Praśna 10, Kaṇḍikā 2

1. He should choose the divine Camasādhvaryus reciting to himself the formula, “Gods Raśmis are the divine Camasādhvaryus; may they become my Camasādhvaryus,” and then should choose the human (Camasādhvaryus) loudly saying, “N.N., N.N. are the human (Camasādhvaryus.)”

2. The officiating priest should, wear the sacred cord over his left shoulder and under the right arm, sip water, stand facing towards the east or the north, or sit down, and murmur the formulas, “Bhūḥ bhuvaḥ suvaḥ. Thou hast spoken out long life for me; thou hast spoken out might for me; thou hast spoken out glory for me; thou hast spoken out wealth for me. May I be long-lived, mighty, glorious, wealthy, and full of compensation. Bhūḥ bhuvaḥ suvaḥ. May I become all this.”^[1] Saying this he should either deny or agree to officiate as a priest.

3. After having agreed, he should proceed with the formula, “May the god meet god through the path of order; may Soma meet Soma. I go leaving out misdeed.”^[2]

4. He should follow the way (to the sacrificer’s house) with the formula, “Thou art Padvā indeed; the path leading to Soma; may I go towards Soma.”^[3]

5. Facing towards the south, he should pray^[4] to the Pitṛs with the formula, “O Pitṛs, bhūḥ”^[5]

6. The Sacrificer should receive him at his house, and clothe him with a garment.^[6]

7. Having clothed him, he should give him ear-ornaments (kuṇḍala) to wear.

8. He should give him away one article.

9. He should consecrate himself on the new-moon day or the full-moon day.

10. The period of his consecration should be unlimited, the maximum period being one year.^[7]

11. One should not perform a Soma-sacrifice unless he has already performed the New-moon and the Full-moon sacrifices.

12. One should not perform the other Soma-sacrifices unless he has performed the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice. So (is it said).

13. Some teachers prescribe the Atirātra as the first sacrifice.

14. One should not perform a Soma-sacrifice characterized by the Bṛhatpṛṣṭha unless he has performed a sacrifice characterized by the Rathantarapṛṣṭha.^[8]

15. The Soma-pressing day should coincide either with the new-moon day or with the full-moon day.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.1.4 prescribes a different formula, namely, mahan me voco etc. (PBr I.1.1).

[2]:

PBr I.1.2,3.

[3]:

cf. PBr 1.1.4.

[4]:

Wearing the sacred cord over his right shoulder and under the left arm, according to Rudradatta on Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.1.7. 2.

[5]:

PBr I.1.5.

[6]:

The text reads athai’naṃ gṛhān ohyā”hvayati. The MSS record two variants. In view of the next sūtra, it would be proper to emend the text as ohya”chādayati. cf. X.3.17,18. There is no parallel text in the Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra.

[7]:

The minimum period of consecration should be twelve days. Or the period of consecration should be such that he would become lean during the course of it. cf. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.14.8.

[8]:

This injunction has been mentioned in Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.2.7 as the view of some Ācāryas.