२३

1. (Then follow the Mantras), ‘I know thee as the firm Brahman. May I become firm in this world and in this country.

‘I know thee as the immovable Brahman. May I not be moved away from this world and from this country. May he who hates me, my rival, be moved away from this world and from this country.

‘I know thee as the unshaken Brahman. May I not be shaken off from this world and from this country. May he who hates me, my rival, be shaken off from this world and from this country.

‘I know thee as the unfailing Brahman. May I not fall from this world and from this country. May he who hates me, my rival, fall from this world and from this country.

‘I know thee as the nave of the universe. May I become the nave of this country. I know thee as the centre of the universe. May I become the centre of this country. I know thee as the string that holds the universe. May I become the string that holds this country. I know thee as the pillar of the universe. May I become the pillar of this country. I know thee as the navel of the universe. May I become the navel of this country.

‘As the navel is the centre of the Prāṇas, thus I am the navel. May hundred-and-onefold evil befall him who hates us and whom we hate; may more than hundred-and-onefold merit fall to my lot!’

ध्रुवं त्वा ब्रह्म वेद ध्रुवोहमस्मिँ ल्लोकेस्मिंश्च जनपदे भूयासम । अच्युतं त्वा ब्रह्म वेद माहमस्माल्लोकादस्माच्च जनपदाच्च्योषि द्विषन्मे भ्रातृव्योस्मा-ल्लोकादस्माच्च जनपदाच्च्यवताम् । अचेष्टं त्वा ब्रह्म वेद माहमस्माल्लो-कादस्माच्च जनपदाच्चेष्टिषि द्विषन्मे भ्रातृव्योस्माल्लोकादस्माच्च जनपदा-च्चेष्टताम् । अव्यथमानं त्वा ब्रह्म वेद माहमस्माल्लोकादस्माच्च जनपदा-द्व्यथिषि द्विषन्मे भ्रातृव्योस्माल्लोकादस्माच्च जनपदाद्व्यथताम् । नभ्यं त्वा सर्वस्य वेद नभ्यमहमस्य जनपदस्य भूयासम् । मध्यं त्वा सर्वस्य वेद मध्यमहमस्य जनपदस्य भूयासम् । तन्तिं त्वा सर्वस्य वेद तन्तिरहमस्य जनपदस्य भूयासम् । मेथीं त्वा सर्वस्य वेद मेथ्यहमस्य जनपदस्य भूयासम् । नाभिं त्वा सर्वस्य वेद नाभिरहमस्य जनपदस्य भूयासम् । यथा नाभिः प्राणानां विषूवानेवमहं विषूवान् । एकशतं तं पाप्मानमृच्छतु योस्मान्द्वेष्टि यं च वयं द्विष्मो भूयांसि मामेकशतात्पुण्यान्यागच्छन्तु । इति १

2. Having spoken there with a person that he likes, and having returned to the house, he causes her to sacrifice a mess of cooked food.

अत्र मनोज्ञेन सम्भाष्यागारं प्राप्याथैनामाग्नेयेन स्थालीपाकेन याजयति २

3. The wife husks (the rice grains of which that Sthālīpāka is prepared).

पत्न्यवहन्ति ३

4. She cooks (that Sthālīpāka), sprinkles (Ājya) on it, takes it from the fire, sacrifices to Agni, and then sacrifices to Agni Sviṣṭakṛt.

श्रपयित्वाभिघार्योद्वास्याग्नये हुत्वाग्नये स्विष्टकृते जुहोति ४

5. ¹ With (the remains of) that (Sthālīpāka) he entertains a learned Brāhmaṇa whom he reveres.

तेन ब्राह्मणं विद्यावन्तं परिवेवेष्टि ५

6. To that (Brāhmaṇa) he makes a present of a bull.

योस्यापचितो भवति तस्मा ऋषभं ददाति ६

7. From that time he constantly sacrifices (yajate) on the days of the full and of the new moon a mess of cooked food sacred to Agni.

नित्यमत ऊर्ध्वं पर्वस्वाग्नेयेन स्थालीपाकेन यजते ७

8. In the evening and in the morning he constantly sacrifices (juhoti) with his hand (and not with the Darvī) the two following oblations of rice or of barley: ‘To Agni Svāhā! To Prajāpati Svāhā!’

नित्यं सायं प्रात-र्व्रीहिभिर्यवैर्वा हस्तेनैते आहुती जुहोति । अग्नये स्वाहा । प्रजापतये स्वाहा । इति ८

9. Some (teachers) state that in the morning the former (of these oblations) should be directed to Sūrya.

सौरीं पूर्वां प्रातरेके समामनन्ति ९

10. Through a period of three nights they should eat no saline food, should sleep on the ground, wear ornaments, and should be chaste.

त्रिरात्रमक्षारालवणाशिनाव-धःशायिनावलङ्कुर्वाणौ ब्रह्मचारिणौ वसतः १०

11. ² In the fourth night, towards morning, he puts wood on the fire, performs the (regular) ceremonies down to the (regular) expiatory oblations, and sacrifices nine expiatory oblations (with the following Mantras):

चतुर्थ्यामपररात्रेग्निमुपसमाधाय प्रायश्चित्तिपर्यन्तं कृत्वा नव प्रायश्चित्तीर्जुहोति ११