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IV ADHYAYA, I KHANDA, 8.
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3. And having strewn sesamum into an uneven number of water-pots,
4. He shall pour them out over the hands of the Brahmanas, assigning (this gift) to them with the words, N. N.! This to thee!'
5. After this they should be adorned;
6. And after he has (respectfully) spoken to them, and has put food into the fire,
7. Assigning (the food) to them with the words, 'N. N.! This to thee!' he shall cause them to eat.
8. While they are eating, he shall murmur the Mahâvyâhritis, the Sâvitrî, the Madhuvâtiya-verses (Rig-veda I, 90, 6 seq.), and verses addressed to the Manes and to (Soma) Pavamâna.
Grihya IV, 7, 2. My German translation of this Sûtra ought to be altered accordingly.
Besides the Brahmanas mentioned in this Sutra, who represent the fathers, according to all the commentaries, other Brahmanas had to be invited as representing the Visve devâs. Nârâyana gives detailed statements as to the number of the paitrika and of the daivika Brahmanas to be invited, and though at first sight a European reader would rather be inclined to doubt whether at the Srâddha ceremony, as the author of the text intended to describe it, any Brahmanas at all had to be present except the paitrikas, the Sutra 2, 5 shows that the commentators are quite right in their statements regarding both categories of Brâhmanas.
5-7. It would be more natural to alter the division of the Sutras, so as to bring âmantrya in the fifth, annañ ka in the seventh Sutra. In this case we should have to translate : 5. After this, having (respectfully) spoken to them who have been adorned (by him with flowers, ornaments, &c.); 6. And having put (food) into the fire, 7. And having assigned the food to them, &c., he shall cause them to eat.-The respectful address mentioned in the fifth Sutra consists, according to Nârâyana, in the announcement, 'Ye Brahmanas, I will put (food) into the fire!' (comp. Âsv.Grihya IV, 7, 18), which he subsequently does with the formulas,
To Agni Kavyavâhana svâhâ! To Soma Pitrimat svâhâ! To Yama Angirasvat Pitrimat svâhâ!' Comp. Baudhâyana II, 14, 8.
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