārhapatya fire or on the spot fixed for the rubbish-heap.

[4]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.5.1.

[5]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.5.1. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra I.19.4 joins this formula with that in the preceding sūtra.

[6]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.5.1.

[7]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.5.2.

[8]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra I.19.9,10 prescribes āgahi and ādrava respectively in connection with the sacrifice of a Rājanya and of a Vaiśya sacrificer, and additionally prescribes ādhāva in connection with the sacrifice of a Śūdra sacrificer, or ehi in connection with the sacrifice of any sacrificer.

[9]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.2.5.9.

[10]:

Maitrāyaṇī-saṃhitā I.1.6.

[11]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.5.2.