The Agnistoma Somayaga in the Shukla Yajurveda
by Madan Haloi | 2018 | 109,416 words
This page relates 鈥楶art 2.6: The Pashuyaga Sacrifice鈥� of the study on the Agnistoma Somayaga as described in the Shukla Yajurveda (dealing with Vedic Rituals). The Agnistoma sacrifice (lit. 鈥減raise of Agni鈥�) connects god with men and is performed in the spring season. It is the model of all the Soma sacrifices and forms a large and complicated ceremony preceded by four preliminary ritualistic days. This thesis deals with all the details involved in the Agnistoma sacrifice.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 2.6: The 笔补艣耻测腻驳补 Sacrifice
[Full title: Types of Sacrifices in General (6): 笔补艣耻测腻驳补]
笔补艣耻测腻驳补 or animal sacrifice is one of the four types of sacrifices cited above. Sacrifice performed by offering animals as oblation is known as animal sacrifice which is also known by the names 狈颈谤耻岣峢补辫补艣耻产补苍诲丑补 and 笔补艣耻产补苍诲丑补. The animal sacrifice can be performed as an independent rite and also as an 补峁単补测腻驳补 of 厂辞尘补测腻驳补. 膧艣惫补濒腻测补苍补 calls the former as 狈颈谤耻岣峢补辫补艣耻产补苍诲丑补 and the later as Saumika.[1] The former is also known as svatantra and the later includes the following 驰腻驳补蝉鈥�础驳苍墨峁尘墨测补, 厂补惫补苍墨测补, and 础苍耻产补苍诲丑测腻. The 狈颈谤耻岣峢辫补艣耻产补苍诲丑补颈蝉 of two types viz., 丑补惫颈谤测补箩帽补惫颈诲丑补 and savavidha[2]. It may be stated in this context that Jaimini is of the opinion that 础驳苍墨峁尘墨测补辫补艣耻y膩ga which belongs to the 厂辞尘补测腻驳补 is the model of 狈颈谤耻岣峢补辫补艣耻测腻驳补.[3] But, Kane opines that the 狈颈谤耻岣峢补辫补艣耻产补苍诲丑补 is the model of all animal sacrifices except the 厂补惫补苍墨测补辫补艣耻 and 础苍耻产补苍诲丑测腻辫补艣耻[4].
The 狈颈谤耻岣峢补辫补艣耻产补苍诲丑补 is performed every year in the rainy season.[5]
The 碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补 says as follows鈥�
pa艣vijy膩 sa峁僾atsare sa峁僾atsare 辫谤腻惫峁涐梗颈[6].
According to Karka, the word 辫谤腻惫峁涐梗颈 comes from the word 辫谤腻惫峁涐弓 which refers to the rainy season. If it is performed once in a year,one should start it on the new moon or full moon day of the rainy season[7]. On the other hand, it can be performed twice in a year in the interval of six months. In this case one should start it at the beginning of 耻迟迟补谤腻测补苍补 and 诲补办峁峁嚹乱补苍补.[8] The sacrificer who performs this rite twice in a year needs not wait for new moon and full moon days.[9] The 狈颈谤耻岣峢补辫补艣耻产补苍诲丑补 requires six priests and they are Adhvaryu, 贬辞迟峁�, 笔谤补迟颈辫谤补蝉迟丑腻迟峁�, 惭补颈迟谤腻惫补谤耻峁嘺, 叠谤补丑尘腻 and 膧驳苍墨诲丑补谤补. It is to be noted here that though puro鈥档耻惫腻办测腻 is usually recited by the 贬辞迟峁�, in animal sacrifice the 惭补颈迟谤腻惫补谤耻峁嘺 recites the puro鈥档耻惫腻办测腻 and the 辫谤补颈峁.[10]
The number of 测奴辫补 used in animal sacrifice is eleven. The 艢补迟辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺[11], the 碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补[12], the 膧辫补蝉迟补尘产补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补[13] have stated that the 驰奴辫补蝉 must be of 辫补濒腻艣补, khadira, bilva and rauhitaka trees.
The main oblation material of 狈颈谤耻岣峢补辫补艣耻产补苍诲丑补 is a he-goat.
The 碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补 indicates it thus鈥�
Karka too makes it clear by saying鈥�sa ca 辫补艣耻艣ch膩go 驳谤补丑墨迟补惫测补岣�[15] /.The animal should not be devoid of any physical parts[16], it should be pure and perfect.
In 狈颈谤耻岣峢补辫补艣耻产补苍诲丑补 the main offerings are made with the different parts of the animal. On the command of the Adhvaryu, the slaughterer of the 辫补艣耻 i.e., the 艢补尘颈迟峁� kills the animal and various offerings are made to Indr膩gn墨 or to 厂奴谤测补 or to 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈 or to the deity whom the sacrificer wants to honour with offerings[17]. The Adhvaryu extracts the omentum of the animal,the 笔谤补迟颈辫谤补蝉迟丑腻迟峁� heats it on the 艣腻尘颈迟谤补 fire and the same is offered on the 腻丑补惫补苍墨测补 fire by the Adhvaryu to Indra and Agni or 厂奴谤测补 or 笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈. The 艢补尘颈迟峁� cuts up the different parts of the animal. It is to be noted here that the heart of the animal is kept on a pike i.e., 艣耻濒补 known as h峁沝aya艣耻濒补 which is roasted on the 艣腻尘颈迟谤补 fire.The other limbs are also cooked on the 艣腻尘颈迟谤补 fire. Thus the Adhvaryu offers the 笔补艣耻辫耻谤辞诲腻艣补 baked on eleven potsherds to Indra and Agni.[18] He also makes the 蝉惫颈峁ａ弓补办峁泃 offering to Agni. The 艢补尘颈迟峁� gives the h峁沝aya艣耻濒补 to the Adhvaryu and he keeps it in between the 测奴辫补 and the 腻丑补惫补苍墨测补 fire. The tail of the animal is offered in 笔补迟苍墨蝉补峁儁腻箩补[19].
In the Nir奴岣峢a辫补艣耻y膩ga, there are eleven Pray膩jas . During these offerings, the 贬辞迟峁� is directed by the Adhvaryu to recite the Y膩jy膩s from the 膧辫谤墨 hymns. Again, in the Nir奴岣峢a辫补艣耻y膩ga, there are eleven Anuy膩jas.[20] In the Pray膩jas , 腻箩测补 i.e., clarified butter is offering material. On the other hand, in Anuy膩jas, p峁涐梗ad腻箩测补 i.e., mixer of clarified butter and sour milk is the offering material.[21] According to Jaimini, after the eleventh 辫谤补测腻箩补 offering, the Adhvaryu should offer two 膧箩测补产丑腻驳补蝉.[22] But, 碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 states that this rite is optional.[23] The 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 prohibits these two 膧箩测补产丑腻驳补蝉 in Soma sacrifice as well as in animal sacrifice[24].
On this 厂腻测补峁嘺 expresses his view as follows鈥�
辫补艣耻somayor腻箩测补bh膩gau na kury膩t/[25]
膧辫补蝉迟补尘产补 too supports this view by saying鈥�
The animal sacrifice called 笔补艣惫别办腻诲补艣墨苍颈 is said to be particular kind of animal sacrifice which is performed on the model of 厂补惫补苍墨测补辫补艣耻.[27] The peculiarity of this animal sacrifice is this it uses eleven 笔补艣耻蝉. Again, it may use eleven 驰奴辫补蝉 for eleven 笔补艣耻蝉 or only one 测奴辫补 for all the 笔补艣耻蝉.
The Nir奴岣峢a辫补艣耻bandha can be performed as nitya and 办腻尘测补 sacrifice.In case of nitya, it is performed in every rainy season.The 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 says that due to break up of regularity of the animal sacrifice all the sacrificial fires of the sacrificer become adversely affected and consequently the sacrifice himself becomes a victim of misfortune and lastly it also causes the destruction of the dwelling house and animals of the sacrificer.[28] Again a person may perform this animal sacrifice to fulfil his desires. In this context too the 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 says that by performing 笔补艣耻产补苍诲丑补 or Nir奴岣峢a辫补艣耻bandha, the sacrificer attains animals.
It is said thus鈥�
sa yat 辫补艣耻bandhena yajate / 辫补艣耻m膩nasan墨ti/
In such case, the sacrifice becomes known as 办腻尘测补.[29]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
峋古歷.艢S ., 3.8.3-4
[2]:
cf., haviryaj帽avidho v膩 补苍测补岣� 辫补艣耻bandha岣� savavidho鈥檔yah鈥�/ 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, 11. 7.2.1
[4]:
P.V.Kane, op.cit., 1968, Vol.2, Part.2, p.1109.
[5]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 , 11.7.1.1
[6]:
碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补 , 6.1.1
[8]:
cf., 腻惫峁泃迟颈尘耻办丑补测辞谤惫腻/ 碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补 , 6.1.2
[9]:
cf., na paur峁嘺m膩syam膩v膩sye apek峁ate/ Karka on ibid
[10]:
Cinnasvamishastri,Pattabhiramashastri(ed.),op.cit., p.35.
[11]:
艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 , 3.6.4.7, 7.1.2
[12]:
碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补 , 6. 1.8-10
[13]:
膧辫补蝉迟补尘产补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补 , 7.1.15
[14]:
碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补 , 6. 3.18
[15]:
Karka on 碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补 , 6. 3.18
[16]:
碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补 , 6. 3.19
[17]:
cf., 补颈苍诲谤腻驳苍补岣� 蝉补耻谤测补岣� pr膩j膩patyo v膩 y膩micchet/ 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, 11. 8.3.1-3; 碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补 , 4.3.26
[18]:
cf., 辫补艣耻devat膩yai purod膩艣a 别办腻诲补艣补办补辫腻濒补岣�/,agn墨峁m墨yo v膩 vi艣e峁pade艣膩t/ 碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补 , 6.7.16-17
[19]:
碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补 , 6.9.14
[20]:
cf., ek膩da艣apray膩j膩 anuy膩j膩艣ca/ 碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补 , 4. 4.7
[21]:
P.V Kane, op.cit., 1968, Vol. 2,Part. 2, p.1128
[22]:
惭墨尘腻峁僺腻 Sutra ,10. 8.5
[23]:
cf., hutv膩 vap膩mabhidh膩rayati p峁涐梗ad腻箩测补峁� 诲丑谤耻惫腻峁� prathamam腻箩测补bh膩gau cet/ 碍腻迟测腻测补苍补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补 , 6. 6.18.
[24]:
cf., tanna saumye鈥檇hvare, na pa艣au/ 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, 1. 6.3.19
[25]:
厂腻测补峁嘺 on 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺, 1. 6.3.19
[26]:
膧辫补蝉迟补尘产补 艢谤补耻迟补蝉奴迟谤补 , 7. 20. 8
[27]:
惭墨尘腻峁僺腻 Sutra ,8. 1. 14
[28]:
cf., jiryanti-ha vai juhvato yajam膩nasy膩gnaya岣� agn墨njiryato鈥檔u 测补箩补尘腻苍补岣�/yajam膩namanu g峁沨a艣ca pa艣ava艣ca/ 艢补迟补辫补迟丑补 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 , 11.7.1.1
[29]:
Ibid., 11.7.1.1