1. They also say, 'If any one's Agnihotra-cow were to milk blood, what rite and what expiation would there be in that case?' Let him say 'Disperse!' and having made a stirring-spoon, let him order the Anvâhârya-pakana fire to be enclosed; and having boiled that (blood) thereon, let him silently offer it in an undefined (indistinct) way 1, for Pragâpati is undefined, and the Agnihotra is sacred to Pragâpati; and the undefined also means everything: he thus makes atonement with everything. At this offering he should give that (cow) to a Brâhmana whom he does not intend to visit; for, indeed, she who milks blood milks it after perceiving the Sacrificer's suffering and evil: he thus fastens that suffering and evil upon this (Brâhmana). Let him then make offering with what other milk he can procure: by that which is not unsound he thus throws out what is unsound in the sacrifice. This, then, is the rite performed in that case.
2. They also say, 'If any one's Agnihotra-milk were to become impure 2 whilst being milked, what rite and what expiation would there be in that case?' Now some think that it should be offered
4. They also say, 'If any one's Agnihotra-milk were to become impure after being put on the fire, what rite and what expiation would there be in that case?' Let him offer it silently on the coals which were shifted away (from the fire), and on which it had been placed: thus it is both offered and not offered; for inasmuch as he offers it on those (hot coals) it is offered, and inasmuch as he extinguishes it along with them it is not offered. He pours water thereon, and secures it by means of the water. Let him then make offering with what other (milk) he can procure.
5. They also say, 'If the Sacrificer were to die
7. Now some go back (to the Gârhapatya) and make offering with what (milk) is left in the pot; but let him not do this, for, indeed, that Agnihotra is conducive to heaven, and if any one, in that case, were to say of him, 'Surely, this one has descended again from the heavenly world: this (offering) will be in no wise conducive to heaven for him,' then that would indeed be likely to come to pass.
8. Let him rather do it in this way:--let him sit down there and then, and let them ladle out and bring to him what (milk) there is left in the pot. Now some perplex him, saying, 'Surely, this (milk) is the remainder of an offering; surely, this is exhausted: offering should not be made thereof;' but let him give no heed to this; for, surely, when that (milk) is of unexhausted strength it is used for
9. They also say, 'If any one's Agnihotra-milk were to become impure after it has been ladled into the offering-spoon, what rite and what expiation would there be in that case?' Now some think it should be offered, on the ground that it is ready (for offering), and it would be improper if it were not offered, for the gods have no loathing for anything. And some fill it to overflowing and let it flow off 5; but let him not do this; for if, in that case, any one were to say of him, 'Surely, this (priest) has poured away the Agnihotra: this Sacrificer will be poured away,' then that would indeed be likely to come to pass. Let him rather do it in this way:--let him put
183:1 According to Kâty. XXV, 2, 2, it is to be offered on hot cinders of the Dakshinâgni with the formula, 'To Rudra, hail!'
183:2 Or rather, perhaps,--if anything impure were to get (to fall) into any one's Agnihotra-milk; cf. XII, 4, 2, 9.
186:1 Literally, they make it the means of curdling the havis;--cf. XI, 1, 4, 1, where the sour milk from last night's milking is so used. In the same way the milk not used for the Agnihotra might have served for curdling next morning's milk.
186:2 Viz. by means of a lighted straw, cf. II, 3, 1, 16.
186:3 Viz. at the evening-offering of the Agnihotra; the Sacrificer then replying, 'Om, ladle out!' At the morning-offering the Adhvaryu says, 'I ladle out,' instead. Cf. part i, p. 331, note 1.
186:4 Or, 'shall I ladle out?' as the Paddhati on Kâty. IV, 14, 8 takes it.
186:5 That is to say, they let the impure matter flow off.
