१०

अष्टका रात्रिदेवता १

1. ¹ The Aṣṭakā (is a festival) sacred to the night.

पुष्टिकर्म २

2. It procures prosperity.

आग्नेयी पित्र्या वा प्राजापत्यर्तुदेवता वैश्वदेवीति देवताविचाराः ३

3. It is sacred to Agni, or to the Manes, or to Prajāpati, or to the Seasons, or to the Viśve devās—thus the deity (to which the Aṣṭakā is sacred), is investigated (by different teachers).

चतुरष्टको हेमन्तः ४

4. ² There are four Aṣṭakās in (the four months of) the winter;

ताः सर्वाः समाँ साश्चिकीर्षेत् ५

5. These all he should endeavour to celebrate with (offerings of) meat;

इति कौत्सः ६

6. Thus says Kautsa.

त्र्यष्टक इत्यौद्गाहमानिः ७

7. (There are only) three Aṣṭakās (in the winter), says Audgāhamāni,

तथा गौतमवार्कखण्डी ८

8. And so say (also) Gautama and Vārkakhaṇḍi.

योर्ध्वमाग्रहायण्यास्तामिस्राष्टमी तामपूपाष्टकेत्याचक्षते ९

9. The eighth day of the dark fortnight after the Āgrahāyaṇī is called Apūpāṣṭakā (i.e. Aṣṭakā of the cakes).

स्थालीपाकावृता तण्डुलानुपस्कृत्य चरुं श्रपयति १०

10. ³ Having prepared grains in the way prescribed for Sthālīpākas, he cooks (those grains and prepares thus) a caru.

अष्टौ चापूपान्कपालेऽपरिवर्तयन् ११

11. ⁴ And (besides he prepares) eight cakes, without turning them over in the dish (in which he bakes them);

एककपालान् १२

12. (Each) in one dish;

अमन्त्रानित्यौद्गाहमानिः १३

13. Without Mantras, according to Audgāhamāni;

त्रैयम्बकप्रमाणान् १४

14. ⁵ Of the size of the (cakes) sacred to Tryambaka.

शृतानभिघार्योदगुद्वास्य प्रत्यभिघारयेत् १५

15. After he has baked them, he should pour (Ājya) on them, should take them from the fire towards the north, and should pour (Ājya) on them again.

स्थालीपाकावृतावदाय चरोश्चापूपानां चाष्टकायै स्वाहेति जुहोति १६

16. ⁶ In the way prescribed for Sthālīpākas he cuts off (the prescribed portions) from the mess of boiled grains and from the cakes, and sacrifices with (the words), ‘To the Aṣṭakā Svāhā!’

स्थालीपाकावृतान्यत् १७

17. ⁷ The rest (should be performed) according to the Sthālīpāka rite.

तैष्या ऊर्ध्वमष्टम्यां गौः १८

18. ⁸ (At the second Aṣṭakā, on) the eighth day after the full-moon day of Taiṣa, a cow (is sacrificed).

तां सन्धिवेलासमीपं पुरस्तादग्नेरवस्थाप्योपस्थितायां जुहुयाद्यत्पशवः प्र ध्यायतेति १९

19. Shortly before the time of junction (of day and night, i.e. before the morning twilight) he should place that (cow) to the east of the fire, and when (that time) has come, he should sacrifice (Ājya) with (the verse), ‘What, O beasts, you think’ (MB. II, 2, 5).

हुत्वा चानुमन्त्रयेतानु त्वा माता मन्यतामिति २०

20. And after having sacrificed, he should recite over (the cow the verse), ‘May thy mother give leave to thee’ (ibid. 6).

यवमतीभिरद्भिः प्रोक्षेदष्टकायै त्वा जुष्टां प्रोक्षामीति २१

21. Let him sprinkle (the cow) with water in which barley is, with (the words), ‘Agreeable to the Aṣṭakā I sprinkle thee.’

उल्मुकेन परिहरेत्परि वाजपतिः कविरिति २२

22. Let him carry a fire-brand round it with (the verse), ‘The lord of goods, the sage (goes) round’ (Sāma-veda I, 30).

अपः पानाय दद्यात् २३

23. Let him give it water to drink.

पीतशेषमधस्तात्पशोरवसिञ्चेदात्तं देवेभ्यो हविरिति २४

24. The remainder of what it has drunk he should pour out under (the feet of) the beast with (the formula), ‘Away from the gods the Havis has been taken’ (MB. II, 2, 7).

अथैनामुदगुत्सृप्य सञ्ज्ञपयन्ति २५

25. They then walk in a northerly direction (from the fire) and kill (the cow),

प्राक्शिरसमुदक्पदीं देवदेवत्ये २६

26. The head of which is turned to the east, the feet to the north, if the rite is sacred to the gods,

दक्षिणाशिरसं प्रत्यक्पदीं पितृदेवत्ये २७

27. The head to the south, the feet to the west, if the rite is sacred to the Manes.

सञ्ज्ञप्तायां जुहुयाद्यत्पर्श्मुआ!युमकृतेति २८

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

पत्नी चोदकमादाय पशोः सर्वाणि स्रोताँ सि प्रक्षालयेत् २९

29. And (the sacrificer’s) wife should get water and should wash all the apertures of the cow’s body.

अग्रेण नाभिं पवित्रे अन्तर्धायानुलोममाकृत्य वपामुद्धरन्ति ३०

30. They lay two purifiers (i.e. grass-blades) on (the cow’s body) near its navel, cut it up in the direction of its hairs, and draw the omentum out.

तां शाखाविशाखयोः काष्ठयोरवसज्याभ्युक्ष्य श्रपयेत् ३१

31. He should spit it on two pieces of wood, on one (simple) branch and on another forked branch, should besprinkle it (with water), and should roast it.

प्रश्च्युतितायां विशसतेति ब्रूयात् ३२

32. ⁹ When it has ceased to drop, he should say, ‘Hew the (cow) to pieces—

यथा न प्रागग्नेर्भूमिं शोणितं गच्छेत् ३३

33. ‘So that the blood does not stain the ground to the east of the fire.’

शृतामभिघार्योदगुद्वास्य प्रत्यभिघारयेत् ३४

34. After he has roasted (the omentum), he should pour (Ājya) on it, should take it from the fire towards the north, and should pour (Ājya) on it again.

स्थालीपाकावृता वपामवदाय स्विष्टकृदावृता वाष्टकायै स्वाहेति जुहोति ३५

35. ¹⁰ After he has cut off (the prescribed portions from) the omentum in the way prescribed for Sthālīpākas, or in the way prescribed for the Sviṣṭakṛt (oblation), he sacrifices with (the words), ‘To the Aṣṭakā Svāhā!’

स्थालीपाकावृतान्यत्स्थालीपाकावृतान्यत् ३६

36. ¹¹ The rest (should be performed) according to the Sthālīpāka rite. The rest according to the Sthālīpāka rite.

End of the Third Prapāṭhaka.