Pra<I>s</I>na III, Adhyâya 7

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PRASNA III, ADHYÂYA 7.

1. 'Let him who considers himself impure offer (burnt oblations), reciting the Kûshmândas.' ¹

2, 'He who has had forbidden intercourse, or has committed a crime against nature, becomes even like a thief, even like the slayer of a learned Brâhmana.'

3. 'He is freed from any sin which is less than the crime of slaying a learned Brâhmana.'

4. If, after wasting his strength except in his sleep, he desires to become free from the stain and holy,

5. He causes the hair of his head, his beard, the hair on his body, and his nails to be cut on the day of the new moon or of the full moon, and takes upon himself a vow according to the rule prescribed for students,

6. (To be kept) during a year, or a month, or twenty-four days, or twelve nights, or six or three nights. ⁶

7. Let him not eat meat, nor approach a woman, not sit on (a couch or seat, and) beware of (speaking an) untruth. ⁷

8. To subsist on milk (alone is) the most excellent mode of living; or, using barley-gruel (as his food), he may perform a Krikkhra (penance) of twelve days, or he may (maintain himself by) begging. ⁸

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9. On such (occasions) a Kshatriya (shall subsist on) barley-gruel, a Vaisya on curds of two-milk whey.

10. Having kindled the sacred fire in the morning according to the rule for Pâkayagñas, having scattered (Kusa grass) around it, and having performed (the preliminary ceremonies) up to the end of the Agnimukha, he next offers in addition burnt oblations, reciting the three Anuvâkas (beginning), 'What cause of anger to the gods, ye gods,' 'The debts which I contracted,' (and) 'May worshipful Agni give thee by every means long life.' ¹⁰

11. Let him offer with each Rik-verse a portion of clarified butter.

12. After having offered four oblations with (the spoon called) Sruva, reciting (the texts), 'That strength which lies in the lion, in the tiger, and in the panther,' &c., and the four Abhyâvartinîs (i.e. the texts), 'Thou, O fire, who turnest back,' &c., 'O Aṅgiras,' &c., 'Again with strength,' &c., (and) 'With wealth,' &c., after having taken his position, with sacred fuel in his hands, in the place allotted to the sacrificer, he worships (the fire) with the hymn which contains twelve verses (and begins), 'To Vaisvânara we announce.' ¹²

13. Having placed the piece of sacred fuel (on the fire with the text), 'Whatever sin I ever committed ¹³

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by thoughts or words, from all that free me (O fire, being duly) praised, for thou knowest the truth, Svâhâ,' he gives a fee.

14. (The ceremonies) which begin with the muttering (of the texts) and end with the gift of a cow as a fee are known.

15. One (person) only (shall) perform the service of the fire.

16. Now (let him offer) at the Agnyâdheya full oblations (pûrnâhuti, with the texts), 'Whatever cause of anger to the gods, ye gods;' 'The debts which I contracted;" May worshipful Agni give thee by every means long life.' ¹⁶

17. Having offered (it), he who is about to perform the Agnihotra, (worships) with the Dasahotri (texts); having offered (it), he who is about to perform the new and full moon sacrifices (worships) with the Katurhotri (texts); having offered (it), he who is about to offer the Kâturmâsya sacrifices (worships) with the Pañkahotri (texts); having offered it, (he worships) at an animal sacrifice with the Shaddhotri (texts), at a Soma-sacrifice with the Saptahotri (texts). ¹⁷

18. And it is declared in the Veda, 'Let him sacrifice (with the Kûshmânda texts) at the beginning of the rites; purified (thereby) he gains the world of the gods.' Thus (speaks) the Brâhmana. ¹⁸

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Footnotes

300:1-3. 7. Taittirîya Âranyaka II, 8, 1-3.

300:6 Taitt. Âranyaka II, 8, 5-6.

300:7 Taitt. Âranyaka II, 8, 7.

300:8 Taitt. Âranyaka II, 8, 8. As the next Sûtra shows, these rules refer to Brâhmanas. Regarding the Krikkhra, see below, IV, 57.

301:10 For the rule, see Taitt. Âranyaka II, 7, 4. The three Anuvâkas mentioned are Taitt. Âranyaka II, 5.

301:12 Taitt. Âranyaka II, 7, 4. The first four texts occur Taitt. Brâhmana II, 7, 7, 1-2, the next four Taitt. Samhitâ IV, 2, 1, 2-3, and the hymn Taitt. Âranyaka II, 6. The place of the sacrificer to the south of the fire.

301:13 Taitt. Âranyaka II, 6, 2 (13).

302:16 From this and the next Sûtras it must be understood that the Kûshmândahoma is not only to be used as a penance, but may be offered at the beginning of the great Srauta sacrifices, in order to sanctify the performer and to secure special benefits.

302:17 The Saptahotri' and the other texts mentioned occur Taitt, Âranyaka III, 1-5. I understand the verb 'worship' on account of Lâtyâyana X, 12, 50.

302:18 Taitt. Âranyaka II, 7, 5.