Indian Antiquary Vol 41

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 82

78
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[APRIL, 1912.
conch-shell seems to have been to inform the people of the arrival of the twelve days of vow, when it was obligatory for each sacrificer, and perhaps for the people also, to observe the rites of Dikshd or initiation, in order to get rid of the sins of the year.
It is true that it is not clearly stated in the above passage that the period of nine days was inserted in the middle of the year; still, from the names given to the nine days and from the commentary of Agnisvâmin on Latgûyana-Srauta-Sutra IV 6. 12, we can clearly understand that nine out of the twelve days were inserted at the middle of the year; the commentary says:
अभिजित् अवस्स्वरस्सामानःविषुवाम् भावृत्तास्वबस्स्वरसामानः विवाजिनाबंधनवाहः
"The day called Abhijit, three Svarasáman days, the central day, the three Sparasliman days again repeated in the reverse order, and a Vipajit day, constitute the period of nine days."
It should be noticed here how the central day of the year is plainly stated to form part of the nine days. It follows, therefore, that the period of nine days was inserted in the middle of the year. It must also be borne in mind that whenever a day or days is or are called Abhijit, Vikrajit or Svarasdman, it or they must be regarded as falling in the middle of the year.
Again, the other sútra, in the commentary on which Agnisvamin distinctly says that the period of nine days was inserted in the middle of the year, is one which deserves our particular attention. It is also desirable that we should consider the chapter in which this sutra oocurs together with the chapter which precedes it. In these two chapters (IV, 5, 5-6) Lâgyayana describes the various forms of the rites and recitations assigned to the days of Gavam-Ayana. While describing the form of the rites to be performed on the Svarasd man days which form part of the period of nine days, he refers to school of sacrificers who are said to have been observing twenty-one days instead of nine days in the middle of the year. This sûtra IV 6. 12, with Agnisvamin's commentary on it, runs as follows:
एकविंधत्वहकारिण उपरिष्टादभिजितः पृष्ठपमुपबंति प्राक्च विचजिता सरसाम्नश्चोक्भ्याम्
योऽयं संवत्सरस्व मध्ये नवाहः पठितः अभिजित् अवस्स्सरसामानो दिवाकीर्वमहापवस्वरसामानो विचत्रिविति एतस्य स्थाने अपरे एकविंशत्वहं कुर्वति. उपरिधादमिश्रितः प्रास्सरसामन्यः पृष्ठपमुपबंति. पाक विचत्रितः स्वरसाम्नः कृत्वा पृष्टपमुपबंति स्वरसाम्नश्चोभ्यान् कुर्वति. विचारितमिरं नामक-सामरुभ्याः कार्याऽभनिटोमा इत्येवमुक्काह तदाहुविधमिव वा एतयदमिष्टोमो विषुवान् मामिष्टोमी विधविवानिमितो. भयेतर उभ्या स्स्युरिति
अभिष्टोमा एव सर्व कार्य हति. बदभिटोमं तदेवशम्नेन नियमितं. एवं निवामिने सति किनुक्रवत्वं सरसाम्नां प्रत्याम्नातमेव भय विकल्पः इति उच्यते न प्रत्थाम्नावते न च विकल्बते! एकविंशत्याकारिताले सक्भ्याम् कुबतिबे. नवाहकारिणः ते भमिष्टोमानेव, एवं च कृत्वा नितानकारोबार-भयेले स्परसामानः तानभिटोमाजवाहकारिणः कुर्युः उभ्यानेकविधस्यहकारिणः योऽन्यथा कुर्बादकुशलः पुरुष रति विचारिति.
"Instead of the period of nine days, which is spoken of as a period inserted in the middle of the year and which is composed of one day called Abhijit, tbree Svaras aman days, one day termed Divákartya (i..., the central day], again three Svarasdman days, and one Visvajit day, other insert twenty-one days : after the Abhijit day and before the three Svarardman days, they insert six days known as Prishthya days; again after having observed the three Svarardman days (after the central day) they insert six Prishthya days before the Visvajit'day. Also they treat the Svarasd man days in the Ukthye way. This matter is found discussed in tho Brahmana :-They debate as to whether the Srarasd man days are to be treated in the Ukthya way or in the Agnishtôma'' way. After saying that, the Brahmana goes on to state :-They say that the fulcrum-like support of the year is the central day which is treated in the Agnishtôms way, and the two days called Abhijit and Visvajit which are also treated in the Agnishtoms way. The other days are
* Agnishtoms and Ukthys are two forms of sorifice the former is simple one-day sacrifice in which a bo-goat, sacred to Agni, is immolated and twelve hymnal verses are chanted; the latter requires the immolation of a second victim; he-goat to Indn and Agni, and the chanting of attoos yerno.