Manual for the Sacrifice to the Nine Planets and the Propitiation of Ganesha

...for the removal of errors. In that regard, one should never conclude a ritual using only secondary rites original: gauna; subsidiary or substitute actions while ignoring the primary rite original: mukhya. ॥ 62 ॥

Between the two clarified butter portions original: ajyabhaga; specific offerings of melted butter made to Fire (Agni) and the Moon (Soma), the boiled grain offering original: charu remains there as well. All of that is considered the primary rite, while the others are its limbs original: angani; the auxiliary parts of a ritual. ॥ 63 ॥

When the primary action is performed along with its limbs, but an error occurs in the performance of a limb, there is no need for a total repetition of that action. ॥ 64 ॥

One should know this as the completion of what I have heard. One should only perform [the missing part] again; there is no need for the repetition of all the ritual acts. ॥ 65 ॥

If there is a confusion or reversal regarding the deities original: devata, the priest should not offer the oblation. Having performed the universal expiation original: sarva-prayaschitta; a corrective rite intended to fix any ritual errors, he should offer the oblation again in the proper order. ॥ 66 ॥

The handle [of the ladle] should be shaped like a cow's tail original: gopuccha; tapering from top to bottom, possessed of even characteristics, and beautiful. It should be made of Khadira Acacia catechu, Palasha Butea monosperma, known as "Flame of the Forest", or even Vikankata Flacourtia sapida wood. ॥ 67 ॥

The large ladle original: sruva; a large wooden pouring ladle should be one span original: tarani-matra; the distance between the tip of the thumb and the tip of the little finger in length, and the other should be two spans. The tip of the offering spoon original: struch should be shaped like a nose, and its bowl should be circular, the size of a thumb. ॥ 68 ॥

At the tip, where the skin [of the wood] is, it should have the shape of a deer's hoof original: mrigapada-akriti. The small ladle original: darvi should have the appearance of the back of a thumb, and one should not desire it to be shaped like a finger. ॥ 69 ॥

A measure of one span original: pradesha is specifically

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prescribed for the grain oblation original: charu-homa. That which has the base at the tip is the lowest; that which has the base in the middle is the medium. ॥ 70 ॥

When the base is in the middle of the middle, one should hold the large offering spoon original: sruk there. Agni Fire, Soma the Moon, Surya the Sun, Rudra the Roarer/Shiva, and Prajapati Lord of Progeny— ॥ 71 ॥

And the sixth is Yama Lord of Death; these are always the deities residing in the offering spoon. If one heats the ladle at the station of Agni, it causes burning; at the station of the Moon, it causes great distress. ॥ 72 ॥

At the Sun's station, it leads to the loss of cattle; at Rudra’s station, one should not expect a fierce victory original: raudram jayam; perhaps implying a violent or destructive outcome. At the station of Prajapati, there is an increase in progeny, and at Yama's station, death is proclaimed. ॥ 73 ॥

Made from the Shriparni Gmelina arborea, Khadira, Vikankata, or Palasha trees, the large spoon should be thirty-six finger-widths original: angula long, while the hand-held ladle is the length of a hand. ॥ 74 ॥

All of those [ladles] are avoided except for the spoon which is six finger-widths wide. The handle should be made round, either thirty or twenty finger-widths in length. ॥ 75 ॥

The altar original: vedi should be two finger-widths high; it is thick and six finger-widths [wide]. At the tip of the spoon is a six-finger curve; following that is Soma the Moon at six finger-widths. ॥ 76 ॥

Vishnu resides in six finger-widths; Prajapati is six finger-widths. Vayu the Wind is six finger-widths, and since he is there, Yama is also at six finger-widths. ॥ 77 ॥