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[Full title: Ritual observances (1) The Site]

Ritual鈥擨t is evident that the simple act of making an offering developed in course of time into a regular system, it became more and more complicated and involved a number of ceremonial formalities. Elaborate rules came to be laid down in respect of such items as the place to be chosen for the sacrifice, the kind and size of the woods by means of which the fire is to be churned out, the altar, the kunda, the fuel, the various implements, the objects for offering and many other details. The Atharvaveda, Saunakiya recension -Parisistas from 21 to 28 deal at some length with the characteristics of many of these items and the following statement is based mainly on these Parisistas. 1. The Site鈥擜 sacrifice is to be performed at an auspicious place and hence the site should be carefully selected. It should be free from impure trees like slegmataka (cordia latifolia),

422 arka (calatropis gigantea) and thorny trees. The place chosen for the performance of a sacrifice should also be free from birds like herons, vultures as well as owls and also from the ashes and bones from a cemetery (30.3.1). It should have young blossoming creepers, shrubs and sprouts as well as trees laden with fruits. The atmosphere there should be filled with the sweet cooing of birds like peacock, swan, cakravaka and karandava. A forest or the bank of a river or the mouth of a river may be chosen as the sacrificial site. It should be situated to the north or the north-east (aparajita) of the city. The ground there should be sloping towards the east or towards the north (21.3.5- 4.4). Sometimes a rite especially of the abhicara type is performed at a cross-road so that the sin may be taken away 10 by the people frequenting that place. A domestic rite may be performed in the cow-pen and Vratas like the Pasupata-vrata may be performed in temples or sacrificial halls or in the caves of mountains (4.6.5; 40. .5-7). After selecting the spot, the sacrificial pandal should be erected. It should be sixteen hands in length (7) This rule is laid down because the sticks of these trees are employed only for witchcraft (abhicara). Cf. Atharvaveda-Parisistas 26.5.3. (6) cr. Kesava on Kausika Sutra 7.13: yatra prayasabda na te tatraramyam| (9) Cf. Brhatsamhita by Varahamihira 48.4-17. (10) Cf. Atharvaveda-Parisistas 33.4.4 with Santi-Kalpa 2.15.1. Cf. also Keith, Religion and Philosophy of the Veda and Upanisads I, p. 239. EMEDE

423 and sixteen hands in breadth and should have four doors. There may be one additional door. In the north-west corner of the pandal, a vedi for bath should be prepared. It should measure ten or twelve hastas or as the space may permit. The main pillars should be four times (i.e. forty to fortyeight hastas) in height and those on the sides should be of half the height (i.e. ten or twelve hastas). Columns of pots should be raised to the height of the performer or to half that height. The columns are said to be the gates of the quarters (21.4.5-5-3). The santi-grha should be of the form of a kunda. It should be sloping towards all directions and should be surrounded by two sets of pillars, twelve pillars around and four in the middle. It should not be covered at the top. The santigrha should be decorated with sixteen flags of different colours. There should be one big banner above. Sixteen pots covered with cloth should be seperately kept, having first put pieces of gold into them. The pandal should be decorated with jewels and pearls, charming flowers and sweet fruits. Lamps should be kindled in all directions and the pandal should be sanctified by burning incense (21.5.4-6.6).