Page:History of India Vol 1.djvu/303

 moon day of Asvayuga or Asvina month, and is described by Sankhayana as follows:—

"On the full moon day of Asvayaga a milk-rice oblation to Indra.

"Having sacrificed Ajya with the words, 'Hail to the two Asvins! Hail to the two Asvayugas! Hail to the full moon of Asvayuga! Hail to the autumn! Hail to Prajapati! Hail to the tawny one!'

"He shall sacrifice a mixture of curds and butter with this (Vedic) hymn, 'The cows come hither,' verse by verse.

"That night they let the calves join their mothers.

"Then feeding of the Brahmans."

It is impossible not to suspect from this account that the rite is essentially agricultural, and this interpretation is confirmed when Paraskara tells us that the rite was to be followed by a sacrifice to Sita, the goddess of the field furrow.

Agrahayani.—This rite was performed on the full moon day of the Agrahayana month. This particular night was considered to be the consort of the year, or the image of the year, and adoration was offered to the year, to Samvatsara, Parivatsara, Idavatsara, Idvatsara, and to Vatsara, terms designating the different years of the quinquennial period of Yuga.

Ashtaka.—These rites received their name from the fact that they were performed on the eighth day of the three or four successive dark fortnights after the full moon of Agrahayana. Oblations were made with vegetables, flesh, and cakes respectively. Gobhila quoted