Sacred Texts  Hinduism  Index  Previous  Next 

The Grihya Sutras, Part 1 (SBE29), by Hermann Oldenberg, [1886], at sacred-texts.com


KANDIKÂ 5.

1. Having led her around the fire, keeping it on his right side, according to some (teachers)—

2. Having pushed with his right foot a bundle of grass or a mat to the west of the fire, he sits down.

3. While (the bride) touches him, (the following oblations are made:) the two Âghâra oblations, the two Âgya portions, the Mahâvyâhritis, the general expiation, the Prâgâpatya oblation, and the Svishtakrit.

4. These are regular (oblations) at every sacrifice.

5. The Svishtakrit comes before the Mahâvyâhritis, if the sacrificial food is different from Âgya.

6. The place for the insertion (of the peculiar oblations belonging to the different sacrifices) is the interval between the general expiation and the oblation to Pragâpati.

7. At the wedding (he may make oblations) with the Râshtrabhrit formulas (i.e. the formulas procuring royal power), if he likes, and with the Gaya and Abhyâtâna formulas (i.e. the formulas procuring

p. 280

victory, and aiming [at the hostile powers]), if he knows them—

8. Because it has been said, 'By what sacrifice he wishes to attain success.'

9. (The Gaya formulas run thus): 'Thought and thinking. Intention and intending. The understood and understanding. The mind and the Sakvarî (verses). The new moon and the full moon. Brihat and Rathantara.

'Pragâpati, the powerful one in victorious battles, has given victories (or, the Gaya formulas) to manly Indra. To him all subjects bowed down; he has become powerful and worthy of sacrifice. Svâhâ!

10 10. (The Abhyâtâna formulas run thus): 'May Agni, the lord of beings, protect me. May Indra, (the lord) of the noblest, Yama, of the earth, Vâyu, of the air, the Sun, of heaven, the Moon, of the Nakshatras, Brihaspati, of the Brahman, Mitra, of truth, Varuna, of the waters, the sea, of the rivers, food, the lord of royalty, protect me. May Soma, (the lord) of herbs, Savitri, of impulses, Rudra, of cattle, Tvashtri, of forms, Vishnu, of mountains, the Maruts, the lords of hosts, protect me. May the fathers,

p. 281

the grandfathers, the former, the later, the fathers, the grandfathers protect me here in this power of holiness, in this worldly power, in this prayer, in this Purohitaship, in this sacrifice, in this invocation of the gods. Svâhâ!'—this is added each time.

11. (He then makes other oblations with the following texts:)

'May Agni come hither, the first of gods. May he release the offspring of this wife from the fetter of death. That may this king Varuna grant, that this wife may not weep over distress (falling to her lot) through her sons. Svâhâ!

'May Agni Gârhapatya protect this woman. May he lead her offspring to old age. With fertile womb may she be the mother of living children. May she experience delight in her sons. Svâhâ!

'Make, Agni, all ways of heaven and earth blissful to us, O thou who art worthy of sacrifices. What is great, born on this (earth); and praised, (born) in heaven, that bestow on us, rich treasures. Svâhâ!

'Come hither, showing us an easy path. Give us bright, undecaying life. May death go away; may immortality come to us. May Vivasvat's son make us safe from danger. Svâhâ!

12. And the (verse), 'Another way, O death' (Vâg. Samh. XXXV, 7), after the eating (of the remnant of the sacrificial food), according to some (teachers).


Footnotes

279:3 5, 3. See the note on Sâṅkhâyana-Grihya I, 9, 12.

279:6 See the note l.l.—I have altered the division of Sûtras 6 and 7, so as to draw the word vivâhe to the seventh Sûtra. The rule in § 6 has an entirely general character; the formulas stated in § 7 are given for the particular occasion of the vivâha ceremony.

280:8 Taittirîya Samhitâ III, 4, 6, 1: 'By what sacrifice he wishes to attain success, at that (sacrifice) he should make oblations with them (i.e. with the Abhyâtâna Mantras): then he will attain success by that sacrifice.'

280:9 Instead of sa i havyah we ought to read probably sa u havyah, or, as the Taitt. Samh. III, 4, 4, 1 gives, sa hi havyah. The Maitr. Samh. has vihavyah (II, 10, 2).

280:10 The words, 'in this power of holiness . . . svâhâ!' are to be added to each member of the whole formula (comp. Atharva-veda V, 24). The expressions 'fathers' and 'grandfathers,' which are twice identically repeated in the translation, stand the first time for pitarah pitâmahâh, and then for tatâs tatâmahâh of the Sanskrit text.


Next: I, 6