Praśna 4, Kaṇḍikā 21

1. And also with the verses, “(O Āditya,) thou, whose lustre is Mitra, hast, while rising, destroyed my enemies. Do thou smite them with lightning by day, and while setting down, do thou tread them down.—Rising, do thou divide us. Just as a father divides (his wealth) for his sons. Thou rulest long life; O Sūrya, do thou give me of it.—O Sūrya, having lustre as Mitra, do thou, rising, ascending the upper heaven, destroy the disease of my heart, and drive away the yellowishness.—We transfer my yellowishness to the parrots and the falcons. Moreover, we transfer my yellowishness to yellow birds.—This sun has risen together with all might, smiting my enemy. May I not meet with destruction by the enemy.—He who curses us who (we) are not cursing, who curses us who (we) may be cursing, may the dawn and the night collect all the sin towards him.”^[1]

2. He should turn by the right with the formulas, “I turn the turning of Indra;^[2] may the good signs be victorious, the evil ones be defeated.”

3. If he wants to practise exorcism, he should move round by the ankle of his right foot with the formula, “Here do I entangle the breath of N.N., son of N.N., with heat.”

4. He should recite over the Dakṣiṇa fire the formula, “O Agni, the carrier of oblation to gods, do thou cook tasteful food for our son. Do thou become favourable to my son and self.”

5. With the formula, “Thou art brilliance; do thou follow brilliance; may Agni not take away the brilliance,”^[3] he should turn round, and should recite over the Āhavanīya fire the formula, “May I be united with offspring; offspring with me.”^[4]

6. He should enkindle that fire with the formula, “Kindled, O Agni, do thou sḥine for me; kindling thee, O Agni, may I shine,”^[5] pray to the same with the formula, “The sacrifice is rich; may I be rich,”^[5] and then recite over the Gārhapatya fire the mantras, “O Agni, thou puriñest life; do thou give food and strength to us. Do thou drive away ill-fortune.—O Agni, good worker, purify for us glory in good heroes, giving abundance of wealth to me.—O Agni, lord of the house, through thee as lord of the house, may I be a good lord of the house. Through me as the lord of the house, mayest thou be a good lord of the house, for a hundred winters.”^[5]

7. He should pronounce the name of his son. If he has no son, he should utter the formula, “I invoke this blessing bringing light for the race.”^[6] If he has a son, he should utter the formula, “I invoke this blessing bringing light for N.N.”^[6]

8. If he has many sons, he should utter the names of all of them (joined in the accusative case) to the formula, “For light, for the race thee,” (recited each time).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa. III.7.6.21-23.

[2]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.6.6.2.

[3]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.1.10.3.

[4]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.6.6.2.

[5]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.6.6.2,3.

[6]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.6.6.3.