Bharadvaja-srauta-sutra
by C. G. Kashikar | 1964 | 166,530 words
The English translation of the Bharadvaja-Srauta-Sutra, representing some of the oldest texts on Hindu rituals and rites of passages, dating to at least the 1st millennium BCE. The term Srautasutra refers to a class of Sanskrit Sutra literature dealing with ceremonies based on the Brahmana divisions of the Veda (Sruti). They include Vedic rituals r...
Praśna 11, Kaṇḍikā 21
[Avāntaradīkṣā]
1. Now we shall explain the intermediate consecration.[1]
2. During the sun’s northern course, on the parvan-day or under a favourable constellation in the bright half of the month, one should get his hair shaved and nails pared in the afternoon, go out towards the east or the north, kindle fire on a vacant place from where one cannot see the roofs of houses, strew round the fire, go through the rite of adopting the scripture (upākaraṇa) as before,[2] touch the madantī-water, go through the rite of appeasement (śānti) by reciting the first Anuvāka,[3] and put on the fire four fire-sticks of udumbara besmeared with clarified butter, respectively with the formulas, “The earth is the fire-stick; Agni has enkindled it; it has enkindled the fire; I have enkindled it (= the fire-stick); enkindled may it enkindle me with (long) life, lustre, strength, glory, grace, brahman-splendour and food, svāhā.—The midregion is the fire-stick; Vāyu has enkindled it; it has enkindled Vāyu; I have enkindled it; enkindled may it enkindle me with (long) life, lustre, strength, glory, grace, brahman-splendour and food, svāhā.—The heaven is the fire-stick; Āditya has enkindled it; it has enkindled Āditya; I have enkindled it; enkindled may it enkindle me with (long) life, lustre, strength, glory, grace, brahman-splendour and food, svāhā.—Thou art a fire-stick belonging to Prajāpati, destroyer of my enemy, killer of my enemy, svāhā.”[4]
3. He should then pray to the divinities with the formulas, “O vratapati Agni, I shall observe the vow; may I be able to observe it; may it flourish....”[5]
4. Then he[6] should make him (= the pupil) recite the opening words of all the Anuvākas, or of the first and the last Anuvākas.
5. Having gone through the rite of appeasement with the last Anuvāka,[7] he (= the pupil) should close his eyes and restrain speech.
6. The teacher should encircle his face[8] in the front with a new garment and cause him to enter into the village after sunset.
7. The pupil should stand or sit restraining his speech the whole night.
8. Next morning he (= the teacher) should enkindle fire in a vacant place from where one cannot see the roofs of houses in the village, strew round the fire, and cause him (= the pupil) to behold six substances. According to some teachers, seven substances: fire, sun, a pitcher full of water, a stone, a calf, a naked girl, gold being the seventh.
9.. Or, as the next best alternative, he should cause him to behold the first three substances, the others according as they become available.
10-11. Then the pupil should pray to Āditya with the verse, “Priyamedha Ṛṣis approached Indra....”[9] At this stage, he should give away the garment to his teacher.[10]
12. Now (we shall mention) the vows in connection with his learning off the scripture pertaining to the Pravargya.
13. (These are to be observed) regularly.[11]
14. He should not eat at night.
15. If be has to eat, he should eat the food illumined with a fire-brand.
16. He should not drink with an earthen pot.
17. He should not converse with a woman or with a Śūdra.
18. He should not ride in a vehicle having wheels.
19. He should not put on footware nor carry an umbrella.
20. He should not look at a multitude nor at palatial buildings nor at limbs (of a dead body) nor at a corpse nor at a person on death-bed.[12]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
In connection with the learning of the scripture pertaining to the Pravargya.
[2]:
BhārGS III.8 ff.
[3]:
Taittirīya-āraṇyaka IV.1.
[4]:
Taittirīya-āraṇyaka IV.41.
[5]:
Taittirīya-āraṇyaka IV.41. cf. Bhāradvāja-śrauta-sūtra IV.4.1.
[6]:
The teacher.
[7]:
Taittirīya-āraṇyaka IV.42.
[9]:
XI.18.2.
[10]:
According to Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XV.20.10, he should first give away the garment and then pray.
[11]:
Sūtras 12 and 13 are identical with Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra XV.20.II,12. Rudradatta has regarded the Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra-sūtras as two separate sūtras, while CALAND takes them as one sūtra.