Verse 2.186

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

दूरादाहृत्य समिधः सन्निदध्याद् विहायसि ।
सायं।प्रातश्च जुहुयात् ताभिरग्निमतन्द्रितः ॥ १८६ ॥

dūrādāhṛtya samidhaḥ sannidadhyād vihāyasi |
sāyaṃ|prātaśca juhuyāt tābhiragnimatandritaḥ || 186 ||

Having fetched fuel-sticks from a distance, he should place them in the air; and with these he should, without fail, make offerings to the fire, morning and evening.—(188)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The term ‘distance’ is meant to stand for such plots of land as are not owned by any one; for instance, the forest is ‘distant’ from the village, and it is not owned by any one. If such were not the meaning, and ‘distance’ simply meant ‘remote places,’—then since the exact degree of remoteness is not specified, the manning of the injunction would remain indefinite.

‘Having fetched’—having brought.

‘Should place’—should keep.

‘In the air’—i.e., on the roof of the house; no placing is possible in the open air, without some support.

‘With these he should make offerings morning and evening.’

The fetching of the fuel may he at that or at any other time, according as the student pleases.

Some people regard the ‘placing in the air’ as serving some transcendental purpose. Others have however held that the fuel brought fresh from the tree is wet; and hence it is necessary to place it either on the top of the house or on that of a wall, etc. (for the purpose of drying).—(186)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Vihāyasi’—In the air, i. e. on the roof of the house (Medhātithi, Govindarāja and Kullūka);—‘on a platform’ (Nārāyaṇa);—‘in the open air (Nandana);—‘in any pure place except the ground’ (Rāghavānanda).

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 451), as laying down the method of ‘tending the fire’, and ‘explains it that ‘he should place the fuel somewhere in the open, not on the grouhd;’—in Smṛtitattva (p. 936) as laying down the morning and evening offerings into the Fire;—in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 448), where ‘dūrāt’ is explained as from a spot not owned by any one’;—in Vidhānapārijāta (p. 498), where vihāyasi is explained as ‘antarīkṣe’ ‘in the open air—in Madanapārijāta (p. 24), where ‘dūrāt’ is explained as ‘from a spot not owned by any other person’, and ‘vihāyasi’ as ‘maṇḍapādau’ ‘oh an altar or some such place’;—in Saṃskāramayūkha (p. 43), which says that, according to Dharmaprakāśa, ‘vihāyasi’ means ‘on the house-top’;—in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 86), which explains dūrāt, as ‘from places not belonging to any person’, and vihāyasi as ‘on the house-top’,—and in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Saṃskāra, p. 34a).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Āpastamba-Dharmasūtra (2.4.16).—‘Having kindled fire and swept the place, he should lay fuel on it, morning and evening, in accordance with instructions received.’

Āpastamba-Dharmasūtra (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 448).—‘He should not go for fetching fuel in the evening.’

Viṣṇu (28.4).—‘Both times, bathing and fire-tending.’

Āśvalāyana Gṛhyasūtra (2.22.6).—‘Morning and evening, he should fetch fuel.’

Pāraskara Gṛhyasūtra (2.5.9)—‘Without causing injury, he should fetch fuel from the forest, lay it on the fire and then utter speech.’

Gobhila Gṛhyasūtra (3-2-27).—‘Girdle-wearing, alms-begging, staff-carrying, fuel-fetching, water-bathing, morning salutation,—these are the daily compulsory duties.’

Baudhāyana (1.2.54).—‘Therefore, the Religious Student should fetch fuel.’

Āpastamba (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 448).—‘Some people say that Fire-kindling should be done in the evening only.’ Laugākṣi (Do.)—(same as above).

Baijavāpa (Do.).—‘Before sunset, and also in the morning, going northward, without causing injury, he should fetch fuel,—wet, if desirous of food; dry, if desirous of Brahmic glory; both, if desirous of both.’

Vāyu-purāṇa (Parāśaramādhava, p. 452).—‘The fuel should he of Palāśa; in the absence of that, Khadira or Śamī or Rohitaka or Aśvattha; and in the absence of these, Arka and Vetasa.’