Gobhila-grihya-sutra

by Hermann Oldenberg | 1892 | 44,344 words

The Sutra of Gobhila presupposes, beside the Samhita of the Sama-veda, another collection of Mantras which evidently was composed expressly with the purpose of being used at Grihya ceremonies. Alternative titles: Gobhila-gṛhya-sūtra (गोभिल-गृह्य-सूत्र), Grhya, Gobhilagṛhyasūtra (गोभिलगृह्यसूत्र), Gobhilagrihyasutra, Gobhilagrhyasutra....

Prapāṭhaka I, Kāṇḍikā 2

1.[1] He takes as his yajñopavīta (i.e. sacrificial cord) a string, or a garment, or simply a rope of Kuśa grass.

2. Raising his right arm, putting the head into (the upavīta), he suspends (the cord) over his left shoulder, so that it hangs down on his right side: thus he becomes yajñopavītin.

3. Raising his left arm, putting the head into (the upavīta), he suspends it over his right shoulder, so that it hangs down on his left side: thus he becomes prācīnāvītin.

4. Prācīnāvītin, however, he is only at sacrifices offered to the Manes.

5.[2] Having gone in a northern direction from the fire, having washed his hands and feet, and having seated himself, he should sip water three times and wipe off (the water) twice.

6. Having besprinkled his feet (with water) let him besprinkle his head.

7. Let him touch the organs of his senses with water:

8. The two eyes, the nose, the two ears.

9. Whatever (limb of his body) requires his consideration (whether it is pure or not), that he should touch with water (i.e. with a wet hand).

10. Here they say:

11. Let him not touch (himself with water, or sip water) while walking,

12. Nor standing,

13. Nor laughing,

14. Nor looking about,

15. Nor without bending down,

16. Nor (throwing up the water) with his fingers,

17.[3] Nor except with the (proper) Tīrtha,

18. Nor uttering a sound,

19. Nor without looking (at the water),

20.[4] Nor with his shoulders put back,

21.[5] Nor wearing a part of his under garment as if it were an upper garment,

22. Nor with warm water,

23. Nor with foamy water,

24. And in no case wearing sandals,

25.[6] (Not) with a turban on his head (?),

26. (Not with his garment) tied round his neck,

27. And not stretching out his feet.

28.[7] When he has finally touched (water) again, he becomes pure.

29.[8] Let him, however, sip only water that reaches his heart.

30. For if he does otherwise, he remains impure.

31. Now the cases in which he has to touch (water) a second time.

32.[9] Having slept, or eaten, or sneezed, or taken a bath, or drunk something, or changed (his garments), or walked on the high road, or gone to a cemetery, he should sip water and then sip water again.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

2, 1-4. Rules regarding the Upavīta. Khādira-Gṛhya I, 1, 4-6. Compare the detailed description of the nine threads of which the Upavīta-string should consist, in the Gṛhya-saṃgraha II, 48 seqq. A string was evidently considered as the regular and preferable form of the Upavīta; with regard to the second kind of Upavīta mentioned in Sūtra 1, the commentary says, 'A garment (is used), p. 17 if the Upavīta has been lost, for instance, in a forest, and if it is impossible to get a string.' A similar remark is given with reference to the third kind of Upavīta, the rope of Kuśa grass.

[2]:

5-32. Rules regarding the ācamana and upasparśana. Khādira-Gṛhya I, 1, 7-10; Manu II, 60 seqq.

[3]:

As to the Tīrthas (or parts of the hand) sacred to the different deities or beings, comp. Vasiṣṭha III, 64 seqq., &c. See also Manu II, 58.

[4]:

According to the commentary he has to hold his hands between his knees. Comp. Śāṅkh.-Gṛhya I, 10, 8. Thus the shoulders are brought forward.

[5]:

21-27. These Sūtras form three regular Śloka hemistichs. Only at the end of the second hemistich there is a metrical irregularity (sopānatkaḥ kvacit standing at the end of the verse).

[6]:

Kāsaktikaḥ, which the commentary explains as a compound of ka, 'the head,' and āsaktikā = āveṣṭikā.

[7]:

Khādira-Gṛhya I, 1, 10.

[8]:

In other texts (for instance, Manu II, 62; Vasiṣṭha III, 31 seqq.) it is stated that a Brāhmaṇa should sip water that reaches his heart, a Kṣatriya water reaching his throat, a Vaiśya water that wets his palate; a Śūdra should only touch water with his lips.

[9]:

This Sūtra again forms a Sloka, though a slightly irregular Sloka.

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