४

मध्यमायां गौः १

1 ¹. On the middle (Ashṭakā) a cow (is sacrificed).

तां पुरस्तादग्नेः प्रत्यङ्मुखीमवस्थाप्य जुहुयाद्यत्पशव इति २

2. He should place that (cow) to the east of the fire, facing the west, and should sacrifice (Ājya) with (the verse), ‘What, O beasts’ (MB. II, 2, 5).

हुत्वा चानुमन्त्रयेतानु त्वेति ३

3. After having made that oblation he should recite over (the cow the verse), ‘May to thee’ (l.l. 6).

यवमतीभिरद्भिः प्रोक्षेदष्टकायै त्वा जुष्टं प्रोक्षामीति ४

4. Let him sprinkle it with water in which barley is, with (the formula), ‘Agreeable to the Ashṭakā I sprinkle thee!’

प्रोक्ष्योल्मुकेन परिहृत्य प्रोक्षणीः पाययेत् ५

5. Having sprinkled it and carried a fire-brand round it, he should give the Prokshaṇī water (to the cow) to drink.

उदङ्ङुत्सृप्य प्रत्यक्छिरसमुदक्पदीं सञ्ज्ञपयेत् ६

6. Going in a northern direction (from the fire) he should kill (the cow), the head of which is turned to the west, the feet to the north.

सञ्ज्ञप्तायां जुहुयाद्यत्पशुरिति ७

7. After it has been killed, he should sacrifice (Ājya) with (the verse), ‘If the beast’ (l.l. 8).

तस्याः पत्नी स्रोतांसि प्रक्षालयेत् ८

8. His wife should wash the apertures of its body.

पवित्रे अन्तर्धायोत्कृत्य वपामुद्धारयेत् ९

9. After (the cow’s body) has been opened, so that two purifiers (i.e. grass-blades) have been put under (the knife), he should have the omentum drawn out.

यज्ञियस्य वृक्षस्य विशाखाशाखाभ्यां परिगृह्याग्नौ श्रपयेत् १०

10. Seizing it with one branch and with another forked branch of a sacrificially pure tree he should roast it.

प्रसृतायां विशसेत् ११

11. When it has ceased to drop, he should hew (the cow) to pieces.

उक्तमुपस्तरणाभिघारणं यथा स्विष्टकृतः १२

12. The ‘spreading under’ and sprinkling (Ājya) on (the omentum) has been described. (It is clone) as at the Svishṭakr̥t oblation (see II, 1, 24).

अष्टकायै स्वाहेति जुहुयात् १३

13. He should sacrifice with (the formula), ‘To the Ashṭakā Svāhā!’

सर्वाङ्गेभ्योऽवदानान्युद्धारयेत् १४

14 ². The Avadānas (or portions which have to be cut off) he should have taken from all its limbs.

न सव्यात्सक्थ्नः १५

15. Not from the left thigh

न क्लोम्नः १६

and (not from) the lungs.

सव्यं सक्थि निधाय १७

16. The left thigh he keeps (for the Anvashṭakya).

पृथङ्मेक्षणाभ्यामवदानानि स्थालीपाकं च श्रपयित्वा १८

17. He should cook the Avadānas and a mess of sacrificial food, (stirring up the ones and the other) with two different pot-ladles.

कंसे रसं प्रस्राव्य १९

18. The juice he lets drop into a brazen vessel.

प्लक्षशाखास्ववदानानि कृत्वा २०

19. The Avadānas he puts on branches of the Plaksha tree.

एकैकस्मात् कंसेऽवद्येत् २१

20. From each (Avadāna) he should cut off (the prescribed portions, and should put them) into a brazen vessel;

स्थालीपाकाच्च २२

21. And from the mess of cooked food.

चतुर्गृहीतमष्टगृहीतं वात्र जुहुयादग्नाविति २३

22. Let him take four portions or eight portions of Ājya (?) and let him sacrifice it with (the verses), ‘Into Agni’ (MB. II, 2, 9 seqq.).

कंसात्पराभिर्द्वाभ्यान्द्वाभ्यामेकैकामाहुतिम् २४

23. Let him make oblations out of the brazen vessel, each oblation with two of the following (verses).

सौविष्टकृतमष्टम्या २५

24. The oblation to (Agni) Svishṭakr̥t with the eighth (verse).

वह वपामिति पित्र्! ये वपाहोमः २६

25 ³. At a sacrifice to the Fathers the omentum is sacrificed with (the verse), ‘Carry the omentum’ (MB. II, 3, 16).

जातवेद इति दैवत्ये २७

26. At one to the gods with (the verse), ‘Gātavedas!’ (l.l. 17.)

तदादेशमनाज्ञाते २८

27. If (the deity is) unknown, (in the formula for) assigning (the oblation, instead of the name of a deity the name of) that (ceremony is put) -

यथाऽष्टकाया इति २९

28. As (for instance), ‘To the Ashṭakā.’

पशुरेव पशोर्दक्षिणा ३०

29. An animal is the sacrificial fee at (the sacrifice of) an animal;

स्थालीपाकस्य पूर्णपात्रम् ३१

30 ⁴. A full vessel at (that of) a mess of cooked food.