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II KÂNDA, 6 ADHYAYA, I BRÂHMANA, 8.
421
4. He offers a cake on six potsherds to the Pitarah Somavantah, or to Soma Pitrimat! Six doubtless are the seasons, and the fathers are the seasons: hence it is one of six potsherds.
5. Thereupon they parch barley-grain on the Anvâhâryapakana (or Dakshinagni) for the Pitaro Barhisha dah? They then grind one half of it; and (the other) half remains thus unground,—this is the parched grain for the Barhis-seated fathers.
6. Then a porridge is (prepared) for the Pitaro 'gnish vâttâh3 (by the ground half of the parched grain) being mixed with the milk of a cow suckling an adopted calf, by stirring it once with a single splinter. It is indeed once for all that the fathers have departed, and hence it is stirred but once. These are the oblations.
7. Now those (fathers) who have sacrificed with Soma are the Pitarah Somavantah; and those who gain the world (of the gods) by means of cooked (sacrificial food) offered by them are the Pitaro Barhishadah; and they who (have offered) neither the one nor the other, and whom Agni consumes by burning, they are the Pitaro 'gnishvâttâh. These, then, are the fathers 4.
8. He takes out (the rice for) that cake of six potsherds, while seated behind the Gârhapatya, and looking southwards, with the sacrificial cord over his right shoulder. From thence he rises and
That is, either to the fathers, accompanied by Soma (or possessed of Soma),' or to 'Soma, accompanied by the fathers.' The Black Yagus assigns the oblation to Soma Pitrimat.
? That is, the fathers seated on the barhis.' 3 That is, the fathers consumed by the fire.' * These, then, are the three kinds of fathers,' Kânva recension.
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