[ p. 42 ]
1. [1] Under a propitious Nakshatra let him take a wife—
2. [2] Who should possess the auspicious characteristics in due way.
3. If he can find no such (woman, he should take) earth-clods—
4. [3] From an altar, a furrow, a pool, a cow-stable, a place where four roads meet, a gambling-place, a place where corpses are burnt, and from sterile soil;
5. A ninth (earth-clod) mixed of all.
6. (These he should make) equal (and should) make marks at them.
7. [4] Taking them in his hand he should offer them to the girl, and (reciting the formula): ‘Right alone is the first; right nobody oversteps; on right this earth is founded. May N.N. become this universe!’—he should pronounce her name and should say: ‘Take one of these.’
8. If she takes one of the first four (clods), he should marry her, [ p. 43 ]
9. [5] And according to some (teachers) also, if (she takes) the mixed one.
10. [6] After she has been washed with Klîtaka, barley and beans, a friend should besprinkle her three times at her head, so that her whole body becomes wet, with Surâ of first quality, with (the formula), ‘Kâma! I know thy name. Intoxication thou art by name,’ &c. (Mantra-Brâhmana I, 1, 2). (In the passage of the formula), ‘Bring hither N.N.,’ he should pronounce the husband’s name. (The Mantras should have) the word Svâhâ at their end. With the two following verses he should wash her private parts.
11. That has to be done by (female) relatives (of the bride).
12. At the wedding wood has been put on the fire to the east of the house, on a surface besmeared (with cow-dung).
13. [7] Then one of the people who assist at the wedding, fills a cup with ‘firm’ water, and having walked with the water-pot round the fire on its front side, silent, wrapped in his robe, he stations himself to the south (of the fire), facing the north
14. Another person with a goad (walks in the same way and stations himself in the same place). [ p. 44 ]
15. They place roasted grain mixed with Samî leaves, to the amount of four handfuls, in a winnowing basket behind the fire,
16. And an upper mill-stone.
17. [8] Now (the girl) whose hand he is going to seize, has been washed, (her whole body) including her head.
18. The husband should put on her a (new) garment which has not yet been washed, with the verse, ‘They who spun’ (Mantra-Brâhmana I, 1, 5), and with (the verse), ‘Put on her, dress her’ (l.l. 6).
19. Leading forward (from the house to the sacred fire, the bride) who is wrapped in her robe and wears the sacrificial cord over her left shoulder, he should murmur (the verse), ‘Soma gave her to the Gandharva’ (MB. I, 1, 7).
20. [9] While she, to the west of the fire, pushes forward with her foot a rush-mat or something else of that kind, veiled (with clothes), he should make her say: ‘May the way which my husband goes, be open to me.’
21. If she does not murmur (these words out of shame, &c.), he should murmur (them, saying), ‘To her’ (instead of ‘To me’).
22. She should make the end of the rush-mat (Sûtra 20) reach the end of the Barhis.
23. On the east end of the rush-mat she sits down to the right of the bridegroom. [ p. 45 ]
24. [10] While she touches his right shoulder with her right hand, he sacrifices six oblations of Âgya with (the verse), ‘May Agni go as the first,’ and the following (verses) (MB. I, 1, 9-14)—
25. And (three oblations) with the Mahâvyâhritis, one by one;
26. A fourth with (the four Mahâvyâhritis) together.
1. [11] After the sacrifice they both arise.
2. The husband passes behind her back, stations himself to the south, with his face turned to the north, and seizes the woman’s joined hands.
3. [12] (Standing) to the east (of the girl) her mother or her brother, having taken the roasted grain, should make the bride tread on the stone with the tip of her right foot.
4. The bridegroom murmurs: ‘Tread on this stone’ (MB. I, 2, 1).
5. Her brother filling once his joined hands with roasted grain, pours it into the bride’s joined hands.
6. [13] After (Âgya) has been spread under and poured over (the fried grain), she sacrifices that in the fire without opening her joined hands, with (the verse which the bridegroom [?] recites), ‘This woman says’ (MB. I, 2, 2).
7. [14] (The verses), ‘The god Aryaman,’ and, ‘Pûshan’ [ p. 46 ] (l.l. 3. 4) (are repeated) at the two following (oblations of fried grain).
8. [15] After that sacrifice the husband, passing (behind her back), returns in the same way, and leads her round the fire so that their right sides are turned towards it, or a Brâhmana versed in the Mantras (does the same), with (the verse), ‘The maid from the fathers’ (MB. I, 2, 5).
9. After she has thus been lead round, she stands as before (Sûtras 1. 2), and treads (on the stone) as before (Sûtra 3), and he murmurs the (Mantra) as before (Sûtra 4), and (her brother) pours (the fried grain into her hands) as before (Sûtra 5), and she sacrifices as before (Sûtra 6).
10. In the same way three times.
11. After (she) has poured the remnants (of the fried grain) into the fire, they make (her) step forward in a north-easterly direction with (the formula), ‘For sap with one step’ (MB. I, 2, 6. 7).
12. She should put forward her right foot (first) and should follow with the left.
13. (The bridegroom) should say (to her), ‘Do not put the left (foot) before the right.’
14. [16] The lookers-on he should address with (the verse), ‘Auspicious ornaments wears this woman’ (I. 1. 8).
15. [17] To the west of the fire the water-carrier follows (their way) and besprinkles the bridegroom on his forehead, and also the other one (i.e. the bride), [ p. 47 ] with this verse (which the bridegroom murmurs), ‘May (the Visve devâs) anoint (or, unite)’ (l.l. 9).
16. After she has been (thus) besprinkled, he puts up her joined hands with his left hand, seizes with his right hand her right hand with the thumb, her hand being turned with the palm upwards, and murmurs these six verses referring to the seizing of (a girl’s) hand, ‘I seize thy hand’ (MB. I, 2, 10-15).
17. When (these verses) are finished, they carry her away—
1. [18] To a convenient house of a Brâhmana, which is situated in a north-easterly direction.
2. There wood has been put on the (nuptial) fire.
3. [19] To the west of the fire a red bull’s hide has been spread out, with the neck to the east and with the hair outside.
4. On that they make the woman, who has to keep silence, sit down.
5. And (there) she remains sitting until the stars appear.
6. When (somebody) has said that a star has appeared, (the husband) sacrifices six oblations of Âgya with the (six verses) commencing with (the verse), ‘In the junctions of the lines’ (l.l. I, 3, 1-6).
7. The remnants of each oblation he should pour out over the bride’s head.
8. After the sacrifice they arise, go out (of the house), and he shows her the ‘firm star’ (i.e. the polar-star). [ p. 48 ]
9. (Repeating the formula): ‘Firm art thou. May I, N.N., become firm in the house of N.N., my husband’—she should pronounce her husband’s and her own name.
10. [20] And (he shows her besides the star) Arundhatî.
11. [21] (She says): ‘I (N.N.) am held fast,’ &c., as above (Sûtra 9).
12. He then addresses her with the verse, ‘Firm is the sky’ (MB. I, 3, 7).
13. [22] After she has been addressed (thus), she respectfully calls her Guru by his Gotra name.
14. [23] Thus she breaks her silence.
15. From that time through a period of three nights they should both avoid eating saline or pungent food, and should sleep together on the ground without having conjugal intercourse.
16. [24] Here, they say, an Argha reception (should be offered to the young husband).
17. Some say (that this reception should be offered) when (the bridegroom and his companions) have arrived (at the house of the bride’s father).
18. [25] The first food which he eats, should be food [ p. 49 ] fit for sacrifice, over which he has murmured (the verses quoted in Sûtra 21).
19. Or he should prepare on the following day a mess of cooked food, of which they eat together.
20. The deities to whom it belongs, are, Agni, Pragâpati, the Vigve devâs, and Anumati.
21. Having taken that food out (of the vessel in which it is), and having spread it out, he should touch one part of it with his hand, with (the verses), ‘With the tie of food, with the jewel’ (MB. I, 3, 8-10).
22. [26] After he has eaten, and has given the rest to the wife, (they may do) what they like.
23. [27] A cow is the sacrificial fee.
1. When she mounts the chariot, let him murmur the verse, ‘Adorned with Kimmuka flowers, of Salmali wood’ (MB. I, 3, 11).
2. [29] On the way he should address crossways, rivers and unevennesses (of the soil), big trees, and burial grounds, with (the verse), ‘May no waylayers meet us’ (ibid. 12).
3. [30] If the axle breaks, or something that is bound gets loose, or if the chariot is overturned, or if some other accident happens, they should put wood on the fire which they carry with themselves, should [ p. 50 ] make oblations (of Âriya) with the Vyâhritis, should procure a new piece (instead of that which has been damaged), and should besmear it with the remnants of the Âriya (that has been offered), with (the verse), ‘He who without binding’ (Sâma-veda I, 244).
4. Having sung the Vâmadevya, he should mount (again).
5. When they have arrived, the Vâmadevya (is sung).
6. When (the bride) has reached the house, Brâhmana women of good character, whose husbands and sons are living, make her descend (from the chariot), and make her sit down on a bull’s hide with (the verse which the husband recites), ‘Here, ye cows, bring forth calves’ (MB. I, 3, 13).
7. They should place a boy in her lap.
8. [31] Into the joined hands of that (boy) they should throw lotus-roots (?),
9. Or fruits.
10. [32] After she has made that boy rise, she sacrifices the eight ‘firm’ Âgya oblations with (the formula), ‘Here is steadiness’ (MB. I, 3, 14).
11. When she has finished, she puts a piece of wood (on the fire) and respectfully salutes the Gurus, according to seniority, with their Gotra names. Then they may do what they like.
[ p. 51 ]
1. [33] Now (follow) the ceremonies of the fourth day.
2. [34] Having put wood on the fire, he four times sacrifices expiatory Âgya oblations with (the formula), ‘Agni! Thou art expiation’ (MB. I, 4, 1)—
3. (And with the same formula), putting instead of Agni, Vâyu, Kandra, and Sûrya;
4. [35] A fifth oblation (with the names of the four gods) together, changing (in the Mantra the singular) into the plural.
5. The remnants of each oblation he should pour into a water-pot.
6. [36] With that (Âgya) they besmear her body, including her hair and nails, remove (that water and Âgya by rubbing her), and wash her.
7. After three nights have passed, they should cohabit, according to some (teachers).
8. When she has had her monthly illness and the blood has ceased to flow, that is the time for cohabiting.
9. With his right hand he should touch her secret parts with the verse, ‘May Vishnu make thy womb [ p. 52 ] ready’ (MB. I, 4, 6), and with that, ‘Give conception, Sinîvâlî’ (l.l. 7).
10. When those two verses are finished, they cohabit.
1. [37] The beginning of the third month of pregnancy is the time for the Pumsavana (i.e. the ceremony to secure the birth of a son).
2. In the morning, after she has been washed, sitting on northward-pointed Darbha grass, (all over her body) including her head, she sits down to the west of the fire on northward-pointed Darbha grass, facing the east.
3. Her husband, standing behind her, should grasp down with his right hand over her right shoulder, and should touch the uncovered place of her navel with the verse, ‘The two men, Mitra and Varuna’ (MB. I, 4, 8).
4. Then they may do what they like.
5. Then afterwards (the following ceremony should be performed).
6. In a north-easterly direction, having bought for three times seven barley corns or beans a Nyagrodha shoot which. has fruits on both sides, which is not dry and not touched by worms, he should set that up.
7. [38] (He buys it with the Mantras):
[ p. 53 ]
‘If thou belongest to Soma, I buy thee for the king Soma.
‘If thou belongest to Varuna, I buy thee for the king Varuna.
‘If thou belongest to the Vasus, I buy thee for the Vasus.
‘If thou belongest to the Rudras, I buy thee for the Rudras.
‘If thou belongest to the Âdityas, I buy thee for the Âdityas.
‘If thou belongest to the Maruts, I buy thee for the Maruts.
‘If thou belongest to the Visve devâs, I buy thee for the Visve devâs.’
8. He should set it up with (the Mantra), ‘Ye herbs, being well-minded, bestow strength on this (shoot); for it will do its work.’ Then he should put grass around it, should take it, and place it in the open air.
9. Having washed a nether mill-stone, a student or a (wife) addicted (to her husband), a person who is a Brâhmana by birth (only and not by learning), or a girl, pounds (that Nyagrodha shoot) without moving backward (the stone with which she pounds it).
10. In the morning, after she has been washed, sitting on northward-pointed Darbha grass, (all over her body), including her head, she lies down to the west of the fire on northward-pointed Darbha grass, with her head to the east.
11. Her husband, standing behind her, should seize (the pounded Nyagrodha shoot) with the [ p. 54 ] thumb and the fourth finger of his right hand, and should insert it into her right nostril with the verse, ‘A man is Agni, a man is Indra’ (MB. I, 4, 9).
12. Then they should do what they like.
1. [39] Now (follows) the Sîmantakarana (or parting of the hair), in her first pregnancy,—
2. In the fourth, or sixth, or eighth month (of her pregnancy).
3. [40] In the morning, after she has been washed, sitting on northward-pointed Darbha grass, (all over her body), including her head, she sits down to the west of the fire on northward-pointed Darbha grass, facing the east.
4. [41] Her husband, standing behind her, ties (to her neck) an Udumbara branch with an even number of unripe fruits on it, with (the verse), ‘Rich in sap is this tree’ (MB. I, 5, 1).
5. He then parts her hair upwards (i.e. beginning from the front), the first time with Darbha blades, with (the word), ‘Bhû_h_!’ the second time with (the word), ‘Bhuva_h_!’ the third time with (the word), ‘Sva_h_!’—
6. Then with (a splint of) Vîratara (wood) with this verse, ‘With which Aditi’s’ (ibid. 2); [ p. 55 ]
7. Then with a full spindle, with this verse, ‘I invoke Râkâ’ (ibid. 3. 4)
8. And with a porcupine’s quill that has three white spots, with (the verse), ‘Which are thy blessings, O Râkâ’ (ibid. 5).
9. (There should be prepared) a mess of boiled rice with sesamum seeds, covered with ghee; at that he should make her look.
10. Let him say to her, ‘What dost thou see?’ and make her answer, ‘Offspring!’
11. That (food) she should eat herself.
12. Brâhmana women should sit by her side, pronouncing auspicious words (such as), 'A mother of valiant sons! A mother of living sons! A living husband’s wife!’
13. [42] Now (follows) the sacrifice for the woman in labour.
14. When the child is appearing, he strews (Darbha grass) round the fire and sacrifices two Âsya oblations with this verse, ‘She who athwart’ (MB. I, 5, 6), and with (the verse), ‘Vipassit has taken away’ (ibid. 7).
15. ‘A male he will be born, N.N. by name’—(in this passage of the last verse) he pronounces a name.
16. What that (name is), is kept secret.
17. [43] When they announce to him that a son has been born, he should say, ‘Delay still cutting off the navel-string and giving him the breast.’
18. [44] Let him have rice and barley-grains pounded in the same way as the (Nyagrodha) shoot. [ p. 56 ]
19. [45] Seizing (that pounded substance) with the thumb and the fourth finger of his right hand, he smears it on the tongue of the boy, with the formula, ‘This order’ (MB. I, 5, 8).
20. In the same way the production of intelligence (is performed). He should give to eat (to the child) clarified butter.
21. Or he takes it with gold (i.e. with a golden spoon) and sacrifices it on the face of the boy with this verse, ‘May Mitra and Varuna bestow intelligence on thee’ (MB. I, 5, 9), and with (the verse), ‘The lord of the seat, the wonderful’ (Sâma-veda I, 171).
22. Let him say, ‘Cut off the navel-string,’ and, ‘Give the breast (to the child).’
23. [46] From that time let him not touch (his wife) until ten nights have passed.
1. [47] On the third (Tithi) of the third bright fortnight after his birth, in the morning the father has the child washed, including his head, and after sunset, when the evening-red has disappeared, he worships (the moon), holding up his joined hands.
2. Then the mother, having dressed the son in a clean garment, hands him, from south to north, with his face turned to the north, to the father. [ p. 57 ]
3. She then passes behind his back and stations herself to the north (of her husband).
4. He then murmurs (the three verses), ‘Thy heart, O thou whose hair is well parted’ (MB. I, 5, 10-12), and after he has, with the words (standing at the end of verse 12), ‘That this son may not come to harm (and thus be torn) from his mother’—
5. Handed him, from south to north, to his mother, they may do what they like.
6. [48] Then in the following bright fortnights (at the time) stated above (Sûtra I), the father, filling his joined hands with water and turning his face towards the moon, worships it—
7. Letting (the water) flow (out of his joined hands) once with the Yagus, ‘What in the moon’ (MB. I, 5, 13), and twice silently. Then they may do what they like.
8. [49] When ten nights have elapsed after (the child’s) birth, or a hundred nights, or one year, the Nâmadheyakarana (or giving a name to the child, is performed).
9. He who is going to perform (that ceremony—the father or a representative of the father), sits down to the west of the fire on northward-pointed Darbha grass, facing the east.
10. [50] Then the mother, having dressed the son in a clean garment, hands him, from south to north, [ p. 58 ] with his face turned to the north, to the performer (of the ceremony).
11. She then passes behind his back and sits down to the north (of him), on northward-pointed Darbha grass.
12. [51] He then sacrifices to Pragâpati, to the Tithi (of the child’s birth), to the Nakshatra (of the child’s birth), and to the (presiding) deity (of that Tithi and of that Nakshatra).
13. He then murmurs the Mantra, ‘Who art thou? What person art thou?’ (MB. I, 5, 14. 15), touching the sense-organs at (the boy’s) head.
14. [52] In (the passage of the Mantra), ‘Enter upon the month, that belongs to Ahaspati (i.e. the lord of days), N.N.!’ and at the end of the Mantra he should give him a name beginning with a sonant, with a semivowel in it, with a long vowel or the Visarga at the end, (and formed with) a Krit (suffix).
15. It should not contain a Taddhita (suffix).
16. (He should give a name with) an odd (number of syllables), ending in -dâ, to girls.
17. And after he has told the name to the mother first, they may do what they like.
18. A cow constitutes the sacrificial fee.
19. [53] Every month (after the birth) of the boy, (or) [ p. 59 ] after one year, or on the Parvan days of the year (i.e. on the last Tithi of each of the three seasons) he should sacrifice to Agni and Indra, to Heaven and Earth, and to the Visve devâs.
20. [54] Having sacrificed to the deity (of the Tithi and of the Nakshatra respectively), he should sacrifice to the Tithi and to the Nakshatra.
21. [55] When (the father) returns from a journey, or when (the son) begins to know, ‘This is my father,’ or when (the son) has been initiated, (the father) should grasp with his two hands his son round the head, and should murmur, ‘From limb by limb thou art produced’ (MB. I, 5, 16-18).
22. With (the formula), ‘With the cattle’s himkâra I kiss thee’ (l.l. 19) he should kiss him. Then he may do what he likes.
23. In the same way (he should do) to his younger sons—
24. According to their age or in the order in which he meets them.
25. [56] Girls he should silently kiss on their head; he should silently kiss them on their head.
[ p. 60 ]
1. [57] Now follows the tonsure of the child’s head, in the third year.
2. [58] To the east of the house on a surface besmeared (with cow-dung) wood has been put on the fire.
3. There the following things have been placed:
4. To the south (of the fire) twenty-one Darbha blades, a brass vessel with hot water, a razor of Udumbara wood or a mirror, and a barber with a razor in his hand;
5. [59] To the north, bull’s dung and a mess of boiled rice with sesamum seeds which may be more or less cooked.
6. [60] Let them fill vessels separately with rice and barley, with sesamum seeds and beans, and let them place (those vessels) to the east (of the fire).
7. The boiled rice with sesamum seeds (Sutra 5) and all seeds (mentioned in Sûtra 6) are given to the barber.
8. Then the mother, having dressed the son in a clean garment, sits down to the west of the fire on northward-pointed Darbha grass, facing the east. [ p. 61 ]
9. To the west (of her), facing the east, the person stations himself who is going to perform that (ceremony).
10. He then murmurs, fixing his thoughts on Savit_ri_, looking at the barber, (the Mantra), ‘Hither has come Savitri with his razor’ (MB. I, 6. 1).
11. [61] And fixing his thoughts on Vâyu, looking at the brass vessel with warm water, (he murmurs the Mantra), ‘With warm water, O Vâyu, come hither’ (ibid. 2).
12. Drawing water (out of that vessel) with his right hand he moistens the patch of hair on the right side (of the boy’s head) with (the Mantra), ‘May the waters moisten thee for life’ (ibid. 3).
13. With (the Mantra), ‘Vishnu’s tusk art thou’ (ibid. 4) he looks at the razor of Udumbara wood or at the mirror.
14. With (tile Mantra), ‘Herb! Protect him!’ (ibid. 5) he puts seven Darbha blades, with their points turned towards (the boy’s) head, into the patch of hair on the right side of his head.
15. Pressing them down with his left hand, and seizing with his right hand the razor of Udumbara wood or the mirror, he touches with it (the Darbha blades), with the (Mantra), ‘Axe! Do no harm to him!’ (ibid. 6).
16. With (the Mantra), ‘With which Pûshan has shaven Brihaspati’s head’ (ibid. 7), he moves forward (that razor or the mirror) three times towards the east without cutting (the hair); once with the Yarius, twice silently. [ p. 62 ]
17. Then (the barber) with the razor of metal cuts the hair and throws (the cut off hair ends) on the bull’s dung.
18. In the same way (after the same rites have been performed), he cuts the patch of hair on the back-side;
19. And that on the left side.
20. [62] He should repeat (when going to cut the hair on the back-side, and then again on the left side, the rites stated above), beginning from the moistening of the hair (Sûtra 12).
21. Grasping with his two hands (the boy) round his head he should murmur (the verse), ‘The threefold age of Gamadagni’ (MB. I, 6, 8).
22. In the same way (the rites are performed) for a girl,
23. (But) silently.
24. [63] The sacrifice, however, (is performed) with the Mantra.
25. [64] Walking away from the fire in a northerly direction they have the arrangement of (the boy’s) hair made according to the custom of his Gotra and of his family.
26. They throw the hair on the bull’s dung (mentioned above), take it to the forest, and bury it.
27. Some throw them on a bunch (of grass or the like). [ p. 63 ]
28. Then they may do what they like.
29. A cow constitutes the sacrificial fee.
1. [65] [66] In the eighth year after the conception let him initiate a Brâhmana,
2. In the eleventh year after the conception a Kshatriya,
3. In the twelfth year after the conception a Vaisya.
4. Until the sixteenth year the time has not passed for a Brâhmana, until the twenty-second for a Kshatriya, until the twenty-fourth for a Vainya.
5. [67] After that (time has passed), they become patitasâvitrîka (i.e. they have lost their right of being taught the Sâvitrî).
6. Let them not initiate such men, nor teach them, nor perform sacrifices for them, nor form matrimonial alliances with them.
7. On the day on which the youth is going to receive the initiation, on that day, early in the morning, they give him to eat, and have his hair arranged, and wash him, and deck him with ornaments, and put on him a (new) garment which has not yet been washed. [ p. 64 ]
8. [68] Their garments are made of linen, of hempen cloth, of cotton, or of wool (according to the caste to which the student belongs).
9. The skins (which they wear), are an antelope-skin, or the skin of a spotted deer, or a goat’s skin.
10. [69] Their girdles are made of Muñña grass, of Kâña grass, of Tâmbala.
11. Their staffs are of Parna wood, of Bilva wood, of Anvattha wood.
12. The garment of a Brâhmana is made of linen, or of hempen cloth, that of a Kshatriya, of cotton, that of a Vainya, of wool.
13. [70] Thereby also the other articles have been explained.
14. Or if (the proper articles prescribed) cannot be got, all (of them may be used) by (persons of) all castes.
15. [71] To the east of the house on a surface besmeared (with cow-dung) wood has been put on the fire.
16. Having sacrificed with (the Mantras which the student recites) ‘Agni! Lord of the vow’ (MB. I, 6, 9-13), the teacher stations himself to the west [ p. 65 ] of the fire, on northward-pointed Darbha grass, facing the east.
17. Between the fire and the teacher the student (stands), raising his joined hands, turning his face towards the teacher, on northward-pointed Darbha grass.
18. Standing on his south side a Brâhmana versed in the Mantras fills (the student’s) joined hands with water,
19. And afterwards (those) of the teacher.
20. Looking (at the student the teacher) murmurs (the verse), ‘With him who comes to us, we have come together’ (MB. I, 6, 14).
21. He causes (the student) to say, ‘I have come hither to studentship’ (ibid. 16).
22. [72] In (the words), ‘What is thy name’ (ibid. 17), he asks after his name.
23. The teacher chooses for him a name which he is to use at respectful salutations,
24. (A name) derived from (the name of) a deity or a Nakshatra,
25. Or also of his Gotra, according to some (teachers).
26. Having let the water run out of his joined [ p. 66 ] hands (over the student’s hands), the teacher with his right hand seizes (the student’s) right hand together with the thumb, with (the formula), ‘By the impulse of the god Savit_ri_, with the arms of the two Asvins, with Pûshan’s hands I seize thy hand, N.N.!’ (ibid. 18).
27. He then makes him turn round from left to right with (the formula), ‘Move in the sun’s course after him, N.N.!’ (ibid. 19).
28. Grasping down with his right hand over his right shoulder he should touch his uncovered navel with (the formula), ‘Thou art the knot of all breath’ (ibid. 20).
29. Raising himself (from the position implied in Sûtra 28, he should touch) the place near the navel with (the formula), ‘Ahura’ (ibid. 21).
30. Raising himself (still more, he should touch) the place of the heart with (the formula), ‘Kririana’ (ibid. 22).
31. Having touched from behind with his right hand (the student’s) right shoulder with (the formula), ‘I give thee in charge to Pragâpati, N.N.!’ (ibid. 23)—
32. And with his left (hand) the left (shoulder) with (the formula), ‘I give thee in charge to the god Savit_ri_, N.N.!’ (ibid. 24)—
33. [73] He then directs him (to observe the duties of Brahmakarya, by the formula), ‘A student art thou, N.N.!’ (ibid. 25).
34. ‘Put on fuel. Eat water. Do the service. Do not sleep in the day-time’ (ibid. 26).
35. Having gone in a northerly direction from [ p. 67 ] the fire, the teacher sits down to the east, on northward-pointed Darbha grass,
36. The student to the west, bending his right knee, turning his face towards the teacher, also on northward-pointed Darbha grass.
37. (The teacher) then ties round (the student) thrice from left to right the girdle made of Muñña grass and causes him to repeat (the verse), ‘Protecting us from evil word’ (ibid. 27), and (the verse), ‘The protectress of right’ (ibid. 28).
38. Then (the student) respectfully sits down near (the teacher) with (the words), ‘Recite, sir! May the reverend one recite the Sâvitrî to me.’
39. He then recites (the Sâvitrî, ibid. 29) to him, Pâda by Pâda, hemistich by hemistich, and the whole verse,
40. And the Mahâvyâhritis one by one, with the word Om at the end (ibid. 30).
41. And handing over to him the staff, which should be made of (the wood of) a tree, he causes him to repeat (the formula), ‘O glorious one, make me glorious’ (ibid. 31).
42. Then (the student) goes to beg food,
43. First of his mother, and of two other women friends, or of as many as there are in the neighbourhood.
44. He announces the alms (received) to his teacher.
45. The rest of the day he stands silently.
46. After sunset he puts a piece of wood on the fire with (the Mantra), ‘To Agni I have brought a piece of wood’ (ibid. 32).
47. Through a period of three nights he avoids eating pungent or saline food. [ p. 68 ]
48. At the end of that (period) a mess of boiled rice-grains (is offered) to Savit_ri_.
49. [74] Then he may do what he likes.
50. A cow constitutes the sacrificial fee.
End of the Second Prapâthaka.
42:1 1, 1-4. Description of the wedding. Comp. Indische Studien, V, 288, 305 seq.; 312 seq.; 368 seq. ↩︎
42:2 In translating kusalena I have been guided by the comparison of I, 5, 26 (comp. Böhtlingk-Roth, s.v. kusala). The commentary understands the Sûtra in a different way. He should take a woman who possesses auspicious characteristics commended by one versed (kusala) in the characteristics of women. If he can find no such person who is able to judge, he should, &c. (Sûtra 3). ↩︎
42:4 Comp. Ârivalâyana-Grihya I, 5, 5; Grihya-sarigraha II, 21-23. ↩︎
42:7 Ârivalâyana-Grihya, l.l. § 4. ↩︎
43:9 See Sûtra 5. ↩︎
43:10 ‘With Klîtaka,’ &c., means, with water into which Klîtaka, &c., has been thrown; comp. Grihya-sarigraha II, 15. ‘Surâ of first quality’ is Surâ prepared from molasses; see Grihya-sarigraha II, 16. Comp., however, also Grihya-sarigraha II, 41. ↩︎
43:13 Khâdira-Grihya I, 3, 5; Grihya-sarigraha II, 25. 26. ‘Firm water’ seems to be water which does not dry up. The Grihya-sarigraha says: ‘Water that has its smell, its colour, and its taste, which is in great rivers, in wells and other receptacles, and in ponds: such water is called “firm;” this is the fixed meaning.’ Comp. Bloomfield’s note, Z.D.M.G. XXXV, 574. ↩︎
44:17 17-19. Khâdira-Grihya I, 3, 6. Yaririopavîtinîm in Sûtra 19 means, according to the commentary, that she wears her outer garment arranged like the sacrificial cord, over her left shoulder; for women are not allowed to wear the sacrificial cord itself. ↩︎
44:20 Grihya-sarigraha II, 27 seq. ↩︎
45:24 24-26. Khâdira-Grihya I, 3, 11-13. ↩︎
45:1 2, 1 seqq. Khâdira-Grihya I, 3,16 seqq. ↩︎
45:3 The roasted grain is that mentioned chap. 1, 15, the stone, Sûtra 16. ↩︎
45:6 Comp. Grihya-sarigraha II, 34. ↩︎
45:7 On the repetitions of the lâgâhoma, see below, Sûtras 9. 10. ↩︎
46:8 As to the words ‘in the same way,’ see the second Sûtra of this chapter. ↩︎
46:14 14-16. Khâdira-Grihya I, 3, 27-31. ↩︎
46:15 Comp. Sâṅkhâyana-Grihya I, 12, 5 note (vol. xxix, p. 33) The water-carrier is the person mentioned chap. 1, 13. ↩︎
47:1 3, 1 seqq. Khâdira-Grihya I, 4, 1 seqq. ↩︎
47:3 This is the standing description of the bull’s hide used at the Srauta or Grihya ceremonies; comp. Sâṅkhâyana I, 16, 1 note. ↩︎
48:10 Ârivalâyana-Grihya I, 7, 22. ↩︎
48:11 The play on words (Arundhatî—ruddhâ) is untranslatable. ↩︎
48:13 ‘Her Guru’ means, according to the commentary, her husband. The commentary quotes the well-known sentence: patir eko guru_h strîn_âm. Perhaps we may also take the Guru for the Brâhma strîa in whose house they stay. Comp. also chap. 4, 11. ↩︎
48:14 Comp. above, Sûtra 4. ↩︎
48:16 16, 17. Khâdira-Grihya I, 4, 7. 8. Comp. Sâṅkhâyana-Grihya I, 12, to note. The Gobhila commentary states that this Argha reception should be offered by the bride’s father. On the different opinions of the Sâṅkhâyana commentaries see the note quoted. ↩︎
48:18 Khâdira-Grihya I, 4, 10. ↩︎
49:22 Khâdira-Grihya I, 4, 11. 14. ↩︎
49:23 Khâdira-Grihya I, 4, 6. ↩︎
49:4 The way of the bridegroom with the bride to their new home, and their arrival. ↩︎
49:2 Perhaps a part of this Sûtra is based on a half Sloka, the two parts of which have been transposed in the prose version, mahâvrikshân _srisrimrikrisrikrinrik_a. ↩︎
49:3 Comp. Pâraskara I, 10. ↩︎
50:8 The explanation of _sakalotakalos_âlûka is doubtful. Prof. Weber believes that we ought to read _sakalot_ân (lumps of dung); see Indische Studien, V, 371. ↩︎
50:10 ‘Firm’ oblations seem to mean oblations by which the wife obtains a firm abode in her husband’s house. Comp. Indische Studien, V, 376. ↩︎
51:1 5, 1. The Katurthîkarman. ↩︎
51:2 2, 3. Comp. Sâṅkhâyana-Grihya I, 18, 3; Khâdira-Grihya I, 4, 12. ↩︎
51:4 I.e. instead of prâyassitte (expiation) he uses the plural prâyassittaya_h_; and he says, ‘you are the expiations of the gods,’ &c. ↩︎
51:6 Khâdira-Grihya I, 4,13. Hrâsayitvâ literally means, ‘having shortened her.’ She is ‘shortened’ by the removing of the substance with which they have besmeared her (hrâsayitvâ udvartanâdinâ tad abhyaririanam apanîya, says the commentary). Comp. on the technical meaning of hrâsana the Grihya-sarigraha II, 38, 8-10; Khâdira-Grihya I, 4, 15. 16. ↩︎
52:1 6, 1 seq. The Pumsavana. Khâdira-Gmhya II, 2, 17 seq. On âdisademe the commentary says, âdisademe âdisamîpaprademe prathame tmtîyabhâge, ity etat. âdimadema iti pâme vyakta evârtha_h_. To me it seems probable that âdimademe is the true reading. ↩︎
52:7 The first Mantra consists of seven sections; with each of p. 53 these sections he should, according to the commentary, give three barley corns or beans to the owner of the Nyagrodha tree, or put them down at the root of the tree. ↩︎
54:1 7, 1. seq. The Sîmantakarana or Sîmantonnayana. Khâdira-Gnhya II, 2, 24 seq. ↩︎
54:3 This Sûtra is identical with chap. 6, 2. ↩︎
54:4 _salât_ugrathnam should be emended, in my opinion, so as to read salâalâugrapsam. Comp. Pâraskara I, 15, 4: yugmena saalââlugrapsenaudumbarealâa. Âalâvalâyana I, 14,4: yugmena _salât_uglapsena. Hiraalâyakealâin II, 1: salâtugrapsam upasaalâgalâhya. ↩︎
55:13 13 seq. The soshyantîhoma. Khâdira-Grihya II, 2, 28 seq. ↩︎
55:17 17 seq. Ceremonies for the new-born child (Gâtakarman). Khâdira-Grihya II, 2, 32 seq. ↩︎
55:18 See above, chap. 6, 9. ↩︎
56:19 Comp. above, chap. 6, 11. ↩︎
56:23 The impurity (asausa) of the mother lasts through ten days after her confinement; comp. the note on Sâṅkhâyana-Gshya I, 25, 1 (vol. xxix, p. 51). ↩︎
56:1 8, 1 seq. Khâdira-Grihya II, 3, 1 seq. ↩︎
57:6 I am not sure about the meaning of prathamoddishta eva. I have translated according to the commentary, which has the following note: prathamoddishta eva prathama_mthttththtri_tîyâyâm ity etat.—The commentary then mentions a reading prathamodita eva, in which udita may either be derived from vad or from ud-i. ↩︎
57:8 8 seq. The Nâmakarana. Khâdira-Gnhya. II, 3, 6 seq. ↩︎
57:10 10, 11. Comp. above, Sûtras 2. 3. ↩︎
58:12 Sâṅkhâyana-Grihya I, 25, 5. In the same Grihya the enumeration of the Nakshatras with their presiding deities is given, I, 26. ↩︎
58:14 Sâṅkhâyana-Grihya I, 24, 4; Ârivalâyana I, 15, 4; Pâraskara I, 17, 2. In the text read dîrghâbhinishriânânta_mrithrim_. ↩︎
58:19 Monthly sacrifice in commemoration of the child’s birth. Possibly we should translate: Every month (after the birth) of the boy, through one year (comp. Sâṅkhâyana I, 25, 10. 11), or on the Parvan days, &c. ↩︎
59:20 Sâṅkhâyana-Grihya I, 25, 6. ↩︎
59:21 21 seq. The father’s returning from a journey. Khâdira-Grihya II, 3,13 seq. As to upeta, comp. Sâṅkhâyana-Grihya II, I, 1 note. The position of the words in Sûtra 21 is irregular, so as to raise the suspicion that the words yadâ vâ. . . . upetasya vi (‘or when the son begins to know . . . has been initiated’) are an insertion into the text of Gobhila, made by a later compiler, or into a more ancient text, made by Gobhila himself. Comp. Pâraskara I, 18. ↩︎
59:25 As to the repetition of the last words of this Sûtra, see the notes on I, 4, 31; II, 10, 50; III, 6, 15. ↩︎
60:1 9, 1. The _Kûdûn_a. Khâdira-Gûhya II, 3, 16 seq. On the literal meaning of _Kûd_âkarana, see Sâṅkhâyana I, 28, 1 note. ↩︎
60:2 Comp. above, II, 1, 13. ↩︎
60:5 Comp. above, chap. 7, 9; Grihya-sarigraha II, 39. ↩︎
60:6 I believe that four vessels were filled, one with rice, one with barley, one with sesamum seeds, and one with beans. The Dvandva compounds vrîhiyavais and tilamâshais cannot justify the conclusion that one vessel was filled with rice and barley mixed, and another with sesamum seeds and beans, for the plural pâtrâni shows that there were more than two vessels. Ânvalâyana I, 17, 2, says, vrîhiyavamâshatilânâ_mnrinnnsnn_i. ↩︎
61:11 I have translated the Mantra according to the reading of Ârivalâyana (Grihya I; 17, 6) and Pâraskara (II, 1, 6): ushriena Vâya udakenehi. Gobhila has udakenaidhi. ↩︎
62:20 Thus on the back-side seven Darbha blades are put into the hair, and on the left side seven. This makes, together with the seven blades put into the hair on the right side (Sûtra 14), twenty-one, the number stated in Sûtra 4. ↩︎
62:24 In the description of the Kûâkaraâkaraâkaraa given in this chapter no sacrifice is mentioned. See, however, I, 9, 28. ↩︎
62:25 Grihya-sarigraha II, 40. ↩︎
63:1 10, 1 seq. The initiation of the student. Khâdira-Grihya II, 4, 1 seq. ↩︎
63:4 1-4. On the number of years given for the Upanayana of persons of the three castes, see the note on Sâṅkhâyana-Grihya II, I, 1. ↩︎
63:5 5, 6. See the note on Sâṅkhâyana-Grihya II, I, 9. ↩︎
64:8 There are four kinds of garments indicated, though only persons of three castes are concerned. The explanation of this apparent incongruence follows from Sûtra 12. ↩︎
64:10 Tâmbala is stated to be a synonym for _san_a (hemp). ↩︎
64:13 As the garments indicated in Sûtra 8 belong, in the order in which they are stated, to persons of the three castes respectively, thus also of the skins (Sûtra 9), of the girdles (Sûtra 10), and of the staffs (Sûtra 11); the first is that belonging to a Brâhmana, the second, to a Kshatriya, and the third, to a Vainya. ↩︎
64:15 Comp. above, chap. 9, 2. ↩︎
65:22 22, 23. It is evident that the words tasyâkâryah belong to Sûtra 23, and not to Sûtra 22, to which the traditional division of the Sûtras assigns them. The corresponding section of the Mantra-Brâhmaka runs thus: ‘What is thy name?’—‘My name is N.N.!’ It is not clear whether the student, being questioned by the teacher, had to indicate his ordinary name, and then to receive from the teacher his ‘abhivâdanîya nâmadheya,’ or whether he had to pronounce, on the teacher’s question, directly the abhivâdanîya name chosen for him by the teacher. The commentary and the corresponding passage of the Khâdira-Gkhya (II, 4, 12) are in favour of the second alternative. ↩︎
66:33 33, 34. Comp. Sâṅkhâyana-Grihya II, 4, 5 note. ↩︎
68:49 49, 50. Dr. Knauer very pertinently calls attention to the fact that these Sûtras are not repeated, as is the rule with regard to the concluding words of an Adhyâya or Prapâthaka. Comp. chap. 8, 25 note. ↩︎