Dhammapada

SR No.: 007674
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Max Muller
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1881
Total Pages: 2540
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 45 MB

Page 1006

174
SATAPATHA-BRAHMANA.
39. Some people offer Agni's butter-portion in the north-eastern part (of the fire), and Soma's butter-portion in the south-eastern part, thinking, 'Thereby we place the eyes in the front (of the head).' This, however, is rather unintelligible; for the several dishes of sacrificial food (havis) represent the body of the sacrifice; when therefore he offers in front of (or before) the havis, he thereby places the eyes in the front. Let him rather make the offerings (in that part of the fire) where he thinks the fiercest blaze is; for only by being offered in blazing (fire) are oblations successful1.
40. Having recited (at the butter-portions) a Rikverse as anuvâkyâ (invitatory formula), he recites by way of yâgyâ (offering-prayer) the (formula containing the word) 'pleased;' thereby these boneless eyes are set in what is bone. If, on the other hand, after reciting a Rik-verse as anuvâkyâ, he
1 Kâty. III, 3, 20-22 admits either mode of offering the butterportions. These oblations are effected in the following way:-The Adhvaryu, having called on the Hotri to recite the anuvâkyâ, takes with the dipping-spoon (sruva) butter from the dhruvâ and puts it into the guhû; he then draws some with the sruva from the butterpot and replenishes the dhruvâ with it [according to the Kânvas, with the text 'May the dhruvâ fatten with the havis-butter, sacrifice after sacrifice, for those who go to the gods,-the udder of Sûryâ in the lap of Aditi: may the earth flow abundantly at this sacrifice l']. The same process is then repeated three (additional) times (with a Gamadagni four times): hence the offering is said to consist of four (or five) cuttings. The Hotri then recites the anuvâkyâ (see note on I, 6, 3, 27), which is followed by the Adhvaryu's call 'om srâvaya' and the Âgnidhra's response 'astu sraushat.' Thereupon the Hotri, having been called upon by the Adhvaryu to give the offering-prayer to Agni (or Soma), recites the respective yâgyâ, at the concluding vaushat of which the oblation is poured into the fire, (whilst the sacrificer utters the usual dedicatory formula, 'This for Agni (Soma), not for me!')
Google
Digitized by