II, 1, 1

PRASNA II, PATALA 1, SECTION 1,

1. Now (follows) the Sîmantonnayana (or parting of the pregnant wife's hair).

2. In the fourth month of her first pregnancy, in the fortnight of the increasing moon, under an auspicious constellation he puts wood on the fire, performs the rites down to the Vyâhriti oblations, and makes four oblations to Dhâtri with (the verse), 'May Dhâtri give us wealth' (and the following three verses, Taitt. Samh. III, 3, II, 2. 3).

3. 3 'This, O Varuna' (&c.; see I, chap. 27, Sûtra 2, down to): 'Hail! Good luck!'

He then makes the wife who has taken a bath, who wears a clean dress and ornaments, and has spoken with a Brâhmana, sit down to the west of the fire, facing the east, in a round apartment. Standing to the east (of the wife), facing the west he parts her hair upwards (i.e. beginning from the front) with a porcupine's quill that has three white spots, holding (also) a bunch of unripe fruits, with the Vyâhritis (and) with the two (verses), 'I invoke Râkâ,' (and), 'Thy graces, O Râkâ' (Taitt. Samh. III, 3, 11, 5). Then he recites over (his wife the formulas), 'Soma alone is our king, thus say the Brâhmana tribes, sitting near thy banks, O Gaṅgâ,

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whose wheel does not roll back (?)!' (and), 'May we find our way with thee through all hostile powers, as through streams of water' (above I, 20, 5).