Barhis
object · 3 works · 16 mentions · 21 anchored passages
sacred grass · barhis · the sacred grass · eastward-facing sacred grass · sacred strewn grass · sacrificial grass · the underlayer
spoken of as
1 expressionSacred grass“barhis”11 mentions
Rigveda (Sanskrit) · Atharvaveda (Paippalāda) (Sanskrit) · Sāmaveda (Sanskrit)
Let the wise strew the sacred grass in succession, ghee-backed, where is the seat of the immortal.
in the texts
Rigveda
Sacred grass strewn as a seat for the gods during sacrifice.
O Agni, great as Mitra, with your brilliant flame, take your seat on the sacred grass with the gods.
let the well-extended oblation-bearing ladle anoint thee, the most adorable, to sit upon the barhis-grass.
We invoke for you Agni upon Agni, the irresistible, we who have strewn the barhis;
Atharvaveda (Paippalāda)
The sacred grass (barhis) spread in sacrificial ritual, whose direction of strewing is tied to specific deities or outcomes.
When one strews the barhis northward, it is cut off for King Soma and for the Seven Sages.
When one strews the barhis southward, it is cut off for Yama and for the Pitṛs.
When one strews the barhis eastward, it is cut off for the sacrifice and for the gods.
Sāmaveda
The ritually strewn grass (barhis) that forms the seat for gods and priests at the sacrifice.
Let Mitra and Aryaman take their seat on the sacred grass at the sacrifice with those who travel at dawn.
The goods you brought away, O Indra, the heavenly wealth from the asuras — increase the praiser thereof, O Maghavan, and those who have strewn the sacred grass for you.
This soma of yours, O Indra, is purified upon the sacred grass — come, hasten here, drink of it.