Sruva
Sruva · sruva, “the small ladle of the yajña”
Grammar: masculine noun, also sruvā in the Madhyama Parva: the small ladle.
Meaning: the small ladle of the yajña, by which ghee and other offerings are poured.
In the scriptures: the Madhyama Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa gives the rules of the sruvā.
Its wood. The woods praised for it are śrīparṇī, śiṃśapā, the milk-bearing trees, bilva and khadira, and a sruvā of these woods gives siddhi in a yāga. For deva-pratishṭhā the knowers of the śāstra also call āṃvalā, khadira and the kesara tree excellent. Bilva wood must not be taken on riktā and such tithis; one first fasts, gives up madya, māṃsa and all such things, and stays away from contact with women (Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 1, Chapters 19–21). It is also made of vikaṅkata wood (Bhāga 2, Chapters 14–16).
Its making. The sruvā and sruk may both be made from one piece of wood, by the procedure of the śāstra. With it are named the wooden darvī of gambhārī, tendū or a milk-bearing tree, twelve aṅgulas long with a lower maṇḍala of two aṅgulas, and the ājya-sthālī of copper or of clay (Bhāga 1, Chapters 19–21).
Its purifying. It is heated, wiped from root to tip with the sammārjana-kuśas, sprinkled thrice, heated again and set north of the prokshaṇī (Bhāga 2, Chapters 14–16).
Its uses. It is used in pratishṭhā, samprāśana, saṃskāra rites and yajñas, and caru is placed in it when arghya is given to Bhagavān Sūrya (Bhāga 1, Chapters 19–21). Cyavana Maharshi raised the sruva and gave the Aśvins their shares (Brahma Parva, Chapter 19). In the rite of Vināyaka, with darbhas in the left hand, one pours mustard oil on his head with a palāśa sruva (Chapter 23).
Related terms: Sruk · Darvī · Homa · Yajña
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapters 19, 23; Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 1, Chapters 19–21; Bhāga 2, Chapters 14–16