Praśna 13, Kaṇḍikā 8

1. The Adhvaryu should take up^[1] and offer all Soma-cups with the hand holding a piece of gold in it.

2. He should make all Soma-offerings, facing towards the east.

3. After having offered Soma, be should consume the remnant of it in the Sadas.

4. One should cleanse the cup in the Mārjālīya place.

5. Henceforward the Adhvaryu should consume the remnants of Soma receptacles in the Sadas itself; the remnants of oblations in the Āgnīdhra fire-chamber.

6. One should cleanse the receptacles. containing leavings of Soma on the Mārjāiīya place.

7. Then the Adhvaryu should take up the Adābhya cup.

8. He should pull out three stalks of king Soma, who has been tied up, respectively with the formulas, “Let the Vasus pull thee out with the Gāyatrī metre; do thou go to the dear place of Agni.—Let the Ṛudras pull thee out with the Triṣṭubh metre; do thou go to the dear place of Indra.—Let the Ādityas pull thee out with the Jagatī metre; do thou go to the dear place of Viśve Devas.”^[2]

9. After having caused drops of nigrābhya-water fall into a goblet filled with curds or milk, he should stir up in it (= the mixture) the (three) stalks, respectively with the (twelve) formulas, “O pure one, I stir the pure for thee in the gladdening water;...in the joyous ones;...in the Kotanās,...in the new ones;...in the Reśīs;...in the Meṣīs;...in the roaring ones;...in the all-supporting ones;...in the sweet ones;...in the lofty ones;...in the strong ones;...in the pure ones.”^[3]

10. According to some teachers he should stir up with three (formulas each time); according to others with five; according to still others with seven.

[? ^[4] ?]

11. Then he should take it (= the mixture) with the daḍḥigraha with the formula, “I take the pure for thee with the pure form of day, with the rays of the sun,”^[5] and also with the three verses, “May vaiśvānara Agni, gracious to all, protect us at the morning pressing with his might; may he, the purifier, grant us wealth. May we that share the Soma-drink be long-lived.—May Viśve Devas, the Maruts, Indra, not leave us at the midday pressing. Long-lived, speaking what is pleasing to them, may we enjoy the favour of the gods.—This third pressing belongs to the wise who set the goblet in motion through the holy order. May these Saudhanvanas, who have attained heaven, lead our good offering towards the better one.”^[6]

12. He should carry forth the cup with the verse, “Herein the dread ones have moved themselves, the streams of the sky have consorted. The lofty form of the bull shines high.”^[7]

13. He should make the offering with the formula, “Soma precedes Soma; the pure precedes the pure. That undeceived, watchful name of thine, O Soma, for that of thine, O Soma, for Soma svāhā.”^[8]

14. He should then put back the stalks among the stalks with the formulas, “O god Soma, striving do thou go to the dear place of Agni with the Gāyatrī metre.—O god Soma, willing do thou go to the dear place of Indra with the Triṣṭubh metre.—O god Soma, our friend, do thou go to the dear place of Viśve Devas with the Jagatī metre.”^[9]

15. There is a view that he should put back one stalk at each pressing.^[10] There is another view that he should put back the stalks one by one at this very time.

16. The sacrificer should give away as dakṣiṇā twelve heifers^[11] and a skin for sitting and lying.

17. Then he should take the Aṃśu cup.

18. He should pour down on the pressing skin as much of king Soma as he considers to be adequate for one cup.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.7.12, he should even press the Soma with the hand with a piece of gold in it.

[2]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.3.3.1.

[3]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.3.3.1,2.

[4]:

The purport of the Sūtra-writer is not quite clear. He probably means to say; the Adhvaryu should stir up four times—each time with three formulas, or four times—two times with five formulas each and two times with one formula each, or six times—once with seven formulas and five times with one formula each. According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra X.8.2, he should stir up four times—each time with three formulas, or five times—four times with two formulas each and the fifth time with four formulas, or seven times—five times with two formulas each and the sixth and the seventh time with one each.

[5]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.2.7.1.

[6]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.1.9.1,2.

[7]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.3.3.2. According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.8.3, he should take the cup with this formula, and carry with the formula, “The lofty form of the bull shines high.”

[8]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.3.3.2. According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.8.3, he should make the offering with the formula, “That undeceived” etc.

[9]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.3.3.2,3.

[10]:

Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.8.4 holds this view.

[11]:

Which are pregnant, according to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XII.8.11.