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 857

I KÂNDA, I ADHYAYA, 4 BRÂHMANA, 7.
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5. He spreads it (on the ground with the hairy side upwards, and) with its neck-part turned to the west?, with the text (Våg. S. I, 14 c): "The skin of Aditi art thou! May Aditi acknowledge thee!' For Aditi is this earth, and whatever is on her, that serves as a skin to her: for this reason he says, *The skin of Aditi art thou!' And may Aditi acknowledge thee!' he says, because one who is related (to another) acknowledges (him). Thereby he establishes a mutual understanding between her and the black antelope skin, (thinking) 'they will not hurt each other. While it is still being held down with his left hand, -
6. He at once takes the mortar with his right hand, fearing lest the evil spirits, the Rakshas, might rush in here in the meantime. For the priest (brâhmana)' is the repeller of the Rakshas: therefore, whilst it is still being held down with his left hand,
7. He puts the mortar (on it), with the text (Vâg. S. I, 14 d, e): A wooden stone (adri) art thou!'
apart from the vessels, so that no impure matter should fall on them. Some also maintain that the skin should only be shaken once, whilst others think it should be done three times. CF. Kâty. Sr. II, 4, 3. Schol.
1 Special mention is here made of this feature, since as a rule (Kâty. I, 10, 4) the skin is spread with its neck-part turned eastwards. He lays it down on the north side of the sacrificial ground, either west of the utkara (the mound formed by the earth dug out in constructing the altar, and by other rubbish) or exactly north of the Garhapatya. Schol. on Kâty. II, 4, 3.
? Only a Brâhman can perform sacrifice. If, as is permitted in certain ceremonies, a Kshatriya or Vaisya officiates, he, as it were, becomes a Brahman (and is addressed as such) for the occasion, by means of the dîksha, or rite of initiation. Cf. Sat. Br. III, 2, 1, 39; XIII, 4, 1, 3.
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