| Grihya Sûtra of Hiranyakesin — Introductory Note | Title page | Grihya Sûtra of Hiranyakesin — Prasna I, Patala 2 |
[ p. 136 ]
[ p. 137 ]
1. We shall explain the Upanayana (i.e. the initiation of the student).
2. [1] Let him initiate a Brâhmana at the age of seven years,
3. A Râganya, of eleven, a Vaigya, of twelve.
4. [2] A Brâhmana in the spring, a Rânanya in the summer, a Vainya in the autumn.
5. In the time of the increasing moon, under an auspicious constellation, preferably (under a constellation) the name of which is masculine,
6. [3] He should serve food to an even number of Brâhmanas and should cause them to say, ‘An auspicious day! Hail! Good luck!’—
7. (Then he) should have the boy satiated, should [ p. 138 ] have his hair shaven, and after (the boy) has bathed and has been decked with ornaments—
8. He should dress him in a (new) garment which has not yet been washed.
9. [4] In a place inclined towards the east, (or) inclined towards the north, (or) inclined towards northeast, or in an even (place), he raises (the surface on which he intends to sacrifice), sprinkles it with water,
10. Kindles fire by attrition, or fetches common (worldly) fire, puts the fire down, and puts wood on the fire.
11. [5] He strews eastward-pointed Darbha grass round the fire;
12. Or (the grass which is strewn) to the west and to the east (of the fire), may be northward-pointed.
13. [6] He (arranges the Darbha blades so as to) lay the southern (blades) uppermost, the northern ones below, if their points are turned (partly) towards the east and (partly) towards the north.
14. [7] Having strewn Darbha grass, to the south of the fire, in the place destined for the Brahman,
15. [8] Having with the two (verses), ‘I take (the fire) to myself,’ and, ‘The fire which (has entered)’—taken possession of the fire,
16. [9] And having, to the north of the fire, spread out Darbha grass, he prepares the (following) objects, [ p. 139 ] according as they are required (for the ceremony which he is going to perform):
17. [10] A stone, a (new) garment which has not yet been washed, a skin (of an antelope, or a spotted deer, &c.), a threefold-twisted girdle of Muñña grass if he is a Brâhmaña (who shall be initiated), a bowstring for a Râñanya, a woollen thread for a Vaiñya, a staff of Bilva or of Palâña wood for a Brâhmaña, of Nyagrodha wood for a Râñanya, of Udumbara wood for a Vaiñya.
18. [11] He binds together the fuel, twenty-one pieces of wood, or as many as there are oblations to be made.
19. Together with that fuel he ties up the (three) branches of wood which are to be laid round the fire, (which should have the shape of) pegs.
20. [12] (He gets ready, besides, the spoon called) Darvî, a bunch of grass, the Âgya pot, the pot for the Pranîta water, and whatever (else) is required;
21. All (those objects) together, or (one after the other) as it happens.
22. [13] At that time the Brahman suspends the sacrificial cord over his left shoulder, sips water, passes by the fire, on its west side, to the south side, throws away a grass blade from the Brahman’s seat, touches water, and sits down with his face turned towards the fire. [ p. 140 ]
23. [14] He takes as ‘purifiers’ two straight Darbha blades with unbroken points of one span’s length, cuts them off with something else than his nail, wipes them with water, pours water into a vessel over which he has laid the purifiers, fills (that vessel) up to near the brim, purifies (the water) three times with the two Darbha strainers, holding their points to the north, places (the water) on Darbha grass on the north side of the fire, and covers it with Darbha grass.
24. [15] Having consecrated the Prokshanî water by means of the purifiers as before, having placed the vessels upright, and having untied the fuel, he sprinkles (the sacrificial vessels) three times with the whole (Prokshanî water).
25. [16] Having warmed the Darvî spoon (over the fire), having wiped it, and warmed it again, he puts it down.
26. Having besprinkled (with water) the Darbha grass with which the fuel was tied together, he throws it into the fire.
27. [17] He melts the Âya into the Âya, pours the Âya into the Âya into the Âya into the Âya pot over which he has laid the purifiers, takes some coals (from the fire) towards the north, puts (the Âya into the Âya) on these (coals), throws light (on the [ p. 141 ] Âya into the Âya by means of burning Darbha blades), throws two young Darbha shoots into it, moves a fire-brand round it three times, takes it (from the coals) towards the north, pushes the coals back (into the fire), purifies the Âya into the Âya three times with the two purifiers, holding their points towards the north, (drawing them through the Âya into the Âya from west to east and) taking them back (to the west each time), throws the two purifiers into the fire,
1. [18] And lays the (three) pegs round (the fire).
2. On the west side (of the fire) he places the middle (peg), with its broad end to the north,
3. On the south side (of the fire the second peg), so that it touches the middle one, with its broad end to the east,
4. On the north side (of the fire the third peg), so that it touches the middle one, with its broad end to the east.
5. To the west of the fire (the teacher who is going to initiate the student), sits down with his face turned towards the east.
6. To the south (of the teacher) the boy, wearing the sacrificial cord over his left shoulder, having sipped water, sits down and touches (the teacher).
7. [19] Then (the teacher) sprinkles water round the fire (in the following way):
8. On the south side (of the fire he sprinkles [ p. 142 ] water) from west to east with (the words), ‘Aditi! Give thy consent!’—
9. On the west side, from south to north, with (the words), ‘Anumati! Give thy consent!’ On the north side, from west to east, with (the words), ‘Sarasvatî! Give thy consent!’—
10. On all sides, so as to keep his right side turned towards (the fire), with (the Mantra), ‘God Savit_ri_! Give thy impulse!’ (Taitt. Samh. I, 7, 7, 1).
11. [20] Having (thus) sprinkled (water) round (the fire), and having anointed the fuel (with Âgya), he puts it on (the fire) with (the Mantra), ‘This fuel is thy self, Gâtavedas! Thereby thou shalt be inflamed and shalt grow. Inflame us and make us grow; through offspring, cattle, holy lustre, and through the enjoyment of food make us increase. Svâhâ!’
12. He then sacrifices with the (spoon called) Darvi (the following oblations):
13. [21] Approaching the Darvi (to the fire) by the northerly junction of the pegs (laid round the fire), and fixing his mind on (the formula), ‘To Pragâpati, to Manu svâhâ!’ (without pronouncing that Mantra), he sacrifices a straight, long, uninterrupted (stream of Âgya), directed towards the south-east.
14. Approaching the Darvi (to the fire) by the southern junction of the pegs (laid round the fire), [ p. 143 ] (he sacrifices) a straight (stream of Âgya), directed towards the northeast, with (the Mantra which he pronounces), ‘To Indra svâhâ!’
15. Having (thus) poured out the two Âghâra oblations, he sacrifices the two Âgyabhâgas,
16. [22] With (the words), ‘To Agni svâhâ!’ over the easterly part of the northerly part (of the fire); with (the words), ‘To Soma svâhâ!’ over the easterly part of the southerly part (of the fire).
17. [23] Between them he sacrifices the other (oblations).
18. [24] (He makes four oblations with the following Mantras): 'Thou whom we have set to work, Gâtavedas! carry forward (our offerings). Agni! Perceive this work (i.e. the sacrifice), as it is performed (by us). Thou art a healer, a creator of medicine. Through thee may we obtain cows, horses, and men. Svâhâ!
‘Thou who liest down athwart, thinking, “It is I who keep (all things) asunder:” to thee who art propitious (to me), I sacrifice this stream of ghee in the fire. Svâhâ!
‘To the propitious goddess svâhâ!
‘To the accomplishing goddess svâhâ!’
[ p. 144 ]
1. This is the rite for all Darvi-sacrifices.
2. [25] At the end of the Mantras constantly the word Svâhâ (is pronounced).
3. [26] (Oblations) for which no Mantras are prescribed (are made merely with the words), ‘To such and such (a deity) svâhâ!’—according to the deity (to whom the oblation is made).
4. [27] He sacrifices with the Vyâhritis, ‘Bhû_h_! Bhuva_h_! Suva_h_!’—with the single (three Vyâhritis) and with (the three) together.
5. [28] (The Mantras for the two chief oblations are), the (verse), ‘Life-giving, Agni!’ (Taitt. Brâhmana I, 2, 1, 11), (and),
‘Life-giving, O god, choosing long life, thou whose face is full of ghee, whose back is full of ghee, Agni, drinking ghee, the noble ambrosia that comes from the cow, lead this (boy) to old age, as a father (leads) his son. Svâhâ!’
6. (Then follow oblations with the verses),
‘This, O Varuna’ (Taitt. Sanh. II, 1, 11, 6),
‘For this I entreat thee’ (Taitt. Samh., loc. cit.),
[ p. 145 ]
‘Thou, Agni’ (Taitt. Samh. II, 5, 12, 3),
‘Thus thou, Agni’ (Taitt. Samh., loc. cit.),
‘Thou, Agni, art quick. Being quick, appointed (by us) in our mind (as our messenger), thou who art quick, earnest the offering (to the gods). O quick one, bestow medicine on us! Svâhâ!’—(and finally) the (verse),
‘Pragâpati!’ (Taitt. Sagh. I, 8, 14, 2).
7. [29] (With the verse), ‘What I have done too much in this sacrifice, or what I have done here deficiently, all that may Agni Svishtaktt, he who knows it, make well sacrificed and well offered for me. To Agni Svishtaktt, the offerer of well-offered (sacrifices), the offerer of everything, to him who makes us succeed in our offerings and in our wishes, svâhâ!’—he offers (the Svishtaktt oblation) over the easterly part of the northerly part (of the fire), separated from the other oblations.
8. [30] Here some add as subordinate oblations, before the Svishtaktt, the Gaya, Abhyâtâna, and Râshtrabhtt (oblations).
9. [31] The Gaya (oblations) he sacrifices with (the thirteen Mantras), ‘Thought, svâhâ! Thinking, svâhâ!’—or, ‘To thought svâhâ! To thinking svâhâ!’ (&c.);
10. [32] The Abhyâtâna (oblations) with (the eighteen Mantras), ‘Agni is the lord of beings; may he protect me’ (&c.).
11. [33] (The words), ‘In this power of holiness, in [ p. 146 ] this worldly power (&c.)’ are added to (each section of) the Abhyâtâna formulas.
12. [34] With (the last of the Abhyâtâna formulas) ‘Fathers! Grandfathers!’ he sacrifices or performs worship, wearing the sacrificial cord over his right shoulder.
13. [35] The Râshtrabhtt (oblations he sacrifices) with (the twelve Mantras), ‘The champion of truth, he whose law is truth.’ After having quickly repeated (each) section, he sacrifices the first oblation with (the words), ‘To him svâhâ!’ the second (oblation) with (the words), ‘To them svâhâ!’
14. [36] Having placed a stone near the northerly junction of the pegs (which are laid round the fire), (the teacher)—
1. [37] Makes the boy tread on (that stone) with his right foot, with (the verse), ‘Tread on this stone; like a stone be firm. Destroy those who seek to do thee harm; overcome thy enemies.’ [ p. 147 ]
2. [38] After (the boy) has taken off his old (garment), (the teacher) makes him put on a (new) garment that has not yet been washed, with (the verses),
‘The goddesses who spun, who wove, who spread out, and who drew out the skirts on both sides, may those goddesses clothe thee with long life. Blessed with life put on this garment.
‘Dress him; through (this) garment make him reach a hundred (years) of age; extend his life. Brihaspati has given this garment to king Soma that he may put it on.
‘Mayst thou live to old age; put on the garment! Be a protector of the human tribes against imprecation. Live a hundred years, full of vigour; clothe thyself in the increase of wealth.’
3. [39] Having (thus) made (the boy) put on (the new garment, the teacher) recites over him (the verse),
‘Thou hast put on this garment for the sake of welfare; thou hast become a protector of thy friends against imprecation. Live a hundred long years; a noble man, blessed with life, mayst thou distribute wealth.’
4. [40] He then winds the girdle three times from left to right round (the boy, so that it covers) his navel. (He does so only) twice, according to some (teachers). (It is done) with (the verse),
[ p. 148 ]
‘Here she has come to us who drives away sin, purifying our guard and our protection, bringing us strength by (the power of) inhalation and exhalation, the sister of the gods, this blessed girdle.’
5. On the north side of the navel he makes a threefold knot (in the girdle) and draws that to the south side of the navel.
6. [41] He then arranges for him the skin (of an antelope, &c., see Sûtra 7) as an outer garment, with (the Mantras),
‘The firm, strong eye of Mitra, glorious splendour, powerful and flaming, a chaste, mobile vesture, this skin put on, a valiant (man), N.N.!
‘May Aditi tuck up thy garment, that thou mayst study the Veda, for the sake of insight and belief and of not forgetting what thou hast learnt, for the sake of holiness and of holy lustre!’
7. [42] The skin of a black antelope (is worn) by a Brâhmana, the skin of a spotted deer by a Rânanya, the skin of a he-goat by a Vainya.
8. [43] He then gives him in charge (to the gods), a Brâhmana with (the verse), ‘We give this (boy) in charge, O Indra, to Brahman, for the sake of great learning. May he (Brahman?) lead him to old age, and may he (the boy) long watch over learning.’
[ p. 149 ]
A Râganya (he gives in charge to the gods) with (the verse), ‘We give this boy in charge, O Indra, to Brahman, for the sake of great royalty. May he lead him to old age, and may he long watch over royalty.’
A Vaisya (he gives in charge) with (the verse), ‘We give this boy in charge, O Indra, to Brahman, for the sake of great wealth. May he lead him to old age, and may he long watch over wealth.’
9. [44] (The teacher) makes him sit down to the west of the fire, facing the north, and makes him eat the remnants of the sacrificial food, with these (Mantras), ‘On thee may wisdom, on thee may offspring’ (Taitt. Âranyaka, Andhra redaction, X, 44),—altering (the text of the Mantras).
10. [45] Some make (the student) eat ‘sprinkled butter.’
11. (The teacher) looks at (the student) while he is eating, with the two verses, ‘At every pursuit we invoke strong (Indra)’ (Taitt. Samh. IV, 1, 2, 1), (and), ‘Him, Agni, lead to long life and splendour’ (Taitt: Samh. II, 3, 10, 3).
12. Some make (the boy) eat (that food with these two verses).
13. [46] After (the boy) has sipped water, (the teacher) causes him to touch (water) and recites over him (the verse), ‘A hundred autumns are before us, O gods, before ye have made our bodies decay, before (our) [ p. 150 ] sons have become fathers; do not destroy us before we have reached (our due) age.’
End of the First Patala.
| Grihya Sûtra of Hiranyakesin — Introductory Note | Title page | Grihya Sûtra of Hiranyakesin — Prasna I, Patala 2 |
137:2 1, 2. The statement commonly given in the Grihya-sûtras and Dharma-sûtras is, that the initiation of a Brâhmaria shall take place in his eighth year, though there are differences of opinion whether in the eighth year after conception, or after birth (Ârivalâyana-Grihya I, 19, 1. 2). Mâtridatta states that the rule given here in the Grihya-sûtra refers to the seventh year after birth. In the Dharma-sûtra (comp. Âpastamba I, 1, 18) it is stated that the initiation of a Brâhmaria shall take place in the eighth year after his conception. Comp. the remarks of Professor Bidder, S.B.E., vol. ii, p. xxiii. ↩︎
137:4 Âpastamba I, 1, 18. ↩︎
137:6 Comp. Âpastamba I, 13, 8 with Bühler’s note. ↩︎
138:9 Pâraskara I, 1, 2; 4, 3; Âsvalâyana I, 3, 1, &c. ↩︎
138:11 Âsvalâyana l.l.; Sâṅkhâyana I, 8, 1, &c. ↩︎
138:13 Gobhila I, 7, 14. ↩︎
138:14 Gobhila I, 6, 13; Pâraskara I, 1, 2, &c. ↩︎
138:15 Taittirîya Samhitâ V, 9, 1. Comp. also the parallel passages, Satapatha Brâhmama VII, 3, 2, 17; Kâtyâyana-Sraut. XVII, 3, 27. ↩︎
138:16 Gobhila I, 7, 1. ↩︎
139:17 Sâṅkhâyana II, 1, 15 seqq., &c. As to the stone, comp. below, I, 1, 4, 13. ↩︎
139:18 Comp. Âsvalâyana I, 10, 3, and the passages quoted in the note (vol. xxix, p. 173). ↩︎
139:20 Regarding the bunch of grass, see below, I, 2, 6, 9. ↩︎
139:22 Gobhila I, 6, 14 seq. Comp. the passages quoted in the note. ↩︎
140:23 Gobhila I, 7, 21 seq.; Sâṅkhâyana I, 8, 14 seq. The water mentioned in this Sûtra is the Pranîta water. ↩︎
140:24 Regarding the Prokshariî water, see Sâṅkhâyana I, 8, 25 note. The word which I have translated by ‘vessels’ is bilavanti, which literally means ‘the things which have brims.’ Probably this expression here has some technical connotation unknown to me. Mâtridatta simply says, bilavanti pâtrârii.—‘As before’ means, ‘as stated with regard to the Prariîta water.’ ↩︎
140:25 Pâraskara I, 1, 3. ↩︎
140:27 Sâṅkhâyana I, 8, 18 seq. ↩︎
141:1 2, 1. The ‘pegs’ are the pieces of wood mentioned above, I, 19. ↩︎
141:7 7-10. Gobhila I, 3, 1 seq. The vocative Sarasvate instead of Sarasvatî is given by the MSS. also in the Khâdira-Grihya 1, 2, 19. ↩︎
142:11 As to the Mantra, compare Sâṅkhâyana II, 10, 4, &c. ↩︎
142:13 13, 14. The two oblations described in these Sûtras are the so-called Âghâras; see Sûtra 15, and Pâraskara I, 5, 3; Ârivalâyana I, 10, 13. Regarding the northern and the southern junction of the Paridhi woods, see above, Sûtras 3 and 4. According to Mâtridatta, the words ‘long, uninterrupted’ (Sûtra 13) are to be supplied also in Sûtra 14. ↩︎
143:16 Ânvalâyana I, 10, 13; Sâṅkhâyana I, 9, 7, &c. As to the expressions uttarârdhapûrvârdhe and dakshinârdhapûrvârdhe, comp. Gobhila I, 8, 14 and the note. ↩︎
143:17 I.e. between the places at which the two ‘Âgya portions’ are offered. Comp. Sâṅkhâyana I, 9, 8. ↩︎
143:18 Satapatha Brâhmana XIV, 9, 3, 3 (= Bnhad Âranyaka VI, 3, 1; S.B.E., vol. xv, p. 210); Mantra-Brâhmana I, 5, 6. ↩︎
144:2 3, 2. Gobhila I, 9, 25. ↩︎
144:3 Sâṅkhâyana I, 9, 18. ↩︎
144:4 Sâṅkhâyana I, 12, 12. 13; Gobhila I, 9, 27. As to suva_h_, the spelling of the Taittirîyas for sva_h_, see Indische Studien, XIII, 105. ↩︎
144:5 5, 6. In the second Mantra we should read vririâno instead of gririâno; comp. Atharva-veda II, 13, 1. As to the Mantras that follow, comp. Pâraskara I, 2, 8; Taittirîya Ârariyaka IV, 20, 3.—Regarding the Mantra tvam Agne ayâsi (sic), comp. Taitt. Brâh. II, 4, 1, 9; Ârivalâyana-Srauta-sûtra I, 11, 13; Kâtyâyana-Srauta-sûtra XXV, 1, 11; Indische Studien, XV, 125. ↩︎
145:7 Ârivalâyana-Grihya I, 10, 23; Satapatha Brâhmaria XI V, 9, 4, 24. ↩︎
145:8 Comp. the next Sûtras and Pâraskara I, 5, 7-10. ↩︎
145:9 Taittirîya Samhitâ III, 4, 4. ↩︎
145:10 Taittirîya Samhitâ III, 4, 5. ↩︎
145:11 See the end of the section quoted in the last note. ↩︎
146:12 ‘He performs worship with that Mantra, wearing the sacrificial cord over his right shoulder, to the Manes. According to others, he worships Agni. But this would stand in contradiction to the words (of the Mantra).’ Mâtridatta. ↩︎
146:13 Taittirîya. Samhitâ III, 4, 7. ‘To him’ (tasmai) is masculine, ‘to them’ (tâbhyah) feminine. The purport of these words will be explained best by a translation of the first section of the Râshmrabhmt formulas: ‘The champion of truth, he whose law is truth, Agni is the Gandharva. His Apsaras are the herbs; “sap” is their name. May he protect this power of holiness and this worldly power. May they protect this power of holiness and this worldly power. To him svâhâ! To them svâhâ!’ ↩︎
146:14 See above, section 2, § 13. ↩︎
146:1 4, 1. Comp. Sâṅkhâyana I, 13, 12; Pâraskara I, 7, 1. ↩︎
147:2 Pâraskara I, 4, 13. 1 2; Atharva-veda II, 13, 2. 3 (XIX, 24). Instead of paridâtavâ u, we ought to read, as the Atharva-veda has, paridhâtavâ u. ↩︎
147:3 Atharva-veda II, 13, 3; XIX, 24, 6. ↩︎
147:4 Sâṅkhâyana II, 2, 1; Pâraskara II, 2, 8. The text of the Mantra as given by Hiranyakenin is very corrupt, but the corruptions may be as old as the Hiranyakeni-sûtra itself, or even older. ↩︎
148:6 I propose to correct _garishnarishkarishn_u. See Sâṅkhâyana II, 1, 30. ↩︎
148:7 Sâṅkhâyana II, 1, 2. 4. 5, &c. ↩︎
148:8 In the first hemistich I propose to correct pari dadhmasi into pari dadmasi. The verse seems to be an adaptation of a Mantra which contained a form of the verb pari-dhâ (comp. Atharva-veda XIX, 24, 2); thus the reading pari . . . dadhmasi found in the MSS. may be easily accounted for. The second hemistich is very corrupt, but the Atharva-veda (loc. cit.: yathaina_m g_arase nayât) shows at least the general sense. ↩︎
149:9 The text of those Mantras runs thus, ‘On me may wisdom, &c.’; he alters them so as to say, ‘On thee,’ &c. ↩︎
149:10 Regarding the term sprinkled butter,’ comp. Ârivalâyana-Grihya IV, 1, 18. 19. ↩︎
149:13 Rig-veda I, 89. 9. ↩︎