Praśna 7, Kaṇḍikā 12

1. He should again fix the svaru (into the winding of the cord around the post).

2. While handing over the knife to the immolator, he should say to him, “Let this edge be known to thee.”

3. Then he should say (to the Hotṛ), “Do you recite verses for the animal around whom the fire is being carried.”

4. Having taken up a fire-brand from the Āhavanīya fire, the Āgnīdhra should carry it round the animal, the place fixed for the Śāmitra fire, the cātvāla, the sacrificial post, the Āhavanīya fire and the utensils full of clarified butter.

5. According to some teachers, he should carry fire round the animal alone.

6. While the fire is being carried round, the Adhvaryu should make five^[1] apāvya offerings with the five verses, “The ancient wise ones grasp the breath as it speeds from the limbs. Go to heaven by the paths which lead to the gods. Be among the plants with thy members.—The cattle which the lord of cattle rules, both the fourfooted and the twofooted; may he, bought off, go to his sacrificial share. May the abundances of wealth belong to the sacrificer.—Those who, being bound, contemplated with mind and with eye him who was being bound; may god Agni release them, lord of offspring, in harmony with offspring.—The cattle of the forest, of all forms, of various forms, many of one form. May god Vāyu first release them, lord of offspring, in harmony with offspring.—Releasing the seed of being, do you further the sacrificer, O gods. May that, which has stood ready and strenuous, go alive to the place of the gods.”^[2]

7. Having gone around three times, he should keep down the fire-brand^[3] and should again go round anticlockwise three times.

8. The animal should be released from the sacrificial post; the Adhvaryu and the sacrificer should touch the animal by means of the twopronged fork.

9. While he is touching the animal, the Adhvaryu should cause the Āgnīdhra to announce and (after he has responded) give out a call (to the Maitrāvaruṇa), “O Hotṛ, do you send forth the oblation to the gods.”

10. When he hears the formula, “Do you procure the fire for him”^[4] (being recited by the Hotṛ in the course of the adhrigupraiṣa), the Āgnīdhra should take up the fire-brand from the Āhavanīya fire and proceed ahead.

11. They^[5] should lead the animal towards the north between the cātvāla and the rubbish-heap with the formula, “You, wealthy ones, do you kindly resort to the lord of the sacrifice. O wide midregion, accompanied by the divine wind, do thou offer this oblation thyself.”^[6]

12. The Adhvaryu should recite over the sacrificer the verse, “The breath of the sacrificer is different from that of the animal. The sacrificer goes to the gods with the gods. Living, may it go to the place of the gods. May the desires of the sacrificer be fulfilled.”^[7]

13. The Āgnīdhra should shatter the fire-brand towards the north.

14. It becomes the Śāmitra fire.

15. One should optionally fetch it from the hinder Gārhapatya, or should produce by churning.

16. The Adhvaryu should preserve for the incision either of the two darbha-blades with which he bad formally dedicated the animal.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

One, two, three, or four, according to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra VII.15.4.

[2]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.1.4.1,2.

[3]:

That is, reinsert into the Āhavanīya fire. cf. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra VII. 15.3.

[4]:

Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa III.6 6.1.

[5]:

The Adhvaryu, the sacrificer, the Āgnīdhra and the immolator (Śamitṛ).

[6]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.3.8.1,2.

[7]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.1.4.3.