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I KÂNDA, 8 ADHYAYA, I BRÂHMANA, 18.
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injure my sacrifice at this place.' Accordingly by that (butter, taken from the idâ, and smeared on his lips) he promoted it (the idâ to a safe place, thinking), 'Before the Rakshas (come)! before the Rakshas (come) !' And in like manner this one also thereby promotes (the idā to a safe place, thinking), * Before the Rakshas (come)! before the Rakshas (come)!' And though he does not (at present) eat (the ida) visibly, lest he should eat it before it is invoked, he nevertheless promotes it (to a safe place), when he smears the (butter) on his lips.
17. He now cuts off piece by piece (the avântaredà) in (or, into) the Hotri's hand. That which is cut up piece by piece he thus makes visibly enteri the Hotri; and through that which has entered (or is cooked in) his own self, the Hotri invokes a blessing on the sacrificer: for this reason he cuts it off piece by piece in the Hotri's hand?.
18. He now calls' (the idà) in a low voice. At that time, namely, Manu became apprehensive (thinking), ‘This (part) of my sacrifice—that is, this idà
1 Enâm hotari srayati, literally he makes it enter into, remain in, the Hotri. The author, however, here, as in I, 6, 4, 7, mixes up the verb sri with sra, to cook.' The reason for this see p. 177, note 4.
* This, according to Asv. Sr. I, 7, 3, and comm., is effected in the following way: the Hotri takes the idà with his joined hands (angali) and makes it lie in his left hand; whereupon the Adhvaryu cuts the (fivefold cut) avântaredå from the idâ into the Hotri's right hand, the fingers of which point northwards; the five cuttings apparently consist of the 'underlayer' of butter, two pieces cut from the idâ, and drippings of butter on them. Cf. Hillebrandt, op. cit., p. 125.
During the invocation of the idà the Hotri holds the butter (as well as the avântaredà), and the other priests (except the Brahman) and the sacrificer touch the ida (or, according to Karka, the Hotri). Kâty. III, 4, II. 12.
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