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II KANDA, 6 ADHYAYA, 2 BRAHMANA, 8.
unanointed; for, indeed, Rudra would be hankering after the (sacrificer's) cattle, if he were to anoint (the cakes): let them therefore be unanointed.
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7. Having removed all (the cakes from the potsherds) into one dish, and taken a fire-brand from the Dakshina-fire, he walks aside towards the north -for that is the region of that god-and offers. He offers on a road,-for on roads that god roves; he offers on a cross-road,-for the cross-road, indeed, is known to be his (Rudra's) favourite haunt 1. This is why he offers on a cross-road.
8. He offers with the central leaflet of a palâsaleaf. The palâsa-leaf, truly, is the Brahman (priesthood) 2: with the Brahman, therefore, he offers. He takes a cutting from (the northern part of) all the cakes; from the additional one alone he takes no cutting.
(or soul),' that is, the anointing of the sacrificial dishes with ghee, previously to their being placed on the altar. The anointing takes place with the text (Vâg. S. ed. p. 35), 'That life (or soul, prana) of thine which has entered into the cattle, and becomes diffused through the various forms of the gods,-endowed with (that) life (âtmanvân) for thou art laden with ghee-go to Agni, O Soma! and obtain bliss (svar) for the Sacrificer!' Kâty. II, 8, 14. At the new and full-moon sacrifice, this ceremony is not even alluded to in our Brahmana, either in this or the Kânva recension. See I, 3, 4, 16. The Kânva text reads, They may be anointed,' so they say, &c.
1 'He offers on a cross-road, for such is the halting-place (padbîsa) of the Agnis,' Taitt. Br. I, 6, 10, 3.
The central leaflet of the palâsa-leaf is the Brahman,' Kânva text. The leaf of the palâsa (Butea Frondosa) consists of three leaflets, leathery, above shining and pretty smooth, and below slightly hoary; the central (or terminal) one being obovate and considerably larger than the lateral ones (which, according to Roxburgh, Flora Ind., III, p. 244, are from 4 to 6 inches long, and from 3 to 4 broad). 'Palâsasâkhâyâm yâni trîni parnâni tatra madhyamam parnam prasastayâ srugrûpam,' Sây. on Taitt. S. I, 8, 6.
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