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ASVALAYANA-GRIHYA-SUTRA.
goes out (of the house) to the east, pours water on the ground on a clean spot, sacrifices with (the formula), To the divine hosts of the serpents svâhâ!' and does reverence to them with (the formula), 'The serpents which are terrestrial, which are aerial, which are celestial, which dwell in the directions (of the horizon)-to them I have brought this Bali; to them I give over this Bali.'
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10. Having gone round (the Bali) from left to right, he sits down to the west of the Bali with (the words), The serpent art thou; the lord of the creeping serpents art thou; by food thou protectest men, by cake the serpents, by sacrifice the gods. To me, being in thee, the serpents being in thee should do no harm. I give over the firm one (i.e. the spoon) to thee.'
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11. 'Firm one, (I give) N. N. (in charge) to thee! Firm one, (I give) N. N. (in charge) to thee!'with (these words he gives) his people, man by man, (in charge to the serpent god);
12. Firm one, I give myself in charge to thee!'with these words himself at the end.
13. Let no one step between it (i. e. the Bali, and the sacrificer), until the giving in charge has been performed.
14. With (the formula), 'To the divine hosts of the serpents svâhâ!'-let him offer the Bali in the evening and in the morning, till the Pratyavarohana (i. e. the ceremony of the 'redescent').
15. Some count (the days till the Pratyavarohana)
14.
On the Pratyavarohana, see the third chapter of this Adhyâya.
15. I.e. two Bali offerings for each day, one for the morning and one for the evening.
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