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The Grihya Sutras, Part 1 (SBE29), by Hermann Oldenberg, [1886], at sacred-texts.com


p. 191

KANDIKÂ 22.

1. Having tied the girdle round him and given him the staff, he should impose the (observances of the) Brahmakarya on him—

2. (With the words), 'A Brahmakârin thou art. Eat water. Do the service. Do not sleep in the day-time. Devoted to the teacher study the Veda.'

3. Twelve years lasts the Brahmakarya for (each) Veda, or until he has learnt it.

4. Let him beg (food) in the evening and in the morning.

5. Let him put fuel on (the fire) in the evening and in the morning.

6. Let him beg first of a man who will not refuse,

7. Or of a woman who will not refuse.

8. (In begging he should use the words), 'Sir, give food!'

9. Or, '(Sir, give) Anupravakanîya (food).'

10 10. That (which he has received) he should announce to his teacher.

11. He should stand the rest of the day.

12 12. After sunset (the student) should cook the Brâhmaudana (or boiled rice with which the Brâhmanas are to be fed) for the Anupravakanîya sacrifice (the sacrifice to be performed after a part of the Veda has been studied), and should announce to the teacher (that it is ready).

p. 192

13. The teacher should sacrifice, while the student takes hold of him, with the verse, 'The wonderful lord of the abode' (Rig-Veda I, 18, 6).

14. A second time with the Sâvitrî—

15 15. And whatever else has been studied afterwards.

16. A third time to the Rishis.

17. A fourth time (the oblation) to (Agni) Svishtakrit.

18 18. Having given food to the Brâhmanas he should cause them to pronounce the end of the Veda (study).

19. From that time (the student) should eat no saline food; he should observe chastity, and should sleep on the ground through three nights, or twelve nights, or one year.

20 20. When he has fulfilled those observances, (the teacher) performs (for him) the 'production of intelligence,' (in the following way):

21 21. While (the student) towards an unobjectionable direction (of the horizon) sprinkles thrice (water) from the left to the right with a water-pot round a

p. 193

[paragraph continues] Palâsa (tree) with one root, or round a Kusa bunch, if there is no Palâsa, (the teacher) causes him to say, 'O glorious one, thou art glorious. As thou, O glorious one, art glorious, thus, O glorious one, lead me to glory. As thou art the preserver of the treasure of sacrifice for the gods, thus may I become the preserver of the treasure of the Veda for men.'

22 22. Thereby, beginning with his having the hair cut, and ending with the giving in charge, the imposing of observances has been declared.

23. Thus for one who has not been initiated before.

24. Now as regards one who has been initiated before:

25 25. The cutting of the hair is optional,

26 26. And the 'production of intelligence.'

27 27. On the giving in charge there are no express rules (in this case);

28 28. And on the time.

29 29. (He should recite to him) as the Sâvitrî (the Rik),'That we choose of god Savitri' (Rig-veda V, 82, 1).


Footnotes

191:9 22, 9. Food for the Anupravakanîya offering; see Sûtra 12.

191:10 Sâṅkhâyana-Grihya II, 6, 7; Pâraskara II, 5, 8.

191:12 'The student should, according to the rules for the Pâkayagñas, cook the Anupravakanîya food and announce it to the teacher in the words, "The food is cooked."' Nârâyana.

192:15 Nârâyana mentions as such texts especially those belonging to the Âranyaka, viz. the Mahânâmnyas, the Mahâvrata, and the Upanishad. But there is no reason why we should not think quite as well of the Rig-veda Samhitâ itself.

192:18 'He should say, "Sirs! Pronounce the end of the Veda (study)." And they should reply, "May an end of the Veda (study) be made."' Nârâyana.

192:20 Comp. above, chap. 15, 2.

192:21 'The objectionable directions are three, the south, the southeast, the south-west.' Nârâyana.

Susravas, which I have translated by 'glorious,' at the same time means, 'endowed with good hearing,' i.e. successful in study. The student therefore by the same word prays for glory and for success in Vedic learning.

193:22 The rules stated above for the Upanayana, beginning with the prescription regarding the cutting of the hair (given chap. 19, so in the words, 'whose [hair on the] head is arranged;' see the note there), and ending with the ceremony prescribed chap. 20, 8, are to be extended also to other cases of the imposing of a vow, such, for instance, as that mentioned chap. 18, 9.

193:25 See chap. 79, 10.

193:26 See above, Sûtra 20.

193:27 See chap. 20, 8.

193:28 See chap. 4, 1.

193:29 Instead of the ordinary Sâvitrî, Rig-veda III, 62, 10.


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