35 Sautrāmaṇī and Other Sacrifices

CHAPTER XXXV

SAUTRAMANĪ2660 AND OTHER SACRIFICES

This rite is included among the seven forms of bavir. yajñas (Gaut. VIII. 20, Lat. V. 4. 23). It is not a soma saorifice but is a combination of an iṣçi with animal sacrifice (Sat. Br. XII, 7, 2. 10). The chief characteristic of it is the offering of sura ( wine ) in it. In modern times milk is offered in place of sura in the Sautrāmapi. According to Lāt. V. 4. 20 and Ap. XIX, 5. 1 there are two kinds of this rite, viz. Kaukili and Caraka-sautrāmaṇi (or the ordinary one). Kaukill is an independent rite, while the ordinary Sautrāmaṇl is performed at the end of the Rajasdya (one month after it ) and also at the end of the piling of the fire-altar ( agniosyana ). Lat. V. 4. 21 states that there is chanting of sāmans only in the Kaukill and not in the other variety and according to Kāt. XIX, 5. 1 (oom.) it is the brahmā that chants the Sāman to Indra in the Bṛhati tune ( viz. Vāj. 8. XX. 30 ) Ap. XIX, 1. 2. states that in the ordinary sautrā mani the procedure is that of the nirūdh pasubandha and that ( XIX, 5. %) in Kaukill also the same procedure applies. There are two fires as in Varuṇapraghasa, but the southern one is not established on a vedi Kat. XIX. 2.1 and V. 4. 12). Some held (as is done by Sat. Br. XII. 7.3.7) there were two vedis behind which two mounds were raised, one for oups of milk and the other for cups of surā. The rite takes four days, during the first three out of which wine is prepared from various ingredients, while on the last day three oups of milk and three of surā are offered to Asvins, Sarasvati and Indra and animals are slaughtered for the same three.

In this rite the victims are a reddish-white goat for the Asvins, an ewe for Sarasvati, and a bull for Indra Sutraman (San. XV. 15. 1-4, Aśv. III. 9.%). A. brief description of the method in which wine was prepared in the Sautrāmaṇi is given below from the Sat. Br. V, 5, 4, XII. 7. 2, Kat. XV. 9. 28-30,

2660, The word Sautrāmaṇi is derived from sutraman (& good protector ), an epithet of Indra (vide Rg. X. 131. 6-7). Sat. Br. V. 6. 4. 12 derives it as one who was well suvod (by the Advias)'.

Ch. XXXV

Sautrāmani

1228

XIX. 1-2 (and com. thereon ). Rice-grainas61 ( or malted rice grains and maltod barley or syömāka ) germinated and un germinated covered in linen oloth are purchased from an eunuch in exchange for lead, wool and fried grain for thread. This purchase takes place on the southern one of the Vedis specially prepared for this rite near the peg called antahpatya on a hide. The rios grains are cooked in plenty of water and the malted barley grains are powdered and boiled. The water and scum are strained through woollen cloth. The hair of the lion, the wolf and the tiger are thrown into the mixture (this is symbolio of the charaoteristics of prow e88, impetuosity and fury found in those wild beasts ). Certain vegetable substances such as myrobalans, ginger, nutmeg ( which serve as yeast and are mentioned in the note below ), are powdered and boiled in plenty of water. The hot watery scum from the two pots of boiled rice and powdered barley is taken into two vessels and the extract of vegetables is poured in both of them, the mixture being called māsara. The boiled rice and barley are also mixed with the extract of powdered vegetables, put in a kumbhi ( a big jar ) along with contents of the māgara vessels and the jar is placed in a pit dug to the south-west of the sacrificial hall and kept there for three nights. On the first day the milk of one cow meant for Afrins is poured into the kumbbi placed in the pit and powder of daṣpa is added. The next day the milk of two cows meant for Sarasvati is poured into the kumbhi and powder of tokma is added. On the third milk of three cows meant for Indra is added and also the powder of fried rice grains ( laja). To the west of the mound prepared on the southern vedi a pit is dug ( outside the vedi according to com. on Kāt. XIX, 2. 7.) on which is spread bull’s hide over whiob & giove of bamboo is held and the liquid from the large jar is poured over the sieve (called kārotara ).346% The wine thus purified is collected in a

2661. Kat. (XIX. 1. 18 ff) uses the words sten (malted rice or grass), HER ( malted barloy ), W (vegetable substances ). The com. on Kat. XIX, 1. 20 quotes vorsos specifying thege lattor : Prstene fra gust वैष पुनर्नवा। चतुर्भातकसंयुक्ता पिप्पला गजपिप्पली । वंशोऽवका पहच्छत्राचित्रकं चन्द्र पारुणी। अश्वगन्धा समुत्पादय मूलाग्येतानि निर्दिशेत् ॥ धान्यकं च पवानी च जीरक

fourth

Terti :1’ Ap. XIX. 6, 4 defines hy differently. .

2662. Ap. XIX.66 and Baud. XVII.31-32 stato mothods of proparing surX wbich differ in sovoral details, though the principle is the same. It is propared by fermentation from rice, barley and other oorn. So thiæ surd would he paieti’ out of the three varietios montionod in Mapo XI, 94.

A. D. 154

1296

History of Dharmatāstra Ch. XXXV sata ( a vessel of palasa wood ) and it is further purified by means of the hair of the tail of a cow and a horse. Of this parified wine the pratiprastbāte fills the cups for being offered to the three deities, viz. the Advins, Sarasvati and Indra. Either one or three cups are illed for each of the three deities ( Kat. XV, 10. 13). This is done after the offering of the omentum and after mārjana. According to Ap. XIX, 2. 9-11 and Kato XV, 10.12 powders of kuvala, karkandhū and badara fruits are added to the wine in the cups and they are offered in the daksiṇa fire (Kat. XV. 10. 17). There was only one puronu. vaky, one praisa and one yajya for all oups.3468 On the dakṣiṇa fire & Vessel having a hundred holes covered with a hair strainer and gold and containing the remnants of the wine cups was hung by means of a sikya and the triokling drops of wine were offered to pitrs called Somavat, Barbiṣad and Agniṣvātta with Vaj, S. XIX. 52-60. It is to be noted that the remnants of the wine were not drunk by the priests, but were either drunk by a brāhmaṇa hired for the purpose ( Ap. XIX. 3.3) or they were poured over an ant-hill. Aśv. (III. 9.5-6) says that the priests muttered a verse ( which is Vāj. 8. XIX. 35 ) and only smelt the remnants of the wine offered (this is called prānabhakṣa ). San. notes that some teachers recited the puronuvākya, yājyā and praisa in an entirely changed form ( probably as directly mentioning only surt and not in the phraseology of soma ) but it should not be so done, since that is a method fit only for asuras. From this one may plausibly argue that the Sautrāmaṇi was practised among Asuras ( non Aryan people or schismatics ) and was adopted by the Vedic Aryans, with appropriate changes. But it is clear that the drinking of sura bg priests was condemned even then. 3864 Eggel

2663. Vide ĀŚv. III. 9. 3. The puronuvākya is Rg. X. 131. 4, the yājya is Rg. X. 131. 5 and the praign to the hotṛ to repeat the yajyx is: ‘होता वक्षदश्चिमा सरस्वतीमिन् सुत्रामाणं सोमानो राम्णो जुषन्ती प्यन्तु पिषन्त

U par arrot gladii’ (Āøv. III, 9. 3. ). It will be noticed that gurd is referred to in terms of soma. Sti. says’ feparat f r a NIITUT # guraret ar’. According to San. the adbvaryu recited V&j. 8. XIX. 34 ( Tai. Br. II. 6. 3) and tbo pratiprasthutr and udgatr rocito Vej, 8. XIX. 35 as the mantra for emolling aura. Vido Lat. V. 4.15 also tor भक्षमन्त्र.

2664. utgrof oratoare cure TATTI *79. XIX.3.3. This is quoted by Sabara on Jai. III 5. 16. 1797. (XIII. 8. 28-310) has writt aftatorta NUUTTET TROTTI… T UTTAVAT fire fara pregat VI

I. Vide note 1898 for & quotation from Tal. Br. to the same offoot,

Ch. XXXV 1

Sautrāmani

1227

ing ( in 8. B. E. vol. 44 p. 246 n) does not appear to be right so far at least as the sūtra literature goes when he says that the priests drank the remnants of the wine cups ( though the Sat. Br. uses the somewhat doubtful word ‘bhakṣayanti’ which in the sūtras also means smelling ‘).

All three animals in the sautrāmani may be goats. A fourth snimal was offered to Bphaspati under oertain circumstances ( Ap. XIX. 2. 1-2). Though the omentum of the victims was offered to Asving, Sarasvati and Indra, the pasupurodāgas were offered to Indra, Savity and Varupa ( Asv. III. 9.2). This rite was performed at the end of Rajasaya or for one who performs cayana or for one who suffers from purging due to excessive drinking of soma beverage or who vomits soma or from the openings of whose body (except the mouth ) soma flows out. The independent (kaukili ) sautrāmaṇl was performed for & brāhmaṇa who desired prosperity, or for a king who was driven from his kingdom or for one who had no cattle (Kat. XIX. 1. 2-4). In the beginning and at the end there was & caru to Vditi.

The northern vedi is in extent only one-third of the vedi for a soma sacrifice. When the attar&vedi is being prepared the pratiprasthātr takes earth from the catrāla pit, makes & mound to the south of the uttaravedi, a second mound for keeping wine cups in front of the dakṣiṇa fire, brings fire from the daksina fire and establishes it on the mound which is to the south of the uttarayedi. According to Kat. XIX. 2. 11 (which is part of the description of the independent sautrāmapi) the adhvaryu purifies on the northern vedi milk contained in & vessel made of reeds ( vetasa ) and fills oups of milk, the one for Asvins being made of asvattha wood, and those for Sarasvati and Indra being made of udumbara and nyagrodha. The three cups of milk are offered together by the adhvaryu. After the offering to Vanaspati in the animal sacrifice & couob of muñja cords is placed between the two vedis and the sacri. ficer sits on the couch which is covered with a black antelope skin with a silver piece under his left foot and a golden one under his right foot. The adhvaryu offers thirty-two oups of vasā ( fat ) from vessels made of the hoofs of bulls with Vāj. 8. XIX. 80-95. The remnants of fat are contained in a sata ( vessel ) of reeds. The adhvaryu sprinkles over the yajamāna whose body has been rendered fragrant with unguents the liquid from that vessel till it triokles down up to his mouth. The adhvaryu touches the sgorificer who summons his men

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(Oh, XXXV

and servants calling them by auspicious names (such as susloka). The men lift him gradually first up to the knee, then up to the navel &o. The sacrificer alights on & blsok antelope skin when a 33rd cup of fat is taken, & sāman in the Bṭbat tune for Indra (Vāj 8. XX30) is chanted by the brahma priest and the nidhana (finale) of it differs according to the varpa of the sacrifioera and is sung in chorus by all and then the 33rd cup is offered. There is the final purificatory bath as in Somayāga. Finally, after the caru to Aditi mikṣa is offered to Mitra and Varuṇa and then an animal to Indra Vayodhas. Jaimini lays down certain propositions about the Sautramani. In III. 5. 14-15 he states that all the contents of the grabas of milk are offered in the fire on the northern vedi and of the wine cups into the southern fire and nothing is left out of them for being offered as Svietakýt offering or for the purpose of ida. In IV. 3.29-31 it is established that when the Vedic text says ‘after piling the fire altar one should perform Sautrāmani’ there is no injunction about the time of performing Sautrāmapi but what is deolared is that the Sautrāmaṇi is an anga (& subordinate constituent ) of the principal rite viz. agnionyana and in IX, 3. 40-41 it is stated with reference to the same text that the sautrāmaṇl is not necessarily performed immediately after agnicayana but on the Full Moon day or New Moon day thereafter. In VIII. 2. 1-9 Jaimini declares that though the surā offered in Sautrāmant is spoken of as soma and though several actions such as purchase of surā, tying in cloth are common to surā and soma, the general procedure to be followed in Sautrāmani is that of darśapūrṇamāss and not of soma sacrifice and that surā lo spoken of as soma by way of lauding the offering of wine oups.2668

Aśvamedha ( Horse-sacrifice ). This is one of the most ancient sacrifices, Rg. I. 162 and 163 show that the horse-Baorifice was in vogue long before the com position of those two hymns. It was believed, as said above

2664 संभपसे विभपसे सत्यपसे भवस इति सरें निधनमुपयान्ति । संजित्यै पिजिस्पै सत्यजित्यै जिस्या इति क्षत्रियस्य । संपुष्टचे विपुष्ट सत्यपुष्टचै पुराचा इति

94 I PEUTT* XIX. 5. 8-5; vide Laṭ. V. 4. 19 for a similar rulo.

2666. Vide for details Tai. 8. 1. 8. , Vaj. 8. XIX and XX, Tai. Br. 1. 4. 2, 1. 8. 66, 11. 6-7, Sat. Br. V. 6. 4-5, XII, 7-8, Adv. III. 9, Ban. XV. 15, Lat. V. 4. 11 ff, K. XV. 9-10, XIX, Ap. XIX. 1-10, Prof. Kloth’s Intro. to Tai.8.pp.OXXII-OXXIII and Religion and Philosophy of Veda’, part 2, pp. 369-864,

Ch. XXXV

Afvamedha

1229

( on p. 982 ), by the composer of those hymns that the horse when sæorifoed went to heaven. A goat was led in front of the horse ( Rg. I. 162. 2-3 and I. 163. 12). The horse was deoked with ornaments, it was anointed with the svaru ( L. 162. 9 ) and it perambulated fire thrice or fire was carried round it thrice ( I. 162. 4 ); cloth and a piece of gold are provided for the dead body of the horse to lie down upon ( 1. 162, 16 ). Horse’s flesh was cooked in a pot called ukha ( I. 162. 13 ) and offered in fire (I. 162, 19 ); 34 ribs are mentioned in Rg. I. 162. 18, while 26 ribs are mentioned in other texts with reference to the goat. It appears that āgūḥ, yājy, and vaṣatkār& were uttered in making offerings of the horse’s flesh (Rg. I. 162. 15 ). The horse is identified with Aditya, Trita and Yama ( Rg. I. 163. 3 ).

This rite is described in the Sat. Br. XIII. 1-5, Tsi. Br. III. 8-9, in which several anoient monarchs are (onumeiated who performed the Aśramedha. The Tai. Br. III. 8. 9 identi fies the Asvamedha with the kingdom *666 and states ‘he, who being weak, offers an Advamedha, is indeed thrown away (lit. spilt away ). If the enemies ( of the king) wore to secure the horse, the sacrifice would be destroyed’. The sūtras olosely follow the Brāhmaṇas. The Aśvamedha is deemed in the sūtras to be an ahina of three pressing days ( Aśv. X, 8. 1, com. on Kat. XX, 1. 1., San. XVI. 1. 2). A paramount sovereign (sarvabhauma) or & crowned king who is not a sārva bhauma may perform this sacrifice (Ap. XX. 1. 1, Lat. IX 10. 17). A$v. X, 6. 1 states (probably following the Alt. Br. about the Mahabhiṣeka in Rajasūya ) that one who desires to secure all objects, to win all viotories (including one over his own senses) and to attain all prosperity may perform Advamedha. *** A beginning is made on the 8th or 9th of the bright half of Phālguna or on the same days of Jyeṣthe or

u: 1 … … TOTT A Tisvots HTH T ITE fa * former area FT: 18. . III. 8. 9. The Ait Br. does pot dos cribe the Advamedha, but the Mahabhiṣoke (called Aindra ) of tbe Rējasūya.

2667. Free FTATUTOFUEL Fyf nieraftra parte praf freiwite # TAI S . X. 6. 1; # # ta fra Fof Pratiwaret 797 लोकाविन्तापं सर्वेषी राज्ञा भेष्ठश्चमतिष्ठा परमतां गच्छत साम्राज्य भोज्य स्वाराज्यं पार मेह राज्य माहाराग्यमाधिपस्यमयं समन्तपर्यायी स्वात्मार्पभोमा सायुर भान्तामा पराद पूपिण्यै सहमपर्यन्साया एकराविति तमेतेनन्ग्रेण महाभिषेकेण क्षत्रिय शायिस्ता foram . 11. 39. 1. The words from empt to mana are quito familiar to all brihmagas oron in modern times.

1230

( Ch. XXXV

Asadba according to some ( Kat. XX. 1. 2-3, Lat. IX. 9. 6-7). Ap. holds that it should be begun on the Full Moon of Caitra ( XX, 1. 4). Rice from four vessels, four añjalis and four handfuls is cooked (it is called brahmaudana); it is smeared with ghee and given to the four principal priests who are also given one thousand cows each and gold weighing one hundred berries (Kat. XX, 1. 4-6, Lat. IX. 9. 8). Two iṣtis are per formed, the first for Agni Mūrdbanvan and the 2nd for Paṣan (Asv. X. 6. 2-5, Kat. XX 1. 25 ). The yajamāna cuts off his hair, pares his nails, brushes the teeth, batbes, pubg on now garments, wears a golden ornament (niṣka ), observes silence. Vide Tai. Br. III. 8. 1 and Ap. XX. 4. 9-14 for these. His four queens well-decked and wearing niṣkas oome near the king, the crowned queen accompanied by princesses, the 2nd queen (vāvāta, the favourite one ) accompanied by daughters of kṣam triyas, the third ( parivīkti, the discarded one ) accompanied by daughters of sūtas and village beadmen and the fourth (pāla gall, of low origin ) accompanied by daughters of kṣattps (chamberlains ) and sarngrahitrs. 8888 The yajamana enters the fire-hall and sits to the west of the garhapatys facing the north.

Various rules are stated about the horse’s colour and other qualities (Sat. Br. XIII. 4. 2. 4, Kat. XX. 1. 29–35, Lat. IX. 9.4). The horse must be all white with dark circular spots and of great speed, or the front part of its body may be dark and the rest of the body white, or it may have a tuft of dark blue hair. The horse is sprinkled with holy water by the four principal priests standing in the four directions (from the east), each surrounded respeotively by a hundred princes, a hundred ugras who are not kings, by sūtas and village headmen, and by chamberlains and samgrahitrs ( Ap. XX. 4, Sat, XIV. 1. 31). A dog with four eyes (i.e. having two natural eyes and two depressions in the skin above the eyes ) is killed by a man of the dyogava caste or by & voluptuary with the pastle of sidhraka wood. The horse is made to enter water and the corpse of the dog is with a loop of reeds made to float under the horse (Ap. XX. 3.6-13, Kat, XX. 1. 38 ff., Sat, XIV. 1. 30-34). The horse is brought near the fire and offerings are made in the fire till the water ceases to drip down from the horse’s body (Kat. XX. %. 3-5). A girdle made of muñja grass or of

2668. या पत्नीनी मियतमा यजमानस्य सापापाता राजपत्री अमपचिता परिक्षकी। MATWU. IX. 10.1-..

Ch. XXXVI

Atvamedha

1231

darbbas 12 or 13 aratnis long and smeared with the ajya that remains after being poured over the brahmaudana is invoked with the mantra “imam magpbhpan raśanām ptasya’ (Tai. 8. IV. I. 2. 1, Vaj. S. 22. %) and the horse is bound with it after taking the permission of the brahmā priest. The horse, having water sprinkled over it with mantras and after the sacrificer repeats into its right ear the several appellations for a horse ( Āp. XX. 5.1-9), is let off to roam over the country aooom panied by four hundred guards with the mantra ‘O gode, the guardians of quarters, protect this horse &o. (Vaj. S. XXII. 19, Tai, S. VII. 1. 12. 1). The guards include one hundred princes deserving to be seated on couches in the presence of the king, wearing armour and the other guards are armed with swords, arrows and thick clubs according to their rank (Tai. Br. III. 8.9, Ap. XX. 5. 10-14, Kat. XX. 2. 11 ). The horse is allowed to roam for a year where it likes and is not made to turn back, but it is prevented from associating with maros or plunging into water for a bath ( Kāt. XX. 2. 12-13). While doing their duty of guarding the horse, the guards are to subsist by demanding food from brāhmaṇas who do not know the procedure of Asyamedha ( or depriving them of it) or on cooked food taken from all brābmapas; they may stay in the houses of chariot-makers ( Āp. XX. 5. 15-18, Kat. XX. %. 15-16 ). Every day during the year that the horse is absent, three iṣtis are offered to Savitr in the morning, mid-day and evening, when Savitp is respectively addressed as Satyaprabava, Prasa vitr and Asavitr: (Aøv. X, 6. 8, Lat. IX. 9. 10, Kat. XX. 2.6). When the prayāja offerings are made a brāhmaṇa ( other than the priests ) with a viṇ& chants three laudatory gāthās in honour of the king composed by himself stating ‘you donated this, you performed such and such a sacrifice, you cooked food for distribution’ (Ap. XX, 6, 5, Kāt. XX, 2.7). This singing took place thrice a day after the iṣti to Savitr (Sat. Br. XIII. 4. 2. 8-14, Tai. Br. III. 9. 14). A ksatriya lute player also sang three laudatory songs (Sat. Br. XIII. 1.5, 6, Ap. XX. 6. 14 ) referring to the battles fought and victories won by the saori. ficer. Every day for a year after the iṣti to Savitr is finished the hots sitting on a golden cushion to the south of the ābavaniya fire recites to the crowned king surrounded by his Bons and ministers the narratives called ‘Pāriplava’ (revolving or recurring legends ). When about to commence the Pāriplava the bott makes the summons ‘adhvaryog’ and the adhvaryu geated on a golden seat (with four legs) responds with ho

1282

(Ch. XXXV

hotar’ (Asv. X. 8. 10-13).6668 The other priests also sit down on cushions or boards and bands of singers holding lutes sit down to the south and sing of the good deeds of the king along with those of his ancestors ( Āp. XX. 6. 13). As the king is thus engaged in sacrifices and in listening to the Pariplava!070 and to the songs, Ap. ( XX, 3. 1-2) notes that, till the Afvamedha is performed, the adhvaryu becomes the king, as the sacrificer (the orowned king ) declares ‘O brāhmaṇas and nobles / this adhvaryu is your king. Whatever honour you (usually pay to me) should be paid to him. May wbatever he does be regarded as done by you.’ Aøv. (X. 7.1-10) sets out what the Pāriplava is. Sat. Br. XIII. 4. 3 and Śān. XVI. % also deal at length with the Pariplava and they agree with Asy, in most places. For ten days one after another different texts are recited and this goes on for a year in narrative oycles of ten days. On the first day the hotr says ‘Manu was the son of Vivasvat, men are his subjects and points at the house-holders sitting down in the sacrificial ball with they (men as subjects of Manu) are here sitting down and then recites some one hymn of the Rg voda saying ’to-day the Veda is that of pks.’ On the second day he says ’ Yama is the son of Vivasvat, the pitfs are his subjects and points to the old men assembled and recites one anuvāka from the Yajurveda. On the 3rd day Varuna and the gandharvas ( as his subjects identified with fine looking young men ) are mentioned and some hymn from the Atharva-veda dealing with diseases and their cure was narrated. On the 4th day the narration relates to Soma, son of Viṣṇu and Apsarases ( identified with beautiful young women), and some

2669. Various methods of response ( ferme) are mentioned by Ap. and others. Tonterototyperus EPST F i 813ra perftrenug gfa qori mi startta TIT. XX. 6. 11-12; geta gerqua I’ TCUT. XX. 3.2; ut fiaftia p ara pronta pery# 16. 1. 27. Ap. (XX.6.7) says that Pāriplava and Bhauvanyava dro recited overy day for a year.

2670. The following quotations will illustrate the Pariplava recital. प्रथमेहनि मनुवस्ववस्तस्य महण्या विशस्त इम भासत इति गृहमधिन उपसमानीताः स्युस्ता शुपविशपची वा सोऽवमिति सूक्तं निमदेत् । द्वितीयेदनि यमो वैवस्वतस्तस्प पितरो विशस्त इम भासत इति स्थविरा उपसमानीता स्थुस्तापविशति पदो पेक्षा सोपमित्यपाक fra IMT*. X. 7. 1-2. In the Vedantapatra (III. 4. 23–24 ) the con olusion is stated that the akhyānas (such as that of Pratardana and Indra in Kauptaki Up. III. 1, of J&paśruti in Chan. Up. IV. 1. 1 and of Y&jatılkya and his wives in Br. Up. IV 6,1) in the Upanipads aro not meant to be recited in the Periplava, since only cortain legends alono aro speciiod in the toxts for that purpose.

Oh. XXXV

Afvamedha

1233

hymn containing magio spells from the Angirasa Veda ; on the 5th the narration relates to Arbuda Kadraveya and serpents (identified with visitors who know serpent lore and poison lore); on the 6th day to Kubera Vaisravana, his subjects the Rakṣases fidentified with evil doing selagas and the lore of Pigāca Veda (?). On the 7th the narration relates to Asita Dhānvana, bis subjects the Asuras and usurers and some illusion (a trick ) from Asura lore, on the 8th day to Matsya Sāmada, his subjects aquatio animals, Puñjiṣthas (fishermen) from Matsya country and some Purāṇa passage from the Purana-Veda, on the 9th to Tārksya, son of Vipascit, his subjects the birds and brahma carins and some narrative (itihāsa ) from the itihāsaveda; on the 10th day Dharma Indra, his subjects the gods and the young śrotriyas who accept no gifts, and some sāman from the Samaveda. Every day for a year in the evening four oblations called Dhṛti were made in the abavaniya (Kat. XX. 3. 4). On the first day 49 homas called Prakramas were made in the dakṣiṇa fire with Vāj. S. XXII. 7-8 (beginning with ‘biṇkaraya svaha’). Vide Sat. Br. XIII. 1, 3, 5, Tai. S. VII. 1. 19. In this way the Savitri iṣtis, singing, listening to Pāriplava and Dhrti offerings went on for a year. For a year the sacrificer kept observances as in the Rājasūya ( Lāt. IX. 9. 14). Large fees were given to the hotp and adhvaryu (Lat. IX. 9, 12-13 and 16) and to the singers (Kat. XX, 3.7).

Several expiatory ceremonies are prescribed (Ap. XXII. 7. 9-20, Kāt. XX. 3. 13-21) if the horse died or suffered from disease. If the horse was carried away by an enemy the sacrifice was destroyed. At the end of the year the horse was brought to a stable and the sacrificer underwent dikṣā (initia tion). There were 12 dikṣās, 12 upapads and three sutya days ( days on whioh some was pressed). Vide Sat. Br. XIII. 4. 4.1, Aśv. X. 8.1, Lat. IX. 9.17. After the dikṣā the sacrificer is sung as on a par with the gods and on the pressing days, at the time of svabbftha, the udayanlyā iṣti, the anubandhya and the udava. gāniya he is spoken of as on a par with Prajapati.1671 There are 21 yūpas ( stakes ) all being 21 aratnis high. The central one is of Rajjudala ( kleṣmātaka ) tree. On its two sides are two pino yūpas and on both sides thereafter there are three yūpas

2671. Foreve Arieuret affermierit Wie ware storarti एवं सदोपवसपात् । प्रजापतिमा उत्पास्वपभूयोदपनीयानूपायोदपसानीपातिवि।भाप. XX. 7. 14-16.

&, D, 1551234

History of Dharmasastra (Oh, XXXV each of bilva, kbadira and palaśa (Tai, Br. III. 8. 9, Śat. Br. XIII. 4. 4. 5, Ap. XX. 9.6-8, Kat. XX. 4. 16-20). Large numbers of animals are tied at all these stakes and slaughtered. Even wild animals like boars and birds are bound and held between the intervals of the yūpas ( Ap. XX, 14. 2 ff.). Vide Vāj. S. XXIV for a list of hundreds of animals out of which those from Kapiñjala onwards (Vaj. S. XXIV. 20 ff.) are let off after fire is carried round them (Kat. XX. 6. 9, Ap. XX, 17, 5). The 2nd among the three pressing days is the most important and is full of several very striking matters (such as the ribald dialogue, the brahmodya &c.). The horse to be sacrificed is yoked to a chariot along with three horses, the adhvaryu and Bacrifioer occupy the chariot and take it to a lake or reservoir of water, make the horses enter it (Kat. XX, 5. 11-14). On the horse’s return to the sacrificial ground it is anointed with clarified butter by the crowned queen, the favourite queen and the discarded queen in the front, the middle and hind parts of its body respectively. They also respectively tie 101 golden beads on the head, mane and tail of the horse with bhūh, bhuvah and sval. They give the remnants of the previous night’s offering to the horse with Vāj. S. XXIII. 8. If it does not eat it the remnants are cast into water. Near the yūpa a dialogue takes place between the hot who asks ‘who wanders alone (Vaj. S. XXIII. 9) and ‘who was the first to be thought of’ (Vaj. S. XXIII. 11 ) and the brahmi replies with Vāj. 8. XXIII. 10 and 12 respectively. The horse is praised by repeating Rg. I. 163 (Aøv, X. 8.5). A piece of cloth is spread over grass, thereon a mantle is spread and a gold piece is placed thereon and the horse is killed thereon. Before the words ‘adhrigo kamidhyam’ in the adhrigu praiṣa Rg. I. 162 and Rg. I. 163. 12-13 are to be recited. When the horse is killed, the wives of the king go round it thrice from left to right with ‘gaṇānām tvā’, thrice from right to left with ‘priyāṇām tra’ and again thrice from left with ’nidhinām tva’ (all in Vaj. S. XXIII. 19). They fan the dead horse with their garments while braiding their hair on the right side upwards loosening the hair on the left side and strike their left thighs with their right handa (Ap. XXII. 17. 13, Aøv, X. 8. 8). The crowned queen lies down by the side of the dead horse and both are covered by the adhvaryu with the mantle on which the horse lies and she unites with it (Ap. XXII. 18. 3-4, Kat. XX 6.15-16). Then according to Asv. X. 8. 10-13 outside the Vedi the hotf abuses the crowned queen in obscena language and

Ch. XXXVI

Advamedha

1235

she returns the abuse along with her one bundred attendant princesses and the brahmā priest and the favourite wife enter into a similar obscene abuse. According to Kāt. XX. 6. 18 the four principal priests and the chamberlain enter into an obscene abusive dialogue (given in Vāj. S. XXIII. 22-31 ) with the queeds along with their young female attendants. Vide Śat. Br. XIII. %. 9 and Lat. IX. 10. 3-6. The attendant princesses raise the crowned queen from near the horse with ‘dadhikrāvno’ (Rg. IV. 39. 6 = Vāj. S. XXIII. 32). The horse is cut up with golden, silver and iron (lauhi may mean copper) needles by the crowned queen, the favourite queen and the discarded one with Vāj. S. XXIII. 33-38. They take out the fat of the dead horse in place of the omentum taken from the goat in other sacrifices (Ap. XXII. 18. 10-11, Kat. XX.7.7). The blood of the horse is cooked and offered at the end of the other offerings to sviṣtakt (Ap. XXII. 19. 10 and Kāt. XX. 8. 8.). Before the omentum of the animals meant for Prajapati is offered there is brahmodya (a theological dialogue, where questions and riddles are propounded and answers given) between the priests in the sadas. According to Afv. X. 9. 2-3 at first the hot; asks the adhvaryu’ who roams alone &c.’ (Vaj. S. 23. 45 ) and the adlvaryu replies ’the sun roams alone &c.’ (Vāj, S. 23. 46 ). Then the hots again asks ‘what light is like the sun’s &c.’ (Vāj. S. 23. 47 ) and the adhvaryu replies ’truth is light equal to the sun &o.’ (Vaj. 8. 23. 48, which however reads ‘brahma sūryasamam’). Then the brahmā priest asks udgātand he replies ( Vāj. 8. 23. 49-50), then the udgātr asks & question and the brahmā replies (Vaj. S. 23. 51-5%). Then the four priests come out and each asks the saorificer who sits faoing the east the question ‘I ask you the furthest limit of the earth &o.’ (Rg. I. 164. 34) and the sacrificer replies ’this vedi is the furthest limit’ (Rg. I. 164. 35 ). Vide Lat. IX. 10. 9-14 for almost the same questions and answers. 2872 Kāt. (XX. 7. 10-15) mentions Vaj. S. XXIII. 49-62 as the dialogue that takes place at this stage in the Aśramedha and states that Rg. I. 164, 34 ( = Vāj. 8, XXIII. 61 ) is the question propounded by the sacrifioer (and not by the priests as Asv. Say8). Two grahas called Mahiman are offered, one before the omentum is

2672. In several sacrifioes such riddles were mootod ; vide Adv. VIII. 13. 14 for ono in Dadarstra which is takon from Ait, Br. 24. 6, and Sat. Br. IV. 6. 9. 20; vido Tai. 8. VII. 4. 18, Tai. Br. III. 9. 6 for brah modya and Bg. X. 88, 18 and VIII, 58. 1-2 for questions and answers,

1236

History of Dharmadāstra (Ch. XXXV offered and the other after it ( Śat. Br. XIII. 5. 2. 23 referring to Vāj. S. XXIII. %, Aśv. X. 9.4, Kāt. XX. 7. 16-17 and 27 ). Offerings of the vapā of all animals are made to the several deities of whom Prajapati is the last. Then the king sits on a lion’s or tiger’s skin, a piece of gold is placed on his head with Rg. I. 90. 1, a bull bide is held over his head, he is sprinkled with the remnants (samerāya ) of the offerings called mahiman and offerings are made to the twelve months, Madhu, Madhava &o. and seasons Vasanta &o. After the several offerings, on the third pressing day, the sacrificer performs the final purifi. catory bath. At the end of the avabhrtha iṣti, on the head of & bald man, 2873 whose eye-balls are yellowish-brown, who has prominent teeth, who is suffering from white leprosy and who dips into water, an offering is made ( three according to Ap. XX. 22. 6) with the words to Jumbaka, svābā’ (Vāj. S. XXV. 9). Vide Kāt. XX. 8. 16, Sān. XVI. 18. 18 and Sat. XIV. 5. 4. The latter add two important details, viz. that the man should be of the Atri gotra and that he should enter such deep water that it should flood his mouth. The Tai. Br. III. 9. 15 says that the abuti ’to Jumbaka, svābā’ is the last in Aśvamedha and that Jumbaka means Varuṇa. A hundred dows and & cart to which bulls are yoked are given to him. When the sacrificer comes out of the water after avabhștha persons guilty of such grave sins as brāhmana murder plunge into that water and become purified without having performed the penances prescribed for such sins (Kāt. XX.8.17-18).3074

Apart from the gifts provided for many of the subordinate rites performed in the Aśramedha, Lat. (IX. 10. 15-IX. 11. 4) presoribes that on the first and last of the three soma pressing days he should donate a thousand cows and on the second day he should donate all the wealth that belongs to the non brahmana residents in one district ( ja napada ) out of his realm,

2673. Foruty page fag HFT U YEYTET I gamle purta 8. T. III. 9. 16.

2674. Vide note 333 above where Tai. S. (V. 3. 12. 1-2) is cited viz. fat m ot Tu Tua, Sat. Br. XIII. 3.1: 1 bar the same words. According to Gaut. 22.9, Ap. Dh. 8. 1.9. 24. 22 and Manu IX. 82-83 if the murderer of a brāhmada, after declaring his crime, bathed in water in which the king took bio inal avabbṛthe bath, he would be free from that sin. Prof. Eggeling (8.B.E. vol. 44 p. XL, note 1) does not advort to the fact that expiation for brābmaṇa murder was thus prescribod by the dhurm unutras.

Ch. XXXV)

Aśvamedha

1237

or he should donate to the hotr the wealth in the eastern part of the country conquered by him and the wealth in the southern, western and northern parts respectively to the brahma, adhvaryu and udgāt; and their assistants or he should at least donate 48,000 cows to each of the four principal priests, 24000, 12000, 6000 to each of the four groups of three assistants of the principal priests in order. Aśv, X. 10. 10 also says that he should donate the wealth of non-brāhmaṇas in the four conquered quarters except land and human beings. Kāt. (XX. 4.27-28) contains similar rules.

Even in ancient times this sacrifice must have been rare. The Tai. S. V. 4. 12. 3 and Sat. Br. XIII. 3. 3. 6 both state that the Aśvamedha was a sacrifice which was utsanna (gone out of vogue). The Atharvaveda (XI. 7. 7-8) also appears to regard the Rājasūya, Vajapeya, Aśvamedha, the sattras and several other sacrifices as utsanna. The origin of the rite is obscure. In it several popular, religious and symbolical ele ments are inextricably blended and some rites like the queen lying down near the dead horse must be regarded as unaccount ‘able survivals from the hoary past. Various theories bave been

advanced to account for the origin, but there is, as is to be expected, - no agreement among scholars. Vide S. B. E. vol. 44. pp. XVIII-XXXIII, Prof, Keith’s Introduction to Tai. S. pp. CXXXII ff. and ‘Religion and Philosophy of the Veda’ part 2 pp. 345-347 for the several theories of European soholars. . In the Āśyamedhika parva of the Mahābhārata Aśvamedha is described at some length. It is probable that in the epio only the popular elements and a few of the religious rites were emphasized. In chap. 71. 16 Vyāsa tells Yudhisthira that the Aśvamedha purifies a person of all sins.8675 The dikṣā took place on the full moon of Caitra (72.4). The sphya, kūroas and utensils were made of or inlaid with gold (72, 9-10). The greatest warrior of the day, Arjuna, was appointed to guard the horse during its rambles for a year, and he was asked to avoid battle and carnage as far as possible ( 72. 23-24). The horse was kronasāra (marked with dark spots, 73. 8). Arjuna WAS accompanied by a pupil of Yājñavalkya and many learned brahmanas (73. 18) for the performance of propitiatory rites (banti). No indication is given as to the number of soldiers

FATICA TREIA

i PATTCAT

uflet

2675. TAUTE TEE

TO: # 977 TUE 71. 16.

#

1238

(Oh. XXXV

that accompanied Arjuna. The horse is said to have wandered over the whole of India from east to south, then went to north. After many fights with opponents Arjuna meets death at the hands of his son Babhruvāhang, king of Manipura, whom he upbraided for meek submission, but is brought back to life by his wife Ulūpi, the Nāga princess (chap. 80). Arjuna spares the lives of the opponents whom he vanquishes and invites them to the sacrifice. The description of the sacrifice follows the general outline given above. But there is hardly any detailed or graphic description of the special features of Aśramedha and one rather carries the impression that the author does not depict what he has seen but only what he has heard or read. The pravargya (88.21) and the pressing of soma are mentioned (88. 22). There were six yūpag of bilva, 6 of kbadira, two of devadāru and one of bleṣmātaka ( 88. 27-28). Bull’s heads and aquatio animals were built into the fire altar ( 88. 34). Draupadi was made to lie by the dead horse (89. 2-3). There are several points of difference. The altar is shaped like & Garuḍa (88, 32), the bricks were of gold, and 300 animals were sacrificed. It is said that the vapā of the horse was offered (89. 3), while Ap. (XX. 18. 11) emphatically states that there is no vepā in the oase of the horse. Great emphasis is laid on the buge masses of food distributed to all, on the drinking bouts and singing parties and the feeding of the poor and helpless (88, 23, 89. 39-43). Crores of niṣkas were donated to brāhmaṇas and the whole earth to Vysa (89. 8-10) who returned it to Yudhisthira for gold to be given to him and to brāhmaṇas. The Bālakāṇda of Rāmāyaṇa (chap. 13-14 ) contains & more graphic descrip tion of the Aśramedha performed by Dasaratha for securing sons. It expressly refers to the Kalpasūtra (tryahosāvamedhaḥ sarkhyātaḥ kalpasūtreṇa brāhmaṇaih).

In I. A. vol. VIII. p. 273 ( at p. 278) we find that a general, called Udayacandra, of Nandivarma Pallavamalla (about the 9th century A. D.) defeated Pșthivivyāghra, king of Niṣadha, who had accompanied the horse in his horse sacrifice. In E. O. vol. X. Kolar No. 63 it is stated in an inscription of 757 A. D. that the Calukya emperor Pulakośi was purified by his bath at an Aśramedha. In the very ancient Nanagbat Inscription (A.S. W. I. vol. V. pp. 60-61) an Andhra king8876 is described as

2676. In the Bhagavata-pardga XII. 1. 20 the founder of the

· Andbras is said to have been a viola and the Matsya ( 144, 13) says that sudra kings will perform Asramedba in the Kali age.

Oh, XXXV)

Afvamedha

1239

having performed the Rājasūya, two Asvamedhas, Gargatrirātra, Gavāmayana and Angirasim-ayana.2677 In the first half of the 18th century Saval Jayasing, king of Amber, performed an Aśramedba ( vide Isvaravilāsakāvya of Krsna-kavi, D. O. M8 No. 273 of 1884-86 and ‘Poons Orientalist,’ vol. II. pp. 166-180),

Sattra It was shown above (pp. 1213-1214 ) that the Dyādaśaha sacrifice partook of the characteristics of both ahina and a sattro and a few points of difference between the two were also set out there. Sattras are sacrificial sessions, the duration of which varies from 12 days to a year or more. Their archetype (prakrti) is the Dvādaśāha (Āśv. XI. 1.7). Sattras again may for conve nience be divided into those called Ratrisattras and those called Samvatsarika ( carried on for a year or more ). Aśv. (XI. 1. 8-XI. 6. 16 ) and Kāt. ( XXIV. 1-3 ) speak of numerous Rātrisattras called Trayodasarātra and so on up to Satarātra, state the principles on which these sattras are evolved from the Dvādaśaba, the model, and set out the schemes of all of them, If only one day has to be added then it is the Mahāvrata that is added before the last day called Udayanly&. If two or more days are required to be added then they are added before the Dasarātra ( that forms the central part of the Drādagaha and comes after the Prðyapiya day). In the case of Rātrisattras of mapy days’ duration ṣadahas are added (Kāt. XXIV. 1.5-7, Aśv. XI. 1. 8-14); the Dasarātra is never repeated but is only one in the same sa ttra (Kat. XXIV. 3. 34). For want of space all the Rātrisattras will be passed over. The Gavām-ayana 2878 (lit, the course or way of the cow. i. e, the sun’s rays or days) is the model of all Samvatsarika sattras (Aøv, XI. 7. 1 and com., Jai. VIII, 1.8, Kāt. XXIV. 4. 2). Several battres of the duration of one year or more are mentioned in the sūtra texts such as Adityānām-ayana (Asv. XII. 1. 1), Angirasām-ayana

2677. For further information on Advamedba vide Tai. 8. IV. 6. 6-9, IV. 7. 16, V. 1-6, VII. 1-6; Tai. Br. III. 8-9, Sat. Br. XIII. 1-5, Ap. XX, 1-23, Sat, XIV, Aśv. X. 6-10, Kat. XX, Laç. IX. 9-11, Baud. XV; S. B. E. vol. 44 Intro. Pp. XXIV-XXXIII, Prof. Keith’s tr. of Tai. 8. OXXXII-CXXXVII.

2678. Vide Tilak’s “Arctio Homo in the Vedas’ (1903) pp. 200-202 where be quotes « passage from the Ait. Br. (IV. 3) to the eftect that “cows’ moans Adityas’ (months, or days and nights ). Vide

pp. 193-212 for the significance of Gavām-ayana and its purpose.

1240

(Ch. XXXV

Kundapāyinam-ayana ( Aśv. XII. 4. 1), Sarpāṇām-ayana, Tral vārṣiks (one for three years), Dvādaśayārṣika, $at-trimsad vārṣika, Satasamvatsara for sādhyas ( Āby. XII. 5. 18 ) and Sabasrasanyataara, Sārasvata ( performed on the holy Sarasvati river). A few words will be said only about the Gavām-ayapa.

Gavām-ayana which is a Sāmvatsarika gattra (extending over 12 months of 30 days each) consists of the following parts (Tindya XXIV. 20. 1, Āśv. XI. 1. 2-6 and 7. 2-12, Sat. XVI. 5. 18-40, Ap. XXI. 15 ff.):

A, Prāyanlys Atiratra ( opening day )

Caturvimśa day, an Ukthye Five months, eaoh oonsisting of four Abhiplava sadabas

and one Prstbya ṣadahs (i.e. each month of 30 days ). Three Abhiplaves and one Prethya) Abhijit day (Agniṣtoma )

28 days. Three Svarasdman days.

All these together come to six months of 30 days each, B. The Viṣuvat#78 or central day (which is Ekavimśastoma)

on which an Atigrābya Soma cup is offered to the sun

and also a victim. O. Three Svarasāman days (on

which sāmans called Svara are chanted, Tandya IV. 5)

§ 28 days. Viśvajit day (Agniṣtoma ) One Prṣthys and three Abbiplava

Badabas

Four months, each consisting of one Prsthya in the beginning and four Abhiplava ṣadahas Three Abhiplaya ṣadabas One Gostoma ( Agniṣtoma ) One Ayuṣtoma (Ukthya )

30 days. One Dasarātra ( ten days) Mahāvrata day ( Agnistoma) Udayanlya ( Atirātra ).

All these in C come to six months.

2679, Tho Vipuvat day is like the central ridge of a shed from which on two sides two thatches spread slantingly downwards. In order to imitate the Sun’s passage to the north and south, the arrange mont sown in A is revorsod in C. av frumeft: 1 o yere at where I ***. XI. 7. 7-8. For a description of Chandomas vide Hæng’tr. of Ait Br. p. 847 R.

Ch. XXXV)

Gavām-arjana

1241

The Gavām-ayana was performed for various rewards viz. progeny, prosperity, plenty (or greatness), high position, heaven (Ap. XXI. 15. 1, Sat. XVI. 5. 14). About the day on which dikṣā (initiation) for it took place there were several views. The Ait. Br. (19. 4) prescribes that it should be done either in Māgha or Phalguna. Some (Sat. XVI. 5. 16-17, Ap. XXI. 15. 5-6 ) said that dikṣā took place four days before the Full Moon of Māgba or Caitra. Vide Lāṭ. X. 5. 18-19, Kat. XIII. 1,2-10 for the several days. Jai. VI. 5. 30-37 and Kat. XIII. 1. 8 favour the view that the diksa should be undertaken four days before the Full Moon day of Māgha ( i. e. on ekādası day ) since the Vedic texts prescribe the Ekāstakā day of Māgha (i. e. 8th of dark half ) for the purpose of some ( after 12 days of dikṣā). In the Gavām-ayana the procedure of the Dvādaśāba as a sattra is to be followed (Ap. XXI. 15, 2-3, Jai. VIII. 1. 17), but some held that in Gavām-ayana there were to be 17 dikṣās ( instead of 12). There are certain general rules about sattras which may be stated here. They are to be performed by many as sacrificers and only brāhmaṇas can perform them (Jai. VI. 6. 16-23, Kat. I. 6. 14). There are no separate priests (ptvij), but the yajamānas themselves are the priests (Jai. X. 6. 45-50 and 51-59, Sat. XVI. 1. 21). A text quoted by Sabara on Jai. VI. 2. 1 says that the persons who engage together in & gattre must be at least 17 and not more than 24 and each of the performers secures the same unseen (or spiritual) reward for which the gattra is performed (Jai. VI. 2. 1-2). There is therefore no waraña (choosing ) of priests and there is no question of remunerating them for their servioes by several gifts as in Jyotiṣtoma (Jai. X, 2, 34-38). At the time when gifts are made in other rites, in sattras the sacrificers perform the Dākṣiṇa homas and waving their dark antelope skins they go out with their faces turned northwards by the path by which da kṣiṇas are taken away in other rites (Sat. XVI. 2. 19. Kat. XII. 2. 18). As no dakṣiṇas are to be donated in sattras agents (oalled sanihāras) are not to be sent for collecting subscriptions ( Sat. XVI. 1. 40). The sacrificial utensils ( yajāapātras like juhū) to be used in the sattra are specially got prepared for the common use of all, while exoh keeps bis own utensils separate with which he is cremated If he dies in the midst of the performance ( Jai. VI. 6. 33-35 ). Though the general rule is that there is no pratinidhi ( substitute ) for the performer of rites like agnihotra, the sattra is an exception, since if any one of the many performers dies in the midst of a

2. D. 186

1242

(Ch. XXXV

sattra another person may be substituted by the others in his place (Jai. VI. 3.22 ), but he is only an agent secured by pay ment and the spiritual unseen reward of the sacrifice goes to the performer that is dead (Jai. VI. 3. 23-25). The Tāpd ya Br. IX. 8. 1 states that if one of the performers of & saltra dies after dikṣā, he should be cremated, his bones should be tied in his antelope-skin and placed beyond the mārjāllys shed and his son or other very near relative should be given dikṣā and be associated in the sattra. Only those who have consecrated the three Vedic fires can engage in sattras except in the Sarasvata sattra (Jai. VI. 6. 27-32). According to Jai. (VI. 6.1-11) only those who follow the same procedure can join in the sattra, otherwise difficulty is caused in the case of the Prayājas and the Apri verses. The second prayāja deity in the case of Vasiṣthas and Sunakas is Narāsaṁsa, while Tanūnapāt is the second prayāja deity in the case of other gotras. After stating the view of Gapagāri that only those who have the same gotra can join in a sattra, Aśy.(XII. 10. 2-3) states the view of Saunaka ( and it is his view also ) that even persons of different gotras may join in a sattra, that where in a particular matter there is a difference of procedure in accor dance with the difference of gotra, the procedure should be regu lated by the gotra of one ( called grhapati) of those who join in the sattra. Jai.(VI.6.24-26) states the somewhat striking rule that even among brāhmaṇas those who belong to the Börgu, Vasiṣtha and Sunaka gotras cannot join in & sattra but only those who belong to the Viśvāmitra gotra or who have a similar procedure ( about prayājas &c. ), since śruti requires that the function of hotr in a battra must be performed by one belonging to Visvāmitra gotra. If after making a resolve to join in a battre or if after just beginning & battra a man gives up the idea, he had to perform by way of penance the Viśvajit rite (Jai, VI. 4, 32 and VI. 5. 25-27).

Though in & battra all are yajamānas yet one of them becomes the grhapati; those actions whioh only one can perform and which are done in other sacrifices by the yajamāna (except what are samskāras like vapana) are here done by the grhapati alone and others only touch him (e. g. in tying the veda or placing a fuel-stick on fire, Kāt. XII. 1. 9-15). In performing dikṣā a peculiar procedure is followed (Kat. XII. 2. 15, Sat. XVI. 1. 36, Ap. XXI. 2. 16-XXI. 3.1). The adhvaryu first gives dīkṣā to the gļhapati and to brahma, hot; and udgātr ; the pratiprastbātf gives dīkṣā to adhvaryu, then to maitrā varupa,

Ch. XXXV)

Gavām-ayana

1243

brahmanaochamsin and prastoty; the nestr gives dikṣā to the pratiprastbātr and the acchāvāka, āgnidhra and pratiharts; the unnetr gives dikṣā to nestr, the grāvastut, and subrahmanya and lastly the pratiprasthātr or another brāhmaṇa (who is himeelf a dikṣita ) or a Veda student or snātaka gives dikṣā to unnetṛ. Each of the wives of all these is given dikṣā along with her husband ( Kāt. XII. 2. 16). Every day one of those who join in a sattra guards soma silently and others are allowed to study their Veda and to fetch fuel-sticks (Sat. Br. IV. 6. 9, 7, Kāt. XII. 4. 1 and 3). On the tenth day there is brabmodya"680 as in Aśvamedha or they engage in the abuse of Prajapati for having created such pests as bees and wasps and thieves (Ap. XXI. 12. 1-3, Sat. XVI. 4. 33-35, Kāt. XII. 4. 21-23).

While engaged in the battra the performers have to observe certain rules ( Āśv. XII. 8, Drāhyāyana Śr. VII. 3-9 f), From the day the dikṣanlyā isti is performed in the sattra, the usual duties to pitṛs (such as piṇdapitr-yajña), to gods ( suoh as Agnihotra ) are stopped till the end of the sattra. They have to give up sexual intercourse and must not run, they should laugh covering their teeth ( so as not to show them ), should not jest with women, should not speak to those who are not āryas, should not plunge in deep water, should give up falsehood and anger, should not climb up trees or enter & boat or cbariot. Rules are laid down as to whom to bow to. A sattrin should esohew singing, dancing and instrumental music. While dikṣās are going on he should subsist on milk. On pressing days he should partake of the remnants of havis only or of fruits and roots and other food fit for vrata.

One of the most interesting day is the Mabāvrata, which is the last day but one in a sattra. Several strange and bizarre rites are performed on this day. This day is so called because it is specially meant for Prajapati who is ‘mahān’ and maha. vrata means’ anna’( Tāpd ya IV. 10. %, Sat. Br. IV. 6. 4. 2). In this a mahā vratiya oup of soma is offered in addition to the

2680. The Tagdya Brahmana (IV. 9. 12 and 14 ) speaks of both brahmodya and the parivadana of Prajapati ‘ब्रह्मोद्य पदन्ति ममवर्चस एव

aft i sag fā arra utara ere era arrararapat I’. The com. givos several oxplanations of hoth, Torque THT (IX. 4, 16-18 ) saya ‘xtura ona i GTU:

Kreta att barat fra Fyn.‘1244

(Ch. XXXV

usual ones and a victim is slaughtered for Prajā pati. In oon nection with this oup a mabāvrata saman is chanted followed by the recitation of the Mahad-uktha (great laudation) of the hotr. Vide Haug’s tr. of Ait. Br, p. 283 n, S. B, E. vol. 43 pp. 282–283 pote 5. The chanting of the Prsthastotras is started by a brahmana who plays on a harp ( vāṇa ) with a hundred strings of muñja grass (Sat. XVI. 7. 7-9, Tāṇdya V.6.12-13). During the chanting the udgātṛ priest sits on a chair of udumbara, the hoton & swing, the adhvaryu on a board and the other priests on seats of grass (Tandya V.5.1-12). A brābmaṇa in the front part of the sadas and a sūdra at the back alternately belaud and abuse those engaged in the sattra, the former saying they have done well and the latter saying they have not done well ( Tāṇdya V. 5. 13). An ārya and a gūdra engage to the west of the agnidors shed in a contest for a white circular skin that symbolizes the sun (for whom the Gods and Asuras fought laying claim to the Sun as their own), the fight being so arranged that it oulminates in favour of the ārya ( Tandya V.5. 14-17, Sat. XVI. 7.28-32). A harlot and a brahmacarin abuse each other on the northern hip of the altar.

Sexual intercourse between & man and a woman ( that are strangers to the sacrifioe ) takes place in & screened shed to the south of the mārjallya shed (according to Kāt. XIII, 3. 9). This probably is a symbol for indicating creation of the world by Prajāpati to whom the mahāvrata specially appertains. A chariot is made ready to the east of the southern corner of the vedi. A noble or a kṣatriya in full armour occupies it, armed with a bow and three arrows. He goes round the vedi thrica and discharges three arrows at a hide but not so as to pierce it through and through (San. XVII. 15 ).

They beat drums placed on all corners of the vedi and etrike a bull-bide spread over a hole dug to the west of the āgnidbrlya sbed, half inside the vedi and half outside (this is called’ bhūmi-dundubhi’). When the priests chant, the wives of the performers act 88 choristers 4681 to the singing priests (Jai. X 4. 8, Sat. XVI. 6. 21, Ap. XXI. 17, 15-16 ) and play on several instruments. Eight servants and maids or slaves and

21, Ap. or to the wilt, the wiv

R

2581. TrotstuiafrTurgalerie 4*9! vi fine

I ETE V 6.8. The con. explains that matter is a late mode to yield sound by the breath from one’s mouth, tra quisqTTE framstore fortion frete MT Prated’ ARYTTE XVI. 6. 91.

Ch, XXXV)

Gavām-ayana

1245

slave girls, placing water jars on their heads dance thrice round the mārjaliga seat, striking the ground with their right feet and singing popular songs ( gāthas ) in which cows are lauded 88 mothers of ghee and wbioh contain words like this is sweet’ ( Sat. XVI. 6. 39-41, Ap. XXI. 19. 17-20 and XXI. 20 ). These features of the mahāvrata show that it was some folk festival in the hoary past and was welded on to the solemn vedic sacrifices as & relaxation after the weary days and months of sacrifices. The Ait. Ār. (I and V) gives an esoteric turn to the mahāvrata. In one place it summarizes all the popular features of the Mahavrata.2688

On the Udayanlye day three anubandhyā cows are offered to Mitrāvaruṇa, the Visve Devas and Bphaspati (Kāt. XIII. 4. 4).

In the Indian Antiquary, vol. 41, Dr. Sham Sastry contributed a series of articles on the Vedic calendar in which he adduced weighty arguments for holding that the Gayāmayans was a symbolio representation of the efforts made to square up the Vedic lunar year with the solar year by adding intercalary days. It is somewhat remarkable and also indioative of the bias of most western scholars that while Prof. Keith in his work on the ‘Religion and philosophy of the Veda’ refers ad nauseam to all sorts of luoubrations by European scholars on the origins of the Vedic sacrifices, about rain spells and fertility rites and similar lore be does not condescend to notice the views of Dr. Sham Sastry or Mr. Tilak, which have far more probability than many of the learned hypotheses advanced by European scholars who appear to be obsessed by the notion that Vedic usages must be similar to praotices found in the 19th contury among the backward races of Africa, Amerioa and Oceania.

Though the sūtras speak of sattras for a hundred or a thousand years, there were writers even in ancient India who thought that such sattras did not exist in fact, at least in historical times. Patañjali states in his Mahābhāṣya that the sattras of a hundred or a thousand years were never attempted in times near to his day and that Yajñikas prescribe

2682. agravada: orari garen

et qura i roto a ज्यापपस्याप्रन्ति भूमिान्यूमि पत्त्यश्व काण्डवीणा भूतानां च मैथुनं ब्रह्मचारिएबल्योः

संभवादोनेकेन साम्ना निकषल्याप रखवते राजमस्तोधियण मतिपयते। ऐ.मा.v.1.6

1246

(Ch. XXXV

rules for them following the tradition of sages.2888 Jaimini also boldly asserts that when the texts2084 speak of Viśvasfjām. ayana for a thousand samvatsaras the word sariyatsara means only a day (Jai. VI. 7. 31-40).

Among the other sattras the Sarasvata sattras are most instructive, since in them many places on the most sacred Sarasvati and other rivers were approached by the sacrificers during the course of the sacrifice.2885 Vide Āśv, XII, 6., Lat. X. 15 ff, Kāt, XXIV, 6. 14 ff.

Agnicayana (piling of the fire-altar )

The construction of the fire-altar is a special rite and is the most complicated and most recondite of all Srauta sacrifices. The Satapatha Brāhmaṇa devotes five out of its fourteen sec tions ( about one-third of the whole work) to cayana and is the leading work on that subject. Prof. Eggeling in his very learned Introduction ( pp. XIV ff) to vol. 43 of the S. B. E. deals with the fundamental conceptions underlying this srauta ritual. Acoording to him cayana was originally an indepen dent rite and was later on incorporated in the system of Soma sacrifices. At the bottom of this rite are certain cosmogonio theories. Even in the Rgveda we meet with the conceptions that Hiranyagarbha or Prajāpati ( Rg. X. 121 ) is the creator of the universe, that creation, destruction and re-construction of the universe are eternal, ever-recurring processes going on from all time and will go on for all time ( Rg. X. 190.3, ‘dhāta yathapūrvam-akalpeyat’), that Puruṣa himself became the sacrificial material (havis ) and the year and seasons aided in the process of the reconstruction of the saorificed and dismem. bered Puruṣa. Man bimself who is a child of this process must also do his part in the reconstruction of the world. This he can do best by identifying Fire with Prajāpati ( as in Sat. Br. X. 4. 1. 12 ) and regarding Fire as the Highest Divinity and

2683. turfor erafatlaria 9105P TO 9 7 7 Frana रति केवलसषिसंप्रदायो धर्म इति कृत्वा याज्ञिका: शामेणाविदधते । महाभाग्य vol. I. p. 9 on a spati a !!

2684. WHA T I $7747. XXIV. 5. 24.

2685. For details about sattras, vide Tai. 8. III. 3. 6, III, 5. 10, VII. 5. 5-7, Tai. Br. I. 2. 2-5, Sat. Br. IV. 6.2, Taṇd ya IV-V, Ait. Br. 17-18, Ap. XXI, Kat. XIII, Adv. XI. 7, Sat. XVI, Baud. XVI. 13-28, 890. XIII, 19; and 8. B. E. vol. 41 pp. XXI. ff, Hang’s tr. of Ait. Br. pp. 279 ff, Prof, Keith’s ‘Rel, and Phil.’ part 2, pp. 350-362.

Ch. XXXV)

Agnicayana

1241

the source of all life and activity and the periodic performance of sacrifice in fire as his contribution, however small it may be, to the process of re-creation and re-construction. The re constuction of the world by Prajāpati a man oan iwitate by him self constructing an elaborate structure with bricks. The Sat. Br, in several places brings out these ideas, though in a some what esoterio way 2686 (e. g. VI. 2. 2. 21). The tenth kanda (section) of the Sat. Br. is the rahasya (the esoterio doctrine ) of cayana. Most of the acts done in the piling up of the altar are a symbolic representation of the process of re-creation and re-construction as will be seen later on. In the Sat Br. the principal authority on this doctrine of cayana is not Yājña valkya ( who is the dominating figure in the first five seotions of that Brāhmapa) but Saṇdilys who traces that doctrine through a succession of teachers to Tura Kāvaṣeya who received it from Prajāpati himself (Sat. Br, IX, 5, 2. 15-16, X. 4. 1. 11, X. 6.5.9 &c.).

A very brief description of the cayana based principally on Kāt., Sat., and Ap. is given below.

The construction of the fire-altar in five layers is an anga of Somayāga. But cayana is not obligatory in every Boma sacrifice. It must however be performed in the Somuyāga called Mahā vrata (which as stated above is the last but one day in Gavām-ayana). When a man desires to pile the fire altar, he first offers after the Full Moon iṣti of Phālguna (i, e. on the first of the dark half) or on Māgha new moon five animals (viz. a man, a horso, a bull, & ram and a he-goat were offered, the man in & screened place ).48 87 The heads of the beasts were built up into the altar and their trunks were thrown in water, which was then used for making bricks from clay. Kāt. (XVI. 1. 32) allows an option that instead of killing animals golden or olay heads of these may be used. In modern times when rarely cayana is performed only golden images of the above five are taken. Then on the 8th of the dark half of Phālguns a horse, an ass and a he-goat are taken in procession

2686. 1974 TI CHEF# ft Jha Tasha garofat: 1 STTU VI. 2. 2. 21.

2687. It appears that the man was not actually killed, but was let off. He was to be a vaidya or kpatriya (Kit. XVI. 1. 17). According to Baud. X. 9 the beads of a vaisya and of a horse killed in battle are taken ‘संग्रामे हतयोरश्वस्य च वैश्यस्य च शिरसी। दीप्यन्त ऋषभ पचन्ते । पाणि च पस्तं

TE THER IT: I. Vide Kat. XVI. 1.32 also.

1248

to the south of the ahavaniya fire (the horso leading ) with their mouths to the east and the place from where clay is to be taken is reached by the horse. To the east of the abavaniya a square pit is dug and a ball of clay is put therein which brings the pit on a level with the surrounding ground. At the middle of the distance between the clay lump and the ahavaniya clay taken from an ant-hill is heaped. A spade one oubit long made of some sacrificial tree is kept to the north of the ahava niya. The ant-bill olay is placed on the lump of earth in the pit with that spade. The horse is made to plant its foot on the olay in the pit. He (the priest ) draws three lines with the spade on that lump of olay, spreads black antelope skin to the north of the lump and thereon keeps a lotus leaf on which the lump of clay from the pit is placed and the corners of the skin are tied with a girdle of muñja. He takes up the hide with the clay therein, raises his arms towards the east, bolds the bundle over the animals that come back in the reverse order (the goat leading). According to Ap. XVI. 3. 10 the bundle is placed on the back of the ass and brought near a tent. The lump is placed to the north of the ābavaniya in a tent soreened on all sides; then he takes the hair of the he-goat and mixes the hair in that lump of olay with water in whioh palāsa bark is boiled and mixes therewith gravel, iron rust and small stones. From the olay thus mixed the wife of the sacrificer (or the first wife if there are several) prepares the first brick called Aṣāḍha, which is in measure as muoh as the foot of the sacrificer, is rectangular and has three lines scratched on it. The sacrificer prepares an ukha (fire-pan) from the mixture of clay, which is one span in diameter. According to some three pans are made. He also makes three bricks called Viśva jyotis, each having three lines and so marked as to show which is first, second and third. The remaining clay is called upasaya and is kept aside ( as it will be required later). The ukha is fumigated with the smoke from seven horse-dung cakes kindled on the dakṣiṇa fire. A square hole is dug with the spade referred to above, therein fuel is put and the bricks and the ukha ( with the mouth downwards) are put for being baked and more fuel is added. He removes the coals and ashes and takes out during the day the bricks (four) and the ukhā, on which the milk of a she-goat is sprinkled. Thereafter other bricks are made which have three lines on each, whiobh are generally as long as the sacrificer’s foot and are baked till they are red.

श्येनचितिः प्रथमः प्रस्तरः

श्येनचितिः द्वितीयः प्रस्तरः

Ch. XXXV)

Agnicayana

1249

The dikṣā (initiation) for the rite takes place on the amāvāsy. of Phalguna. The dikṣapiya iṣti and other usual rites are performed. Either the yajam.na or the adhvaryu places the ukha on the abavaniya and puts thereon 13 samidhs one span in length. The sacrificer wears a golden ornament with 21 pendants reaching up to his navel. The ukha is taken from the ahavaniya to the east of the abavaniya and is placed in & Sikya and fire is put into it. He carries for a year or a shorter period (12, 6 or 3 days according to Āp. XVI. 9. 1) this fire placed in the ukha. On alternate days in the year he adores the fire with the Vatsapra mantras (Vaj. S. XII. 18-28=Rg. X 45. 1-11), takes the Viṣṇu strides (Viṣṇukramas ); he also removes the ashes, puts fuel-stioks on the fire in the ukba.

Thon follows the building of the altar. The altar has five layers, the first, third and fifth being arranged in the same pattern and the 2nd and 4th being of a different pattern from the 1st, 3rd and 5th. The altar may have several forms such as that of a droṇa ( trough ), a chariot-wheel, a syana (hawk), kanka ( heron ), suparpa ( eagle) 8688 &o. Vide Tai. 8. V. 4. 11, Kat. XVI. 5. 9. The altar requires bricks of several shapes ; some are triangular, some are oblong, some are perfectly square, some are oblong plus & triangle (in one). They are not to be placed one over the other as one chooses but are arranged in peculiar ways, some in front, some on the sides and so on. A sound knowledge of geometry and mason craft is required in constructing the altar. Every briok is to be placed after repeating a mantra. The bricks have various names to distinguish them. For example, the brioks called Yajusmati are to be used in building the body ( of the birdlike pattern, which is the most usual one ), but not in building the bides or tail of the layer. The usual mantras in laying down and invoking a briok are two viz. ’taya devatay.. … sida ( Vāj. 8. XII. 53, Tal. S. IV. 2. 4. 4) and ’td asya sūda-dohasal’ (Vāl. 8. XIL. 55, Tai. 8. IV. 2. 4. 4). Sat. XI. 8. 18 says that *taya devatay. … …dhruvā sida ’ is repeated after each briok is doposited. But special mantras are presoribed in several cases 8. g. as to the ten lokampına brioks the mantra is ’lokam prpa! ( VEL. XII. 54, Tai. 8. IV. 2. 4. 4). Some kinds of bricks bear

2688. Fūnf Praler gammal……. profiter : The off ज्यानहम्मिोक स्वामिति । … … भलजापित चिन्धीत पासीत प्रतिष्ठाकामा ! .सं. V. fi 11 whore several othor patteras suoh ks fora, TT, w , W, fra are montioned.

EL. D. 187

1250

(Oh, XXXV

the 1st

Jarural holes) and they are long and

the names of sages (e. &. Valakhilga bricks ). Probably they were first used by those sages. There are three brioks which are called svayam-atrpṇāḥ (1. e. they are long and thin stones and have natural holes ) and which are placed in the centre of the 1st, 3rd and 5th layers and are deemed to represent earth, air and heaven. 2688 Jal. ( V. 3. 17-20 ) deals with the respec tive positions of certain brioks called citrini and lokamprṇa.

On the day of the last dikṣ& the measuring of the plot to be used as vedi takes place. Measurements are made with a rope which is in length twice the height of the sacrificer. A fifth part of the sacrificer’s height is called aratni, tenth part is called pada, each pada is divided into twelve angulas and three pades make a prakrama ( Kat. XVI. 8. 21). The ground for the uttaravedi on which the altar is to be constructed is ploughed with an udumbara plough and the ropes are made of muñja, Six, twelve or twenty-four oxen are yoked to the plough. He sows on the furrows made by the plough various kinds870 of oorns (Ap. XVI. 19. 11-13 gays fourteen kinds, seven being grāmya and geven wild). He omits one kind of corn which he has to abstain from partaking throughout life thereafter (Kat. XVII. 3. 6–7). If so many kinds of corn cannot be had then in those furrows barley corn mixed with honey is sown. Then clods of earth are put thereon and the ground is made level. Several things are got ready and placed one after another on this ground ( Ap. XVI. 13. 10 where they are said to be brioks but not of clay). Vide Sat. XI. 5. 21 also. The placing of bricks is begun after the first upasad ( Sat. XI. 7. %). A lotus leaf is first laid down on the spot where the horse planted its hoof (Ap. XVI. 22. 3) and on that leaf the golden ornament worn by the yajamāna at the time of the Viṣṇu strides is placed with the mantra ‘brahma jajāānam’ (Vaj. S. XIII. 3, Tai. S. IV. 2. 8. 2). To the south of that ornament is laid down the golden image of a man with head to the east and face turned to the sky in such a way that the image does not cover the hole pierced in the golden ornan ment ( diso ) by passing & string with which it was tied round

2689. ’ Tarot wafat p e r sport groupe H. V. 2. 8. 1. FTTU . #. IV. 2. 9. 1 explains treat - गानो मापे पुरुषप्रयत्नमन्तरेण या स्वत एव छिपाका सेयं शर्करा खयमातुण्णा।

2690. atque ma varteret for at i … … PESANTREN मिपाणपो गोषमा देखापामाकनीपाराजतिलाबमाका भारपजा मर्याचका विशेषाः। MT4. XVI, 19. 11-13.

Ch. XXXV]

Agnicayana

1251

the neok ( the mantra repeated being very significant in the beginning Hiranyagarbha arose’ Rg. X. 121. 1=Vāj. 8. XIII. 4). The sacrificer performs the adoration ( upasthana ) to the golden man with the three verses bow to the serpents( Vāj. S. XIIL. 6-8, Tai. S. IV. 2. 8. 3). One should thereafter never go to the north of the image from the south by passing in front of it (i. e. to the east of it). By the side of the two arms of the golden man he places two srucs ( one of kārśmarya wood filled with gbee near the right hand and the other of udumbara filled with curds near the left) with their tops to the east. A briok oalled svayamātrpṇā on which ajya is offered and over which the yajamāna breaths is handed over to a brāhmaṇa who places it in the centre with the help of the adhvaryu, the brāhmaṇs being looked upon as fire ( Tai. S. V. %. 8. 2). On that briok a durva creeper is placed in such a way that its roots are on the brick and its tops hang on to the ground towards the east. Then the brick called driyajus is laid to the east of the dūrvā, two retahsio bricks to the east of the preceding, then two stavya bricks and then the Aṣādhā brick is placed to the east of the preceding. On all ptavya bricks avakās (mosslike plants ) are deposited. About one aratni to the south of the Aṣadhā briok and to the east of the Svayamātrpṇā brick he places a living tortoise with its face to the east on the avaka plants ( Āp. XVI. 25. 1, Kāt. XVII. 4. 27-28). The tortoise is anointed with a mixture of ghee, honey and curds, is anveloped in moss covered with a net and made motionless by means 8691 of pegs ( Āp. XVII. 25. 2, Sat. XI. 7. 42). When depositing the tortoise it is invoked with three verses ( Vāj. 8. XIII. 30-32) which express the wish that the tortoise may go to the deep waters, that the sun and fire may not torment it by heat, that it may reach heavenly worlds and that divine rain may follow. Even in modern times a tortoise is so built up into the altar. A mortar *898 and pestle of udumbara wood, each one span in length (the mortar being contracted in the middle and the pestle being rounded ) are placed about one aratni to the north

2691. The tortoise was probably built up into the altar to imitate the action of Prajapati. Prajapati is said to havo oroatod the world aftor assuming the form of a tortoiso. Vide noto 1716 and p.718 abovo. Or this may be a relio of the widespread usage of playing an animal and burying its body under the foundation of building, a bridge &o.

2692. The mortar ropresents the yoni or womb, the ukba reproients the belly, and the postle roprosents disna’ (vido Sat. Br. VII. 8. 1. 88).1252

(Oh. XXXV

of the svayamatrpna briok. A sarpa also is placed near the above two (Ap. XVI. 26.5). The ukha filled with sand, ghee and honey is placed on the mortar and offerings of djya are made on it with the sruva ladle. The fire in the ukha is transferred to a hearth with eight bricks in the centre of the fifth layer, on which a second layer of eight bricks ( called punaboiti) is laid. This fire becomes the gārbapatya for the Fire-altar (Sat. Br. VIII. 6. 3. 7-11, Kat. XVII. 12. 18-21 ). Seven pieces of gold are placed on the golden image, the first on the mouth, then two each on the two nostrils, the two eyes and two ears. In the forepart of the ukhā, the heads of the five animals (on which ourds and honey are poured and on which 7 gold pieces are thrust) are placed in a certain order, The human head is in the middle, to the north the heads of the horse and ram and to the south the heads of the bull and goat (Kat. XVII. 5. 13-18, Ap. XVI. 27.5-19). According to Ap. and Sat, the head of a serpent also may be placed ( Ap. XVI. 27. 22, Sat. XI. 7. 63 ) or only the mantras’ namo astu sarpebhyaḥ’ (Vaj. 8. XIII. 6-8, Tai. S. IV. %. 8. 3) may be recited. The Various kinds of bricks are heaped in various directions on thiok mud spread on the above stated things 80 es to form the first layer, According to Sat. (XI.5. 22) each layer consists of only 200 brioks (1000 for all five), when the sacrificer performs the dayana for the first time; he employs 2000 for all layers when he performs it a second time and this number goes on increasing each time he repeats agnicayana.868 According to the Śat. Br. (S.B.E. vol. 43 p. 22 n. 1), Kat. XVII. 7. 21-23 the bricks required for all the five layers are 10800. The time required for piling also varies. Some held that the piling took one year ( 8 months for the first four layers and 4 months for the last ) or all the layers may be laid in a few days. Sat (XII. 1. 1 ff) and Ap. (XVII. 1. 1-11, XVII. 2. 8, XVII. 3. 1) state that the five layers are laid on five sucoessive days. On each layer thick mud ( purisa ) prepared from the earth (mixed with water) dug out of the catvala pit after touching & dark or bay horse that stands to the north is spread with preto divi’ (Vaj. S. XVIII. 73, Tai. 8. I. 5. 11. 1 quoted by Ap. XVI. 34. 6-4, Bat. XI. 5. ). Each layer and the spreading of mud are carried out each day between the two upasads (morn ing one and afternoon one). When all the layers are

· T

2693. Arapan quru statgort ut my p o futai…… Turut pretium. XI. 6. 28,

a i mitt

Ch. XXXV

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oompleted the chavaniya fire is established on the altar so built. Eight dbiṣnyas, square or round, have to be constructed with bricks, viz. the agnidhriya and 7 others as in somay.ga (but the number of bricks for each differs). A small round and variegated stone ( aśman) is placed to the south of the Igni dhra’s place on the northern part of the fire-altar. A fuel-stick is kindled on the new gāshapatya bearth, taken over the syaya. mātspṇa brick of the 5th layer and an offering of the milk of a dark cow whose calf is white is made on that fire. Satarudriya homa is offered to Rudra. On the western corner of the northern side of the Fire-altar which is enologed by a line of stones on all sides there are three stones, as high as the knee, naval and mouth on which (serving as ahavaniya) 425 obla tions are offered to Rudra and his fearful aspects by means of the leaf of the Arka plant ( serving as juhu) of wild sesame mixed with gavedhukā. A twig of arka plant is used to clear the leaf of the offerings. The priest faces the north and makes the oblations standing, the mantras being taken from the Satarudriya section (bginning with ’namaste rudra manyave,’ Vāj. 8. XVI. 1-66, Tai. 8. IV, 5, 1-10). The arka leaf and twig are thrown into fire. The altar is cooled by the āgaldbra with the water from a jar which is bold over the stone referred to above. The stone is thrown to the south of the altar with ‘May sorrow go to him whom we hate’ (Vaj. 8. XVII. 1) and if it is not broken the adhvaryu breaks it into pieces. On a long bamboo, a frog, avak: plants and reed (vetasa ) twigs are tied and drawn over the altar from the south bip to the south shoulder 884 and then they are thrown on the utkara. The Gayatra, Rathantara and other sāmans are sung ( Sat. Br. IX. I. 2. 35 ff, Kāt. XVIII. 3. 1 ff). Then follow numerous offerings, viz. one purodaśa to Vaiśvānara and 7 purodāsas to the Maruts, 1885 Vasordhara **** ( stream of wealth ) offerings of djya from an udumbara sruo, which is finally thrown into the fire, 6 Partha oblations as in Rājasūya followed later by six

2694. This is symbolical cooling. All three are suggestive of wator.

2695. The 7th purodada to the Maruta is called ’tradyo antoy’ because the mantra for it. ugrasca bhīmasca’ (Vaj, 8. XXXIX. 7) is to bo repeated in a forest.

2696. Vasordhara is the name of the whole rite in which several hundred offerings are made to Agni with mantras (V&j. 8. XVIII. 1-29, Tai. S. IV. 7. 1-11, Kat. XVIII. 6. 1, Ap. XVII. 17. 8) to socuro all powers of the Firogod to the sacrifioer.

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more after the abbiṣeka of the sacrificer, the Vajaprasaviya 3699 offerings of the mixture of milk and water with the gruel of 14 grāmya and wild corns with an udumbara gruve that is four-cornered like a camasa ( the sruva being thrown into the fire at the end). With the remnants of Vajaprasaviya offerings oolleoted in a pot he sprinkles the sacrificer who sits on a dark antelope skin spread on an udumbara couch to the north of the tail of the fire altar. A royal saorifioer sits on a tiger skin and a vaibya on a goat-skin. After this six Partha offerings are made followed by twelve Rāstrabhrt ( supporting the king dom) homas of ajya with mantras, that contain the words ‘vāt’ and’ svāha’( Vaj. 8. XVIII. 38-43, Tai, S. III. 4. 7). 2698 Then three Vata ( wind ) homas are offered catching with his joined hands wind outside the vedi to the east and the three winds thus caught are represented as yoked to the chariot like horses, the mantra being Vaj. S. XVIII. 45, Tai. S. IV. 7. 12. 3 ( Kat. XVIII. 6. 1-3, Ap. XVII. 20.11 ).

Then the procedure of Somayāga is followed. One or two special characteristics may be noted. Before the Prātara nuvāka the Fire is represented as yoked after touobing the paridhis and repeating three mantras ‘I yoke the fire &c.’(Vaj. S. XVIII. 51-53, Tai. S. IV. 7. 13. 1) and then Agni is released from the yoke before the Agnimāruta stotra (i. e. Yajñāyajñlya) in the evening with a mantra (Vaj. S. XVIII. 54, Tai. S. IV. 3. 4. 2). After the anubandhyā pasu-purodāsa, messes of boiled rice are offered to Anumati, Rākā, Sinivall and Kuhū and a cake on twelve potsherds to Dhats. At the end of the Udavasaniya payasyā is offered to Mitra and Varuṇa or he may perform sautrāmaṇi ( Ap. XVII. 24. 1, Sat. XII. 7. 14 ).

2697. The w rite is one rite in wbioh there are two groups of gevon offerings, the first seven with the mantras beginning vajasye mam prasavah’ (Vaj. 8. IX. 23-29, Tai. S. I, 7. 10 ) and seven others with the mantras ‘vajasya nu prasave’ (Vaj. 8. XVIII. 30-36 and Tai. 8. I. 7.7). Vide Sat. Br. IX. 3. 4, Sat. XII. 6. 5, Kat. XVIII. 5. 4-5, Āp. XVII, 19. 1-3. Tbo mantra means “for the promotion of vigour’ (or food ) &c.

2698. The first mantra is an UTAT PrufuraruratSCATAT ET CATAT I a

T

O TEUR RITET TE 1*4: FT . The latter balf is ropeated in all six verses. One Ahuti is made aftor art and another after gr. Vido Kat. XVIII. 5. 16, Sat. XII. 6. 16 ff. The first is made to . male deity, and the end to Apsarasos variously named.

Oh. XXXVI

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ya

One who has performed the piling of the fire-altar has to observe certain vratas for & year viz. he should not bow to any one, he should not run in the rains, he should not partake of the flesh of any bird, he should not approach a sūdra woman. After he performs agnioayana & second time, he should approach no woman except his own wife of the same caste, when he has performed cayana thrice he should not approach80** oven his own wife ( vide Ap. XVII. 24.1-5, Kāt. XVIII. 6. 25-31, Sat. XII. 7. 15–17). Jai. (II. 3. 21-23 ) declares that the piling of the fire-altar is a samskāra of fire and not an independent yaga by itself.

If a man does not prosper in the year after he performs agnicayana he may perform punasoiti ( just as punarādheya is performed ). According to Ap. XVII. 24. 11 & punasciti can be performed for three objects, viz. for prosperity, for Vedic lore or for progeny. 8700

In performing the innumerable and wearisome details of sacrifices many mistakes must have been committed and therefore the Brāhmaṇas and Sūtras presoribe numberless expia tions, some simple and others complicated. But this subject will be dealt with in the next volume under prāyaścittas.

In the next volume a few remarks will be offered on the philosophical side of sacrifioes and on the causes whereby they gradually faded into the background and gave place to other religious observances.

2699. The idea appears to have been that the sacrificer was not to disperso tbe spiritual powor acquired by firo-worship, but to consorve it io bimself.

2700, For Agnicayana vide Tri. S. IV. 1-6,‘V, 2-7, Tai. Br. 1. 6.7-8, Sat. Br. VI-X, Āp. XVI-XVII, Kāt. XVI-XVIII, Sat. XI-XII, Ban, IX. 22-28, Baud. X; 8. B. E. vol. 43, Introduction, pp. XIV ff., Prof, Keith’s Introduction pp. OXXY-OXXXI to tr. of Tri. 8., Haug’s tr, of Ait. Br. p. 368 n.