Praśna 14, Kaṇḍikā 15

1. Standing in front and facing towards the west, (the Pratiprasthātṛ) should pour down the (Soma from the) Dhruva vessel into the Hotṛ’s goblet with the remaining portion of the Anuvāka, “We pour down the Soma in the Dhruva vessel with the firm oblation so that this whole world may be without ailment and of kindly intent for us, so that Indra may make for us all subjects of one mind, so that all quarters may be ours alone.”^[1]

2. According to some teachers, he should sit down to the west facing towards the east, and pour down in a natural order.^[2]

3. He should cause a continuous stream to flow until the conclusion of the Śastra.

4. After having responded to the reciting of the Śastra, the Adhvaryu should take up the Hotṛ’s goblet; the Camasādhvaryus should take up their respective goblets.

5. The Adhvaryu should cross over, cause the Āgnīdhra to announce and (after the latter has responded,) say (to the Hotṛ), “O reciter of the Śastra, do you recite the yājyā relating to the offering of the Soma-goblets.”

6. At the vaṣaṭ-uttcrance (by the Hotṛ) they should make the offering.^[3]

7. The Camasins should consume their respective goblets. Each of them should modify the formula^[4] relating to the consuming of the Soma as “....(of thee) who art drunk by vaiśvānara Agni.”

8. Then the Adhvaryu should pray either to the sun or to the Āhavanīya fire with the formula, “Thou art good, the best of rays; grant me (long) life and power; may N.N. come to me.”^[5] He should mention the name of what be desires. So is it said.

9. This procedure^[6] should be gone through if the sacrifice is an Agniṣṭoma.

10. If it is an Ukthya, the portion from the calling out,^[7] namely, “Do thou pour down the entire Soma into the goblets, cleanse the two pots with the fringes of the woollen filter, and keep them upside down,” should be dropped.

11. While filling in the goblets relating to the Agniṣṭomastotra, the Unnetṛ should retain Soma adequate for three sets of the goblets.

12. Then the Adhvaryu should divide the Soma from the Ukthya vessel as at the morning pressing.^[8]

13. This much should be different: the formulas for drawing and also for placing the cups should be: “...to Indra-Varuṇa thee,”^[9] in connection with the Maitrāvaruṇa’s cup, “...to Indra-Bṛhaspati thee”^[9] in connection with the Brāhmaṇācchaṃsin’s cup, and, “...to Indra-Viṣṇu thee”^[9] in connection with the Acchāvāka’s cup. Similarly the relevant officiating priest should modify the formula^[10] relating to the consuming of the cup.

14. This^[11] (procedure should be adopted) if the sacrifice is an Ukthya.^[12]

15. If it is a Ṣoḍaśin, the Unnetṛ, while filling up the goblets in connection with the offering of the Acchāvāka’s cup, should spare Soma adequate for one set of goblets together with the cup. And at the same time the Adhvaryu should add Soma to the Ṣoḍaśin cup.^[13]

16. Or he should draw this cup from the Āgrayaṇa vessel only at this stage; not at the earlier two pressings.^[14]

17. Even in the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice being performed by a Rājanya, he should draw (this cup). So is it said.^[15]

18. He should draw that cup immediately after the filling in of the goblets relating to the Agniṣṭomastotra.

19. The Unnetṛ should fill in the goblets, the Hotṛ’s goblet being the first.

20. The Stotra^[16] should be chanted and the Śastra^[17] should be recited at this stage.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.2.8.6.

[2]:

That is to say, while pouring down he should gradually move the Dhruva vessel downwards.

[3]:

There should also be the secondary vaṣaṭ-utterance. cf. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra. XIII.16.7.

[4]:

XIV.14.18.

[5]:

cf. Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.6.6.1. Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XIII.16.8 prescribes the sharing of the goblet with the formula which partly agrees in the beginning portion with that in Taittirīya-saṃhitā I.6.6, and further with that in Maitrāyaṇī-saṃhitā IV.6.6.

[6]:

XIV.14.1.15.8.

[7]:

XIV.14.1.

[8]:

XIII.32.17. See also XIV.7.16. For the Śastras see ĀśvŚS VI.1.2.

[9]:

Maitrāyaṇī-saṃhitā IV.6.5.

[10]:

XIV.11.18.

[11]:

XIV.15.10-13.

[12]:

According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XIV.1.2, one, who is desirous of cattle, should perform the Ukthya.

[13]:

XIII.33.11.

[14]:

XIII.33.9; X1V.7.19.

[15]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā III.6.11.3.

[16]:

The Ṣoḍaśistotra.

[17]:

Ṣoḍaśiśastra to be recited by the Hotṛ. cf. ĀśvŚS VI.2.1 ff.