| Philosophy and Religion / Sacred Laws of the Âryas |
The Sacred Laws of the Âryas: Baudhâyana - Prasna I, Adhyâya 6
Kandikâ 13
1. The gods enjoy a pure sacrifice (only);1
2. For the gods are desirous of purity and (themselves) pure.
3. The following (Rik) declares that, 'To you, O Maruts, the pure ones, pure viands; to you, the pure ones, I offer a pure sacrifice. They who love the pious rites, who are of pure origin, (themselves) pure and purifiers (of others), came duly to the truthful (worshipper).'2
4. (He will be) pure (if there is) no blemish on his clothes, therefore let him perform all (acts) that are connected with sacrificing, (dressed) in unblemished clothes.3
5. The sacrificer and his wife as well as the officiating priests shall put on dresses which have been washed, and dried by the wind, and which are not in a bad condition.4
6. (It shall be) thus from the (beginning of the) Prakrama,5
7. And thus at the long Soma-sacrifices and the Sattras;
8. And (on other occasions other dresses must be used) in accordance with the injunction (of the Veda),
9. Thus at (all) Ishtis, animal sacrifices, and Soma-sacrifices which may be used as spells (against enemies), the priests shall perform (the sacred rites), wearing red turbans and red dresses; (when reciting the hymn seen by) Vrishâkapi (he shall) wear a dress and a mantle of many colours and so forth.6
10. At the Agnyâdhâna (sacrifice) the clothes (shall be made) of flax; on failure of such, (dresses) made of cotton or of wool are used.
11. Clothes defiled by urine, ordure, blood, semen and the like (shall be) cleaned with earth, water and the like.7
12. (Dresses) made of Tripa-bark and vrikala (shall be treated) like cotton-cloth,8
13. Deer-skins like (dresses) made of bark.9
14. (Let him) not (use) a mantle which has been wrapped (round the loins, or) on which he has been lying (in his bed), without washing it.
15: Let him not employ for the gods anything used by men without beating it on a stone.10
16. If solid earth is defiled, (it must be) smeared with cowdung.11
17. Loose (earth must be cleansed by) ploughing,
18. Moist (earth) by bringing pure (earth) and covering (it with that).
19. Land is purified in four (ways), by being trod on by cows, by digging, by lighting a fire on it, by rain falling on it,
20. Fifthly by smearing it with cowdung, and sixthly through (the lapse of) time.
21. Grass placed on unconsecrated ground (must be) washed.12
22. (Grass) defiled out of one's sight, (shall be) sprinkled (with water).13
23. Small pieces of sacred fuel (shall be purified) in the same manner.
24. Large pieces of wood (must be) washed and dried.
25. But a great quantity (of wood shall be) sprinkled (with water).
26. Wooden vessels which have been touched by impure men (shall be) scraped;
27. (And) those which are defiled by stains of remnants (shall be) planed.14
28. (Wooden vessels) defiled by urine, ordure, blood, semen, and the like (very impure substances shall be) thrown away.15
29. These (rules must be followed) except in case a (special) injunction (is given);
30. Thus, for instance, (purification by) washing with Kusa grass and water (is prescribed) on all the following (occasions, viz.) at the Agnihotra, the Gharmokkhishta, the Dadhigharma, the Kundapâyinâm Ayana, the Utsarginâm Ayana, the Dâkshâyana sacrifice, the Ardhodaya, the Katuskakra, and the Brahmaudanas,16
31. (Again) at all Soma-sacrifices (the cups must be) cleaned with water only on (the heap of earth called) the Mârgâliya;
32. If these same (cups are defiled) by urine, ordure,17 blood, semen, and the like (they must be) thrown away.
Kandikâ 14
1. Earthen vessels that have been touched by impure persons (must be) exposed to (the flame of) a fire of Kusa grass.
2. Those which have been defiled by stains of remnants (of food must be) exposed to another burning.
3. Those which have been defiled by urine, ordure, blood, semen, and the like (must be) thrown away.
4. (Vessels) made of metal (must be) washed, after having been scrubbed as (directed) above.
5. The materials (to be used) for scrubbing (are) cowdung, earth, ashes, and so forth.
6. Those which have been defiled by urine, ordure, blood, semen, and the like (must be) recast,
7. Or (they must) be kept during seven (days and) nights completely immersed in cow's urine,
8. Or in a great river for as long (a period).18
9. (Vessels) made of stone or of fruits, (i.e.) gourds, Bel-fruit, and Vinâlas, (shall be) brushed with (a brush of) cow's hair.19
10. (Sacrificial implements made of) plaited Nala-reeds, bamboo, or Sara-reeds (shall be) washed with cowdung, water, and the like.20
11. If unhusked rice has been defiled, (it must be) washed (and afterwards be) dried.21
12. But a great quantity (of unhusked rice must be) sprinkled.
13. Husked rice (which has been defiled must be) thrown away.22
14. The same (rule applies) to cooked sacrificial viands.23
15. But if a great quantity has been defiled by (the touch of) dogs, crows, and the like (unclean beings), one must throw away that portion (as) food for men, and sprinkle (the rest with water), reciting the Anuvâka, 'Pavamânah suvarganah.'24
16. Hydromel and preparations of milk (are) purified by pouring them from one vessel into another.25
17. In like manner let him pour oil and clarified butter which have been touched by an impure (person) into water, and (afterwards) use them.26
18. If (any) impure (substance) is thrown (into the sacrificial fire) let him place (the two Aranis one) on (the other), produce fire by friction, (and offer) a Pavamâneshti.27
19. If (the rules regarding) purity, the proper place, the mantras, the series of actions, the object, the materials, (their) consecration, and the proper time are conflicting, each earlier-named (point) is more important (than the following ones).28
Footnotes
1. See also above, I, 5, 10, 4. This Adhyâya and the next ought to have been given in the Srauta Sûtra.
2. Rig-veda VII, 56, 12; Taittirîya-brâhmana II, 8, 5, 5. The meaning of the last portion of the verse is somewhat doubtful. Sâyana gives two different explanations and Govinda a third.
3. Govinda points out that the dresses of the sacrificer and of his priests must be white, because farther on (Sûtras 9-10) other colours are specially prescribed.
4. Govinda thinks that the word ka, 'as well as,' is intended to include the lookers-on.
5. Regarding the ceremony called Prakrama, literally 'stepping forward from the Gârhapatya fire,' see Sâyana on Taitt. Br. I, 1, 4, 1. It opens the Agnyâdhâna rite.
6. Govinda states that the words iti ka, and so forth,' are intended to include other incantations. The Vrishâkapi hymn is found Rig-veda X, 86.
7. Govinda states that the word iti, 'and the like,' is intended to include cowdung, cow's urine, and other substances used for purification.
8. Govinda states that there is a tree called Tripa, the bark of which is used for dresses. Vrikala, which has been left untranslated, is explained by sakama, a word which is not found in our dictionaries.
9. Govinda says that, as the treatment of valkala, bark-dresses,' has not been prescribed, the meaning of the Sûtra can only be, that bark-dresses and black-buck skins are to be treated alike, i.e. that they are to be cleaned with Bel-nut and rice; see above.
10. Govinda explains apalpûlitam by 'without beating it with the hand on a stone.' He mentions as an instance the skin which is used in preparing the Soma.
11. According to Govinda, solid earth is such on which the fire-altars are built.
12. E.g. grass intended for the barhis, if it has been placed on a spot which has not been sprinkled with water.
13. 'Defiled out of one's sight,' i.e. brought by Sûdras.
14. Govinda says that this rule is optional.
15. Govinda adds that fuel, Kusa grass, and the like, which have been defiled in this manner, must also be thrown away.
16. Regarding the Dadhigharma, a homa, see Vaitâna Sûtra 21,18; regarding the Kundapâyinâm Ayana, Âsvalâyana Srauta Sûtra XII, 4; and regarding the Dâkshâyana sacrifice, a variety of the new and full-moon offering, Âsvalâyana II, 14. The Ardhodaya is possibly the vrata of that name mentioned in the Purânas, According to Govinda, the Katuskakra, which is otherwise known as a Tântric rite, is a sacrifice, ishtakâkoshta (?) madhyavasanto yagante tathetaradayah (?). Regarding the Brahmaudana, see Âsvalâyana Srauta Sûtra I, 4.
17. Govinda says that the injunction to throw away defiled vessels has been repeated, in order to prevent a misconception. For as Soma is said to be a great means of purification, it might be supposed that it was powerful enough to prevent the defilement of vessels into which it is poured at a sacrifice. But compare the next Sûtras.
18. A great river, i.e. one which directly flows into the ocean.--Govinda.
19. A Vinâla, i.e. (a vessel) made of bamboo or Vidagdhanala; it s called a 'long vessel' (dirghabhâganam), and is used for carrying he Pranîta water and the like purposes.--Govinda. The vessel intended is no doubt the flask made of a bamboo which is cut below the joint, and is commonly used as a bottle for oil. Govinda adds that this mode of purification is to be adopted in case the vessels have been touched by impure persons.
20. Nala-reeds, i.e. Amphidonax Karka; Sara, i.e. Saccharum Sara. Govinda says that the rule applies to cases where such implements have been defiled by remnants of food (ukkhishtalepa).
21. 'Defiled, i.e. touched by a Kandâla.' (The rule) refers to a quantity less than a Drona (66 or 132 lbs.).--Govinda.
22. 'If it has been defiled by urine and the like and the quantity is small;' this must be understood, because he will declare (below, Sûtra 15) that if there is a great quantity (the defiled) portion only shall be thrown away.--Govinda.
23. This, too, refers to small quantities only.
24. The Anuvâka referred to is Taittirîya-brâhmana I, 4, 8.
25. 'Hydromel, i.e. sour milk, honey, clarified butter, water, and grain; a preparation of milk, i.e. curd of two-milk whey (âmikshâ), if these are blemished by the fault of men, and that (blemish must have been caused by) the touch of an impure (person, ukkhishta) only.'--Govinda.
26. 'And that must be done in such a manner that the oil and the clarified butter are not lost.'--Govinda.
27. 'Any impure substance, i.e. urine, ordure, and the like.'--Govinda.
28. Âvrit,' the series of actions,' i.e. the growth (prâmsubhâva) of the ceremonial (prayoga).--Govinda.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
