१८

1. The Ājyabhāga (ghee-portion) for Agni and the Ājyabhāga for Soma should be offered with ghee as the oblation-material. (Each one should be offered) with ghee scooped for four times.

2. In the case of (sacrificers belonging to) Jamadgni family five-times cut (portions should be offered). Even in the case of sacrificers not belonging to the family of) Jamadagni (the Adhvaryu) should make five-times cut portions (for offering), after having invoked one (who) belongs to Jamadagni’s family.

3. Everytime, while taking portion (from the offering material), (the Adhvaryu) orders (the Hotr̥ to recite) the invitatory verse (with the word) “anubrūhi (do you recite)”. Every time having taken (portion), having anointed the Prastara and the barhis – grass (with ghee) by means of the spoon, having taken the Juhū and Upabhr̥t, having stepped towards the right, having caused (the Āgnidhra to say) astu śrauṣaṭ (with the expression āśrāvaya), after the response has been made by the Āgnīdhra, he orders the Hotr̥ to recite the offering verse with the word “yaja (do you recite the offering-verse) for n.n”.

4-5. He offers (the ghee-portion) to Agni in the north eastern part;

5. horizontally in the same line in the south-eastern part he offers (the ghee-portion) to Soma.

6. He offers both the ghee-portions on the inflamed (part).

7. He does not keep down the two ladles taken for the first ghee-portion until the Sviṣṭakr̥t (-offering).¹

8. He offers the other libations in between the two ghee portions.¹

9. Having stepped back, having spread an underlayer of ghee, with mā bher mā saṁviktāḥ…¹ he breadthwise cuts a portion of the size of the phalanx of the thumb from the middle part of the sacrificial bread for Agni. (He cuts), lengthwise the second portion from the eastern part of the bread) for the sacrificer in the case of whom offerings are made in four portions;² (he cuts) the third portion from the western part (of the bread) for the sacrificer in the case of whom offerings are offered in five portions.

10. Without bringing (the cut-portions) into contact with each other, he cuts the portions (of the bread) by means of the two fingers (viz. the ring-finger and the middle finger), joined by the flesh and the thumb.