Verse 3.185

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

त्रिणाचिकेतः पञ्चाग्निस्त्रिसुपर्णः षडङ्गवित् ।
ब्रह्मदेयात्मसन्तानो ज्येष्ठसामग एव च ॥ १८५ ॥

triṇāciketaḥ pañcāgnistrisuparṇaḥ ṣaḍaṅgavit |
brahmadeyātmasantāno jyeṣṭhasāmaga eva ca || 185 ||

One who has learnt the “Triṇāciketa,” one who knows the science of the five fires, one who has learnt the “Trisuparṇa,” one who knows the six-limbed science, one who is born of a woman married in the “Brahma (Brāhma)” form, one who sings the Jyeṣṭha-sāmas.—(185)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Triṇāciketa’ is the name of a portion of the Yajurveda, beginning with the words ‘pītodakā jagdhatṛṇā; and the man is called ‘triṇāciketa’ by the circumstance of his having learnt that portion. Others, however, explain that there are certain observances prescribed for those who are learning the Tṛṇāciketa Mantras; and the person who has kept these observances is called ‘Triṇāciketa.’ Here also the term is applied to the man only figuratively.

It should not be thought that merely this (fact of having learnt a certain portion of the Veda) makes one a ‘Sanctifier of Company;’ what is meant is, that when the other qualifications of being learned in the Veda and the like are present, the circumstance here mentioned forms an additional qualification as indicating the character of being a ‘Sanctifier of Company.’

‘Five fires,’ ‘Pañcāgnividyā,’ is the name of a certain teaching occurring in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad (5.10.9), the reward whereof has been described in the words ‘stenohiraṇyasya, etc.’ The man is also so called by the circumstance of his having learnt the said teaching, as in the case of the previous word.

Others have explained the term ‘Pañcāgni’ as ‘one maintains the five fires,’—i.e., the three sacrificial fires, the social fire and the domestic fire. Of these, the ‘social fire’ is that which is lighted in many countries with large quantities of fuel, for the purpose of relieving cold.

‘Trisuparṇa’ is the name of a mantra occurring in the Taittirīya Veda, and also in the Ṛgveda, beginning with the words ‘ye brāhmaṇās trisuparṇam paṭhanti; etc.’

The ‘six-limbed science’ is the Veda; one who has learnt this.

One who is born of a woman who has been married in the “Brāhma” form,—i.e., who has been given to a bridegroom brought home by invitation.

‘One who sings the Jyeṣṭha Sāmas;’—The ‘Jyeṣṭhadohas’ are Sāman-mantras found in the Āraṇyaka; one who sings these is called ‘Jyeṣṭhasāmaga.’ Here also the man is so called by reason of his singing the Sāman and keeping the observances in relation to it.—(185)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Madanapārijāta (p. 557), which supplies the following explanations:—‘Triṇāciketaḥ’—‘one who studies that portion of the Yajurveda which is

called the Triṇāciketas, and who keeps the observances connected therewith’;—‘Pañcāgniḥ’—‘one who maintains the five Fires—(1) Gārhopatya, (2) Dakṣiṇāgni, (3) Āhavanīya, (4) Sabhya and (5) Āvasatha’;—‘Trisuparṇa’—is the name of a portion of the Yajurveda (Medhātithi says it is a mantra found in the Taittirīya and the Ṛgveda); and he who knows that text and its meaning is also called by the same name;—‘ṣaḍaṅgavit’—‘one who knows the texts.and meanings of the six subsidiary sciences, Śikṣā, Kalpa and the rest’;—‘Brāhmadeyānusantānaḥ’—‘one who is born of a mother married in the Brāhma form’;—‘Jyeṣṭhasāmagaḥ’—‘one who is constantly singing Sāma hymns,’ or ‘he who keeps the observance known as Jyeṣṭha-sāma, and knows the Sāma texts known under that name’.

‘Triṇāciketaḥ’—see Āpastamba, 2.17.22.

‘Pañcāgniḥ’—‘Knowing the Pañcāgnividyā, taught in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad 4.10 et. seq.’ (Medhātithi and Nārāyaṇa);—‘who keeps the five Fires’ (‘others’ in Medhātithi, Govindarāja, Kullūka and Rāghavānanda).

‘Trisuparṇa’.—‘One who knows the text of Taittirīya Āraṇyaka 10.38-40’ (Medhātithi, Nārāyaṇa and Nandana);—‘one who knows Ṛgveda 10.114.3-5’

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verses 3.184-186)

See Comparative notes for Verse 3.184.