Bharadvaja-srauta-sutra

by C. G. Kashikar | 1964 | 166,530 words

The English translation of the Bharadvaja-Srauta-Sutra, representing some of the oldest texts on Hindu rituals and rites of passages, dating to at least the 1st millennium BCE. The term Srautasutra refers to a class of Sanskrit Sutra literature dealing with ceremonies based on the Brahmana divisions of the Veda (Sruti). They include Vedic rituals r...

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Praśna 3, Kaṇḍikā 13

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1. He should throw^[1] it with regard to him, uttering his name, with the verses, “I expel N.N.^[2] from his home, the rival who fights us. By means of the oblation that has the power to expel, Indra has crushed him.—Go to the three distances; go away beyond the five peoples; go away beyond the three luminous spheres so long as the sun will be in the sky.—Let Indra, the slayer of Vṛtra, lead thee to the farthest distance from which thou shalt not come back, for endless years.”^[3]

2. He should further say, “N.N. is killed, we have killed N.N.,”^[4] with regard to one whom the sacrificer hates.

3. As soon as the sacrifice is over, the Adhvaryu should discard the potsherds with the verse, “The potsherds which wise men collect for the caldron, these are in Pūṣan’s guardianship. Let Indra and Vāyu set them free.”^[5]

4. The sacrificer should recite this very verse over the discarding.

5. After having finished the Full-moon sacrifice, he should subsequently offer a cake on eleven potsherds to vaimṛdha Indra.

6. He should introduce this sacrifice if he so chooses. However, once he has introduced it, he is bound (to continue its performance).

7. It should have seventeen sāmidhenīs; dakṣiṇā should be given away according to one’s faith.

8. The puronuvākyā and the yājyā for the sviṣṭakṛt-offering should be śardhavant.

9. Or one should perform this sacrifice combinedly with the Full-moon sacrifice.

10. Some teachers consider this sacrifice as normal; others as optional.

11. After one begins to continue to perform this sacrifice, he should not discontinue the practice.

12. One should continue to perform for the whole life the New-moon and the Full-moon sacrifices explained as above. Or one should perform them for thirty years.