Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 14: The Aśvamedha Sacrifice
Text 1.14.39
प्लक्षशाखासु यज्ञानामन्येषां क्रियते हविः।
अश्वमेधस्य यज्ञस्य वैतसो भाग इष्यते॥
plakṣa-śākhāsu yajñānām anyeṣāṁ kriyate haviḥ
aśvamedhasya yajñasya vaitaso bhāga iṣyate
plakṣa-śākhāsu = using the branches of a plakṣa tree; yajñānām = in sacrifices; anyeṣām = othe; kriyate = is offered; haviḥ = the vapā oblation; aśvamedhasya yajñasya = but for the Aśvamedha sacrifice; vaitasaḥ = of a vetasa reed; bhāgaḥ = using a part; iṣyate = it is offered.
The vapā oblation in other sacrifices is offered using the branches of a plakṣa tree. But for the Aśvamedha sacrifice, it is offered using a part of a vetasa reed [26].
A part of the vetasa reed is used to place the vapā in the case of the Aśvamedha sacrifice [27].