२७

1. If he will have a house built, he should during the northerly course of the sun, in the time of the increasing moon, under the constellation Rohiṇī and under the three constellations designated as Uttara (Uttara-Phalgunī, Uttara-Aṣāḍhā, Uttara-Proṣṭhapadāḥ) put wood on the fire, perform the rites down to the Vyāhṛti oblations, and should sacrifice with (the verses), ‘This, O Varuṇa’ (&c. see I, 2, 8, 16, down to the end of the Sūtra). Then he serves food to the Brāhmaṇas and causes them to say, ‘An auspicious day! Hail! Good luck!’ he puts on a garment that has not yet been washed, touches water, takes a shovel with (the formula), ‘On the impulse of the god Savitṛ’ (Taitt. Saṃh. I, 3, 1, 1) draws lines thrice from the left to the right round (the places where the pits for the posts shall be dug) with (the formula), ‘A line has been drawn’ (Taitt. Saṃh. I, 3, 1, 1), digs the pits (in which the posts shall be erected) as it is fit, and casts the earth (dug out of those pits) towards the inside (of the building-ground).

शालां कारयिष्यन्नुदगयन आपूर्यमाणपक्षे रोहिण्यां त्रिषु चोत्तरेष्वग्निमुप-समाधाय व्याहृतिपर्यन्तं कृत्वा जुहोति । इमं मे वरुण । तत्त्वा यामि । त्वं नो अग्ने । स त्वं नो अग्ने । त्वमग्ने अयामि । प्रजापते । यदस्य कर्मणोत्यरीरिचम् । इति च । अत्रैके जयाभ्यातानान्राष्ट्रभृत इत्युपजुह्वति यथा पुरस्तात् । ब्राह्मणानन्नेन परिविष्य पुण्याहं स्वस्त्ययनमृद्धिमिति वाचयित्वाहतं वासः परिधायाप उपस्पृश्य । देवस्य त्वा । इत्यभ्रिमादाय । परिलिखितम् । इति त्रिः प्रदक्षिणं परिलिख्य यथार्थमवटान्खात्वा-भ्यन्तरम्पांसून्करोति १

2. He erects the southern door-post with (the verse), ‘Here I erect a firm house; it stands in peace, streaming ghee. Thus may we walk in thee, O house, blessed with heroes, with all heroes, with unharmed heroes;’

इहैव ध्रुवां निमिनोमि शालां क्षेमे तिष्ठति घृतमुक्षमाणा । तां त्वा शाले सुवीराः सर्ववीरा अरिष्टवीरा अनुसञ्चरेम । इति दक्षिणां द्वारस्थूणामुच्छ्रयति २

3. The northern (door-post) with (the verse), ‘Stand here firmly, O house, rich in horses and cows, rich in delight; rich in sap, overflowing with milk be set up, for the sake of great happiness.’

इहैव ध्रुवा प्रतितिष्ठ शाले अश्वावती गोमती सूनृतावती ऊर्जस्वती पयसा पिन्वमानोच्छ्रयस्व महते सौभगाय इत्युत्तराम् ३

4. ¹ With (the verse), ‘To thee (may) the young child (go), to thee the calf with its companion, to thee the golden cup; to thee may they go with pots of curds’ - he touches the two posts, after they have been erected.

आ त्वा कुमारस्तरुण आ वत्सो जगता सह आ त्वा हिरण्मयः कुम्भ आ दध्नः कलशैरयन्निव इति सम्मितावभिमृशति ४

5. In the same way (Sūtras 2. 3) he erects the two chief posts,

एवमेव स्थूणाराजावुच्छ्रयति ५

6. And touches them as above (Sūtra 4).

एवमभिमृशति ६

7. He fixes the beam of the roof on the posts with (the formula), ‘Rightly ascend the post, O beam, erect, shining, drive off the enemies. Give us treasures and valiant sons.’

ऋतेन स्थूणावधिरोह वंशोर्ध्वो विराजन्नपसेध शत्रून् । अथास्मभ्यं सहवीरां रयिं दाः । इति पृष्ठवंशमारोपयते ७

8. ² When the house has got its roof, he touches it with (the verse),

‘The consort of honour, a blissful refuge, a goddess, thou hast been erected by the gods in the beginning; clothed in grass, cheerful thou art; bring us bliss, to men and animals.’

मा नः सपत्नः शरणः स्योना देवो देवेभिर्विमितास्यग्रे तृणं वसानाः सुमना असि त्वं शं न एधि द्विपदे शं चतुष्पदे इति च्छन्नामभिमृशति ८

9. Then, under the constellation Anurādhā, the ground (on which the house stands) is expiated (in the following way).

ततोनूराधैर्वास्तुशमनम् ९

10. By night he puts wood on the fire in an inner room (of the house), performs the rites down to the Vyāhṛti oblations, and sacrifices (with the following Mantras):

निशायामन्तरागारेग्निमुपसमाधाय व्याहृतिपर्यन्तं कृत्वा जुहोति १०