उपस्थितेऽतः, तद्वचनात् ॥ ४१ ॥
upasthite’taḥ, tadvacanāt || 41 ||
upasthite—When food is served; ataḥ—from that; tat-vacanāt—so (the Sruti) declares.
41. When food is served, from that (the Pranagnihotra is to be performed), for so (the Sruti) declares.
This refutes the view expressed in the last Sutra and says that the Pranagnihotra need not be performed on fasting days, for the Sruti says, “Therefore the first food which comes is meant for Homa. And he who offers that first oblation should offer it to Prana, saying Svaha” (Chh. 5.19.1). The importance given by the Sruti is only to the effect that the first portion of the food, on those days when it is taken, should be offered to the Pranas, and not that it should be observed even on fasting days.