०४ होमः

अथ वाग्यतो बलीन्हरेत् १

1. ¹ He then should silently offer the Balis.

भाषेतान्नसंसिद्धिमतिथिभिः कामं सम्भाषेत २

2. Let him speak only what refers to the due preparation of the food. With guests he may converse, if he likes.

अथ हविष्यस्यान्नस्योद्धृत्य हविष्यैर्व्यञ्जनैरुपसिच्याग्नौ जुहुयात्तूष्णीं पाणिनैव ३

3. He then should take some portion of food which is fit for sacrifice, should pour over it some liquid fit for sacrifice (such as ghee, milk, or curds), and should sacrifice it silently in the fire with his hand.

प्राजापत्या पूर्वाहुतिर्भवति सौविष्टकृत्युत्तरा ४

4. The first oblation is sacred to Prajāpati, the second to (Agni) Sviṣṭakṛt.

अथ बलीन्हरेद्बाह्यतो वान्तर्वा सुभूमिं कृत्वा ५

5. He then should offer the Balis, inside or outside (the Agnyagāra), having well cleansed the ground.

सकृदपो निनीय चतुर्धा बलिं निदध्यात्सकृदन्ततः परिषिञ्चेत् ६

6. Let him pour out water once, and put down Balis in four places, and finally sprinkle once (water on the four Balis).

एकैकं वानुनिधानमुभयतः परिषिञ्चेत् ७

7. Or let him for each Bali which he puts down, sprinkle (water) before and afterwards.

स यत्प्रथमं निदधाति स पार्थिवो बलिर्भवत्यथ यद्द्वितीयं स वायव्यो यत्तृतीयं स वैश्वदेवो यच्चतुर्थं स प्राजापत्यः ८

8. What he puts down first, that is the Bali belonging to the Earth. What in the second place, to Vāyu. What in the third place, to the Viśve devās. What in the fourth place, to Prajāpati.

अथापरान्बलीन्हरेदुदधानस्य मध्यमस्य द्वारस्याब्दैवतः प्रथमो बलिर्भवत्योषधिवनस्पतिभ्यो द्वितीय आकाशाय तृतीयः ९

9. ² Then he should offer other Balis (near) the water-pot, the middle (post, and) the door: the first Bali is sacred to the Waters, the second to the Herbs and Trees, the third to the Ether.

अथापरं बलिं हरेच्छयनं वाधिवर्चं वा स कामाय वा बलिर्भवति मन्यवे वा १०

10. Then he should offer another Bali in the bed or in the privy. That Bali belongs either to Kāma or to Manyu.

अथ सस्तूपं स रक्षोजनेभ्यः ११

11. ³ Then (another Bali) on the heap of sweepings; that (belongs) to the hosts of Rakṣas.

अथैतद्बलिशेषमद्भिरभ्यासिच्यावसलवि दक्षिणा निनयेत्तत्पितृभ्यो भवति १२

12. The remnants of the Balis he should besprinkle with water, and should pour them out towards the south from right to left; they belong to the Fathers.

आसीन एवाग्नौ जुहुयात् १३

13. Let him sacrifice in the fire sitting.

आसीनः पितृभ्यो दद्याद्यथोपपादमितरान् १४

14. Let him make the oblation to the Fathers sitting; the other (Balis he may offer) as it happens.

स्वयं त्वेवैतान्यावद्वसेद्बलीन्हरेत् १५

15. He should, however, offer those Balis himself as long as he stays at home.

अपि वान्यो ब्राह्मणः १६

16. Or another person who must be a Brāhmaṇa (should offer them for him).

दम्पती एव १७

17. Both the husband and his wife (should offer them):

इति गृहमेधिव्रतम् १८

18. This is the rule for householders.

स्त्री ह सायं प्रातः पुमानिति १९

19. ⁴ The wife in the evening, the man in the morning: thus (it is stated).

सर्वस्य त्वेवान्नस्यैतान्बलीन्हरेत्पित्र्! यस्य वा स्वस्त्ययनस्य वार्थार्थस्य वा २०

20. He should offer such Balis of all food whatever, be it prepared for the Fathers, or for auspicious purposes (for instance, for being offered to Brāhmaṇas), or for (ordinary) purposes.

यज्ञादेव निवर्तते २१

21. Only in the case of a sacrifice (this rule) ceases.

यद्येकस्मिन्काले व्रीहियवौ प्रक्रियेतान्यतरस्य कृत्वा कृतं मन्येत २२

22. ⁵ If rice and barley are prepared for one and the same meal, he should, having offered (Balis) of the one or the other (kind of food), consider his duty as fulfilled.

यद्येकस्मिन्काले पुनः पुनरन्नं पच्येत सकृदेवैतद्बलितन्त्रं कुर्वीत २३

23. ⁶ If the food is cooked at different times for one meal, he should perform this Bali ceremony only once.

यद्येकस्मिन्कुले बहुधान्नं पच्येत गृहपतिमहानसादेवैतद्बलितन्त्रं कुर्वीत २४

24. If food is prepared at different places for one family, he should perform this Bali ceremony only from (the food which is prepared in) the kitchen belonging to the householder.

यस्य त्वेषामग्रतः सिध्येन्नियुक्तमग्नौ कृत्वाग्रं ब्राह्मणाय दत्त्वा भुञ्जीत २५

25. However (of the persons belonging to the family) he whose food becomes ready before (that of the householder), (that person) should offer the prescribed portion in the fire, and give to a Brāhmaṇa his share (of the food), and then should eat himself.

यस्यो जघन्यं भुञ्जीतैवेति २६

26. He whose (food becomes ready) after (that of the householder), should only eat.

अथाप्युदाहरन्ति २७

27. Here they say also:

एतस्यैव बलिहरणस्यान्ते कामं प्रब्रुवीत भवति हैवास्य २८

28. ‘At the end of that offering of Balis let him pronounce a wish. Then it will be fulfilled to him.’

स्वयं त्वेवाशस्यं बलिं हरेद्यवेभ्योऽध्या व्रीहिभ्यो व्रीहिभ्योऽध्यायवेभ्यः सत्वाशस्यो नाम बलिर्भवति २९

29. ⁷ He himself, however, should offer the Āsasya Bali, from the barley(-harvest) till the rice(-harvest), and from the rice(-harvest) till the barley(-harvest). This is called the Āsasya Bali.

This Bali is called ā-sasya, because it is offered until (ā) the next crop (sasya) is ripe. As to the regulation that the sacrificer has to offer it himself, compare above, Sūtras 15-19.

दीर्घायुर्हैव भवति ३०

30. Thus he obtains long life.

विश्राणिते फलीकरणानामाचामस्यापामिति बलिं हरेत्स रौद्रो भवति स रौद्रो भवति ३१

31. ⁸ When a donation has been made, he should offer a Bali of chaff, of the scum of boiled rice, and of water. This is sacred to Rudra. This is sacred to Rudra.