The Jewel of Rituals for the Planetary Sacrifice

Planetary Procedure Page 4

On a square measuring three hand-lengths, use white grains and rice to draw an eight-petaled lotus with a central pericarp. In the center and on the petals, create the circular and other shapes for the planets using colored rice as available. They are as follows:

In the center: A circle with red rice for the Sun original: Aditya.
In the Southeast: A square with white rice for the Moon original: Soma.
In the South: A triangle with red rice for Mars original: Angaraka.
In the Northeast: An arrow shape with green rice for Mercury original: Budha.
In the North: A long rectangle with green rice for Jupiter original: Guru.
In the East: A pentagon with cloud-colored (gray/silver) rice for Venus original: Shukra.
In the West: A beast-like shape with black rice for Saturn original: Shani.
In the Southwest: A winnowing-fan shape with black rice for Rahu Rahu is the North Node of the moon, associated with eclipses.
In the Northwest: A flag shape with multi-colored rice for Ketu Ketu is the South Node of the moon.

Above this, on a platform of grain decorated with colorful patterns Rangavallika: traditional decorative floor art, often made with colored powders, place a clay consecration pot Abhisheka-kumbha: a ritual vessel used to hold sanctified water for the ceremony. It should be radiant, flawless, and beautifully decorated. Fill it with holy water while reciting the "O Ganges, Yamuna..." hymn original: Imam me Gange...; this is a famous Rigvedic hymn invoking India's sacred rivers. Wrap the pot with two pieces of cloth.

Planetary procedure. Hymn to Heaven and Earth. Herbs. Ritual for the Pot. Sage Kashyapa. Soma. Gayatri meter. Procedure for establishing the pot.

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Procedure for Adding Bark

Planetary Procedure

This section describes the "Sarvau-shadhi" or the gathering of various sacred earths and barks to be placed inside the ritual water pot.

Gather earth from a horse-stable, an elephant-gate, an anthill, a cowshed, and from the path of a bull. Recite the prayer: "O Earth, who was lifted up by the hundred-armed Krishna in the form of a Boar, take away the sin I have committed."

Place these in the pot. Then recite the "Roaring Frightfully" hymn original: Ruvanti Bhima; Rigveda 9.72.1, which belongs to the sage Renujyamadagni, dedicated to the Purifying Soma in the Jagati meter: "The roar of the mighty bulls... Soma comes to sit in his rightful place."

Following this, add the barks of the Five Sacred Trees Panchavalkala: a group of five barks used for purification, typically including the Banyan and Pipul, specifically the Nyagrodha (Banyan), Ashvattha (Sacred Fig), Plaksha (White Fig), and others. Recite the hymn by the sage Vashistha: "May the herbs that grow and go... bless this ground."

Then, place the leaves of those same trees into the pot. Recite the "Come to us, O Soma" hymn original: Apyayasva; Rigveda 1.91.16 by the sage Gautama, dedicated to the Moon: "May Soma grow from all sides... be the source of our strength." With this, add cow's milk and curd while reciting the Dadhikravna hymn.

Procedure for adding the five gems.