20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

The Sviṣṭakṛt: formal structure and self-reference in Vedic ritual 607recent decades, however, self-reference has received new appreciation andlogicians have become fascinated more with strengthening paradoxes thanwith evading them (BARWISE & ETCHEMENDY 1989; HOUBEN 2001).Our findings with regard to the Nihnava call for an investigation ofother episodes where a similar ritual structure is applicable. The so-calledSviṣṭakt-offering is a quite wide-spread element in Vedic ritual, but it hasno impressive stories or important mythology attached to it. Instead, itsname and the traditional indications of its function suggest that it implies aritual structure somewhat similar to that of the Nihnava. It therefore seemsa good starting point for further reflections on ritual self-referentiality. TheSviṣṭakt-offering concerns the ritual worship of Agni Sviṣṭakt, i.e., ofAgni su-iṣṭa-kt “who makes a good iṣṭa, i.e., offering or ritual worship”. 11We would especially like to know (1) whether our perception of circularityor self-reference in an offering to Agni “who makes a good offering” (ora ritual worship for Agni "who makes a good ritual worship") is perhapsindeed only a matter of our perception or whether it was, one way or theother, recognized by ancient exegetes of Vedic ritual; (2) whether thiscircularity or self-reference is seen as a defect – which it would have beenin the light of the classical logical theory of Bertrand RUSSELL – or asa neutral or even positive point; (3) whether any properties attributed tothe ritual episode are due not to the nature of the offering in terms of thedeities, prayers and offering substances involved, but to its circularity.3.2 The one who sets up the three fires of the solemn (Śrauta) ritualshould maintain these fires through his twice-daily Agnihotra: therelatively simple morning and evening offering which the sacrificer andhis wife can perform alone, without the help of other priests. Moreover,he should organize a more complicated ritual – a specific ceremony calledIṣṭi – every new- and full-moon, in which several priest-roles are to befulfilled: the hotar, adhvaryu, brahman and āgnīdhra. In these Iṣṭis at theoccasion of the new- and full-moon, the Darśa- and the Pūrṇa-māsa- Iṣṭis,offerings are made to certain chief divinities – normally a bread is offeredto Agni, clarified butter to Prajāpati, one bread to Agni-Soma and one toIndra “averter of enemies” (indra vaimdha). These offerings to the chiefdivinities are always followed by a Sviṣṭakt offering. The substance ofthis Sviṣṭakt offering consists of remainders of offering substances offered11The word Sviṣṭakt is used with reference to (1) Agni, where it refers to Agniin the form of Sviṣṭakt or to the Sviṣṭakt-aspect of Agni; or (2) with reference to theoffering to Agni Sviṣṭakt. RENOU 1953: 173 refers to both employments of the wordwhen he notes that Sviṣṭakt means an “oblation secondaire à Agni ‘qui rend bien offert(ce qui a été offert aux dieux)’.”