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 5

1. Now at the times of the new moon and of the full moon (the following ceremonies are performed).

2.[2] Let him fast on that full-moon day (when the full moon rises) at the meeting (of day and night).

3.[3] The following day, according to some (teachers).

4. And on that day on which the moon is not seen, (he should fast, considering it) as the new-moon day.

5. The ends of the half-months are the time for fasting, the beginnings for sacrifice.

6.[4] With the sacrificial food of the new-moon sacrifice he celebrates the first half (of the month), with that of the full-moon sacrifice the second.

7.[5] Full-moon is the greatest distance of sun and moon; new-moon is their nearest approach.

8. That day on which the moon is not seen, that he should take as the day of new-moon.

9. Sometimes he may also while (the moon) is (still) visible (accept it as the day of new-moon); for (already then the moon) has made its way.

10.[6] The time of full-moon is reckoned in three ways: (when the full moon rises at) the meeting (of day and night), or when it rises after sunset, or when it stands high (in the sky at sunset).

11. Now on what day it becomes full—

12. The doctrine on this point has to be studied separately. One should study it, or should ascertain separately (the exact time of) the Parvan from those who know it.

13. Now on the day which is the fast-day, on that day, in the forenoon, having offered his morning oblation, he besmears that surface on which the fire is placed, on all sides with cow-dung.

14. He then gets the pieces of wood ready (which are to be put on the fire)—of Khadira or of Palāśa wood.

15. If Khadira or Palāśa wood cannot be obtained, it may be wood—as far as it serves the purpose—of any tree, with the exception of Vibhīdaka, Tilvaka, Bādhaka, Nīva, Nimba, Rājavṛkṣa, Śalmali, Aralu, Dadhittha, Kovidāra, Śleshmātaka wood.

16. The Barhis consists of Kuśa grass cut off at the points at which the blades diverge from the main stalk.

17. (The blades should be) cut off near the roots at (the ceremonies directed to) the Fathers.

18. If that (i.e. Kuśa grass) cannot be obtained, (he may take) any kind of grass, with the exception of Śūka grass, of Saccharum reed, of such grass as is apt to break, of Balbaja grass, of Mutava, of Amphidonax reed, of Śuṇṭha.

19.[7] (He should get ready the following things, viz.) Ājya, rice or barley to be cooked for the sacrifice, the pot in which the oblation of cooked rice (or barley) is prepared, the pot-ladle, the Sruva, the water fetched from a hidden place—

20. And the other things which we shall mention in the course of (our exposition of) the ritual.

21. On that day he should not go away (from his house on a journey, &c.);

22. Even from a distant place he should return to his house.

23. (On that day) he may buy goods from others, but not sell (such goods).

24. Let him not speak much.

25. Let him strive to speak the truth.

26.[8] In the afternoon husband and wife, after having bathed, should eat fast-day food which is pleasant to them. It should contain butter (and should be prepared) in the due way.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Description of the sacrifices of the full and new moon. Paradigm of the regular Sthālīpāka offering. The first twelve Sūtras of this chapter have been translated by Professor Weber, Ueber den Vedakalender namens Jyotiṣam, pp. 50 seq.

[2]:

See the note below at Sūtra 10.

[3]:

With these two Sūtras, 'sandhyāṃ paurṇamāsīm upavaset; uttarām ity eke,' a passage should be compared which is identically found in the Aitareya (VII, 11), and in the Kauṣītaka Brāhmaṇa (III, 1): pūrvāṃ paurṇamāsīm upavased iti Paiṅgyam, uttarām iti Kauṣītakam.

[4]:

The month is reckoned here, as is usually done, as beginning with the fortnight of the increasing moon.

[5]:

Here begins a new exposition of the question of full and new moon which stands independently by the side of the former sections, and which Gobhila has not taken much care to weld together with them. Comp. Sūtra to with Sūtras 2 and 3, and Sūtra 8 with Sūtra 4.

[6]:

The first of the three times is that mentioned in Sūtra 2. It seems to me not very safe to interpret sandhyā in that modern sense, in which sandhi is used, for instance, in the verse quoted by Mādhava, Weber, Jyotiṣa 51, so that it designates the meeting-point of the bright and of the dark fortnight ('āvartane yadā sandhiḥ parvapratipador bhavet,' &c.). If sandhyā were that, we should expect that the same word would occupy a similar position in the definition of amāvāsyā. I prefer, therefore, with the commentary, to understand sandhyā in its ancient sense, as the time which divides day from night. Thus sandhyā paurṇamāsī, the full-moon day, on which the moon rises at the meeting of day and night, stands in opposition to uttarā paurṇamāsī (Sūtra 2), or to astamitoditā (scil. paurṇamāsī, Sūtra 10), exactly in the same way as in the Brāhmaṇa passages quoted above (note on § 3) pūrvā paurṇamāsī is opposed to uttarā paurṇamāsī. The second and third cases are those of the full moon rising (shortly) after sunset, and of the moon becoming full when standing high in the sky.

[7]:

As to anuguptā āpaḥ, see above, chap. I, 9.

[8]:

Khādira-Gṛhya II, 1, 4. 6. The commentary explains kuśalena: it should be easy to digest. Comp. below, II, 1, 2: (dārān kurvīta) lakṣaṇapraśastān kuśalena.

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