Verse 2.35 [Tonsure (cūḍākarma)]

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

चूडाकर्म द्विजातीनां सर्वेषामेव धर्मतः ।
प्रथमेऽब्दे तृतीये वा कर्तव्यं श्रुतिचोदनात् ॥ ३५ ॥

cūḍākarma dvijātīnāṃ sarveṣāmeva dharmataḥ |
prathame'bde tṛtīye vā kartavyaṃ śruticodanāt || 35 ||

In view or the injunctions or the Veda, the Tonsure-ceremony of all twice-born children should be performed, according to law, in the first year or the third.—(35)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Cūḍā’ is the tuft of hair on the crown of the bead’; and the ceremony for the purpose of this is called ‘Cūḍākarman,’ ‘Tonsure’; this name ‘Tonsure’ is given to that ceremony which consists in the cutting of the hair in such a manner as to leave well-arranged tufts of hair on certain parts of the head.

This may be done ‘in the first year or the third’;—this option being due to considerations of the good and evil aspects of planets.

‘In view of the injunctions of the Veda’:—this is merely explanatory: the fact of the entire contents of the work being based upon the Veda having been already stated before. Or, the term may he taken here as not necessarily standing for the injunctive texts, but including the Mantras also; and as a matter of fact, we have the mantra, ‘yatkṣureṇa mārjayet, etc.,’ (Pāraskara-gṛhyasūtra, 2.1.1), which is indicative of the Tonsure-ceremony, in the same manner as the Mantra ‘yāñjanā pratinandanti, etc.,’ (Pāraskara,—3.2.2) indicates the Aṣṭakā-rites. So that what the phrase means is that the ceremony should be performed with mantras. As to the particular details (regarding the mantras, etc.), these are learnt from the Gṛyhasūtra.

From this it follows that this sacrament is not to he done for the Śūdra; which is also clear from the mention of the ‘twice-born.’ As for the shaving of hair without any restriction as to time, this is done for special purposes, and may he done for the Śūdra also: this is not interdicted.—(35)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Dharmataḥ’—‘according to Law’ (Nārāyaṇa and Nandana);—‘for the sake of spiritual merit’ (Kullūka).

This verse has been quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Saṃskāra, p. 605) for the purpose of showing that even a boy who has not cut his teeth can be ‘one who has had Ids Tonsure performed.’

It is quoted in Smṛti-tattva (p. 653)—which points out that the time most suited for the ceremony is the third, not the first year and it bases this on the distinct declaration by Śaṅkha that—‘for the rite of Tonsure, the third year is what has been accepted by all the Gṛhyasūtras.’ It also quotes it on p. 922, with a view to show that the time for the ceremony is not fixed, there being an option as to its being done in the first, third, or even the fifth year.

It is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 296), where it is explained that the presence of the particle ‘vā,’ ‘or’, implies that the rite may be performed in the second year also; this latter is also sanctioned by a text from Yama.

Madanapārijāta (p. 34) also quotes it without adding any explanatory notes.—It is quoted in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 58);—in Hemādri (Pariśeṣa, p. 742);—in Saṃskāramayūkha (pp. 29 and 128), which quotes Medhātithi to the effect that the term ‘dvijātīnām’ indicates that this rite is not to be performed for the Shudra.;—in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Saṃskāra, p. 36c); and in Gadādharapaddhati (Kālasāra, p. 219).

Medhātithi has described this ceremony as that ‘which consists in the cutting of the hair in such a manner as to leave well-arranged tufts of hair on certain parts of the head.’

Further details have heen supplied in Madanapārijāta (p. 361), which quotes Lokākṣi (called Laugākṣi in Smṛtitattva, p. 653) describing the ‘Cūḍā’as ‘a line of hair, towards the right among the Vaśiṣṭhas, on both sides among the Airis and Kāśyapas, and in five places among the Āṅgirasas; some people keep a single line; others only the top-tuft, shaped like the leaf of the banyan tree—and adds that the exact form is to be determined by the Gṛhyasūtra, of the man concerned.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Viṣṇu, 27.12.—‘Tonsure is performed in the third year.’

Yājñavalkya, 1.12.—‘Tonsure is to be performed according to family-custom.’

Āśvalāyana-Gṛhyasūtrā, 1.17.1.—‘Tonsure in the third year; or in accordance with the custom of the family.’

Pāraskara- Gṛhyasūtrā, 2.1.2.—‘The performance of Ton-sure for the one-year-old child: or during the third year.’

Gobhila-Gṛhyasūtrā, 1.9.1.—‘The performance of Tonsure in the third year.’

Vaśiṣṭha (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 296).—‘The performance of Tonsure has been prescribed for all castes; by Tonsure is the life-span enhanced, by Tonsure is it reduced. It should be performed during the third or the fifth year, or according to the practice obtaining in the family. It may be performed also during the seventh year from either birth or the taking of the Fires.’

Yama (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 996).—‘Before the completion of the year, Tonsure should be performed; or during the second or the third year.’

Āśvalāyana (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 297).—‘Tonsure is recommended during the third or the fifth year; or even earlier, but during the odd year, or during the sixth year; or along with the Upanayana.’

Bṛhaspati (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 296).—‘Counting either from conception or from Birth,—during the fifth or the seventh year should be performed for the male as well as the female child.’

Nārada (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 996).—‘The learned recommend the third vear from Birth as the best; the fifth and the seventh years from Birth are to be regarded as mediocre and the worst time would he the tenth or the eleventh year from Birth.—The Tonsure of children should he performed either, before the end of the first year, or in the third or fifth year, or according to the family-custom.’

Atri (Do., p. 298).—‘Tonsure during the third year is conducive to the fulfilment of all desires; that during the first year is conducive to longevity and Brāhmic glory; that during the fifth year leads to the acquisition of cattle; during the even years, it is to be deprecated.’

Nṛsiṃha (Do.).—‘Tonsure is to be performed during either the first or the third or the fifth year; after the lapse of the third part of the year.’

Laugākṣi (Do., p. 299).—‘Tonsure should be performed during the third year, after the lapse of its third part.’

[The upshot of the whole is that Tonsure may he performed during any of the following years—1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 11th,—or on the Upanayana-day;—or according to the custom prevailing in the family.]

[The form in which the Tonsure is to be performed, the shape that is to be given to the hair on the head, the keeping of the Śikhā,—all this is described in detail in the Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 315.]

Baijavāpa (Parāśaramādhava, p. 413).—‘Tonsure during the third year.’

Śaṅkha (Do.).—‘Tonsure during the third or the fifth vear.’

Śaunaka (Do.).—‘Tonsure during the third year, or according to the family-custom.’

Lokākṣi (Do.).—‘For those belonging to the Vaśiṣṭha Gotra, the tuft is towards the right, for those of Atri or Kāś-yapa, on both sides; for those of Bhṛgu, it should be all shaven; for those of Aṅgiras, there are five tufts; others have the tuft in the form of a semi-circle.’

Śaṅkha-Likhita (Aparārka, p. 29).—‘Tonsure during the third or the fifth year.’

Vyāsa (Do.).—[Lays down the auspicious days, etc.]