Praśna 4, Section 11

1. The boy says, 'I am come to be a student' (II, 3, 26).

2. The other (i.e. the teacher) has to ask; the boy has to answer (II, 3, 27-30).

3. The other murmurs the rest (of the Anuvāka),

4. And causes the boy to repeat (the Mantra) which contains wishes for himself (II, 3, 32).

5.^[1] (The rites) down to the Ājyabhāgas have been prescribed.

6. Having then caused him to sacrifice the oblations (indicated in the) next (Mantras; M. II, 4, 1-11), he enters upon (the performance) of the Jaya and following oblations.

7. Having performed (the rites) down to the sprinkling (of water) round (the fire), he puts down, to the west of the fire, a bunch of northward-pointed grass; on that (the teacher) who performs the initiation, sits down with the next Yajus (M. II, 4, 12).

8. The boy, sitting to the east (of him), facing the west, seizes with his right hand (the teacher's) right foot and says, 'Recite the Sāvitrī, Sir!'

9. He recites (the Sāvitrī) to him, 'That (glorious splendour) of Savitṛ' (Taitt. Saṃh. I, 5, 6, 4; M. 4, 13);

10. Pāda by Pāda, hemistich by hemistich, and the whole (verse).

11. (When repeating the Sāvitrī Pāda by Pāda, he pronounces) the Vyāhṛtis singly at the beginning or at the end of the Pādas;

12. In the same way (the first and the second Vyāhṛti at the beginning or at the end) of the hemistichs; the last (Vyāhṛti, when he repeats) the whole verse.

13. With the next Mantra (M. II, 4, 14) the boy touches his upper lip;

14. With the next (II, 4, 15) both his ears;

15. With the next (II, 5, 1) he takes up the staff.

16.^[2] The staff of a Brāhmaṇa is made of Palāśa wood, that of a Rājanya of a branch of the Nyagrodha tree, so that the downward-turned end (of the branch) forms the tip (of the staff), that of a Vaiśya of Bādara or Udumbara wood.

17. Some state (only), without any reference to caste, that the staff should be made of the wood of a tree:

18. After (the teacher) has made him repeat (the formula), 'My memory' (M. II, 5, 2), and he has bestowed an optional gift on his teacher, and (the teacher) has made him arise with (the formula, M. II, 5, 3), 'Up, with life!' (the student) worships the sun with the next (Mantras; II, 5, 4).

19. If (the teacher) wishes, 'May this (student) not be estranged from me,' let him take (the student) by the right hand with the next (verse; II, 5, 6).

20. They keep that fire (used at the Upanayana) three days,

21. And (during that time) salted and pungent food should be avoided.

22. Having wiped (with his hand wet) around (the fire) with (the formula), 'Around thee' (M. II, 6, 1), he should put (twelve) pieces of wood on that (fire) with the next Mantras (II, 6, 2-13).

23. In the same way also on another (fire, when the Upanayana fire is kept no longer),

24. Fetching fuel regularly from the forest.

25. With the next (formula—M. II, 6, 14—the teacher) instructs (the student in his duties).

26.^[3] On the fourth day (after the Upanayana the teacher) takes the garment (of the student) for himself with the next (verse; M. II, 6, 15), having made him put on another (garment).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

11, 5. See above, Section 10, Sūtra 9.

[2]:

16, 17. These Sūtras are identical with Dharma-sūtra I, 1, 2, 38 (S.B.E., vol. ii, p. 9).

[3]:

The garment which the teacher takes for himself is that mentioned above, IV, 10, 10.