०९

1. The consecrated (sacrificer) carries the fire in the pan for one year; or for three days, or for six days or for twe days.¹

¹; For the details of carrying the fire see XVI. 10.8ff. 2. Cf. TS V.5.2.5-7.

2. Some say, “One who carries the fire in the pan for a period less than a year, is a builder of wounded fire-altar (as it were)."¹

3. In a Brāhmaṇa-text, it is said—“By means of the consecration of Agni (the Gods obtained Virāj he should remain consecrated for three days; three-feeted is the Virāj; he obtains Viraj…).¹

4. (After the sacrificer) has done all the rituals before the rite of making fists, having covered the fire-pan either by means of a wickerwork of hemp or a wickerwork of Muñja-grass,¹ (the Adhvaryu) places it on the Āhavanīya (-fire)² with two verses beginning with mā su bhitthā.³

5. With mitraitām ukhāṁ tapa¹ he keeps burning coals: around the (fire-pan)² in the clockwise manner.

6. With drvannaḥ sarpirāsutiḥ…¹ he places slit² Krumuka³ (Wood) after having besmeared it with ghee⁴ and Muñja-grasss⁵ in the pan.

7. It has been said in a Brāhmaṇ-text¹: “(For) one who is a Gataśrī² (the fire should be obtained) by means of churning (and not by means of the method mentioned above) and should be kept in the fire-pan…. For one who wants firm foundation the fire should be the one produced out of the fire-pan… In the case of a sacrificer about whom (the Adhvaryu) desires that he should create an enemy for him, he should bring fire from somewhere and keep it in the fire-pan….)”

8. (In the case of a sacrificer) about whom he may desire that his kingdom be victorious in a land rich in streams,¹ he (the Adhvaryu) should bring (the fire) from a forest fire; (in the case of a sacrificer) desirous of Brahman-splendour, from a burning tip of a tree;² (in the case of a sacrificer) desirous of food, from a furnace.³

9. The sacrificer building the fire-altar for a particular desire, should not set the fire-pan on the Āhavanīya-fire.

10. When the fire is produced in the pan, he lets Āhavanīya to be extinguished.

11. With parasyā adhi saṁvataḥ…¹ he puts a fuel-stick of Vikaṇkata² (tree in the fire in the pan).

12. With paramasyāḥ parāvataḥ…¹ he puts a fuel-stick of Śamī (tree) (in the fire in the pan).

13. Or in the reverse order.¹

14. He stands near the fire in the pan praying it with three¹ verses beginning with sīda tvaṁ māturasyā upasthe².