Praśna 10, Kaṇḍikā 1

[The Jyotiṣṭoma Sacrifice]

1. One, who is going to perform the Jyotiṣṭoma sacrifice in the spring, should choose four Brāhmaṇa officiating priests who have a ṛṣi-ancestor, who are young or advanced in age, are learned, are not deficient in any limb, and have loud voice.^[1]

2. Or (he should choose) all (the officiating priests).

3. One, who is going to choose only four (officiating priests), should choose the principal officiating priests, namely, the Adhvaryu, the Brahman, the Hotṛ, and the Udgātṛ.

4. He should choose the divine Adhvaryu reciting to himself the formula, “God Āditya is the divine Adhvaryu; may he be my Adhvaryu,” and then choose the human (Adhvaryu) saying loudly “N.N. is the human (Adhvaryu).”

5. He should choose the divine Brahman reciting to himself the formula, “God Candramas is the divine Brahman; may he be my Brahman,” and then choose the human (Brahman) saying loudly, “N.N. is the human (Brahman).”

6. He should choose the divine Hotṛ reciting to himself the formula, “God Agni is the divine Hotṛ; may he be my Hotṛ,” and then choose the human (Hotṛ) loudly saying, “N.N. is the human (Hotṛ).”

7. He should choose the divine Udgātṛ reciting to himself the formula, “God Parjanya is the divine Udgātṛ; may he be my Udgātṛ,” and then choose the human (Udgātṛ) loudly saying, “N.N. is the human (Udgātṛ).”

8. The followers of Kauṣītaki prescribe the Sadasya as the fifth principal officiating priest.

9. The Sadasya should supervise the rites which have been performed and which have not been performed.

10. The sacrificer should choose him.

11. He should choose the divine Sadasya reciting to himself the formula, “God Ākāśa is the divine Sadasya; may he be my Sadasya,” and then choose the human (Sadasya) loudly saying, “N.N. is the human (Sadasya).”

12. He should choose the divine Hotrāśaṃsins reciting to himself the formula, “The divine Waters are the divine Hotrāśaṃsins; may they become my Hotrāśaṃsins,” and then should choose the human (Hotrāśaṃsins) loudly saying, “N.N., N.N.” are the human (Hotrāśaṃsins).”

[? ^[2] ?]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.l.2,3 lays down that the Somapravāka should report the proposed performance of a Soma-sacrifice to the Brāhmaṇas who should enquire about the kind of sacrifice, the officiating priests, and the dakṣiṇā.

[2]:

The six Hotrakas excluding the Hotṛ.