Praśna I, Paṭala 1, Section 4

1.^[1] Makes the boy tread on (that stone) with his right foot, with (the verse), 'Tread on this stone; like a stone be firm. Destroy those who seek to do thee harm; overcome thy enemies.'

2.^[2] After (the boy) has taken off his old (garment), (the teacher) makes him put on a (new) garment that has not yet been washed, with (the verses),

'The goddesses who spun, who wove, who spread out, and who drew out the skirts on both sides, may those goddesses clothe thee with long life. Blessed with life put on this garment.

'Dress him; through (this) garment make him reach a hundred (years) of age; extend his life. Bṛhaspati has given this garment to king Soma that he may put it on.

'Mayst thou live to old age; put on the garment! Be a protector of the human tribes against imprecation. Live a hundred years, full of vigour; clothe thyself in the increase of wealth.'

3.^[3] Having (thus) made (the boy) put on (the new garment, the teacher) recites over him (the verse),

'Thou hast put on this garment for the sake of welfare; thou hast become a protector of thy friends against imprecation. Live a hundred long years; a noble man, blessed with life, mayst thou distribute wealth.'

4.^[4] He then winds the girdle three times from left to right round (the boy, so that it covers) his navel. (He does so only) twice, according to some (teachers). (It is done) with (the verse),

'Here she has come to us who drives away sin, purifying our guard and our protection, bringing us strength by (the power of) inhalation and exhalation, the sister of the gods, this blessed girdle.'

5. On the north side of the navel he makes a threefold knot (in the girdle) and draws that to the south side of the navel.

6.^[5] He then arranges for him the skin (of an antelope, &c., see Sūtra 7) as an outer garment, with (the Mantras),

'The firm, strong eye of Mitra, glorious splendour, powerful and flaming, a chaste, mobile vesture, this skin put on, a valiant (man), N.N.!

'May Aditi tuck up thy garment, that thou mayst study the Veda, for the sake of insight and belief and of not forgetting what thou hast learnt, for the sake of holiness and of holy lustre!'

7.^[6] The skin of a black antelope (is worn) by a Brāhmaṇa, the skin of a spotted deer by a Rājanya, the skin of a he-goat by a Vaiśya.

8.^[7] He then gives him in charge (to the gods), a Brāhmaṇa with (the verse), 'We give this (boy) in charge, O Indra, to Brahman, for the sake of great learning. May he (Brahman?) lead him to old age, and may he (the boy) long watch over learning.' A Rājanya (he gives in charge to the gods) with (the verse), 'We give this boy in charge, O Indra, to Brahman, for the sake of great royalty. May he lead him to old age, and may he long watch over royalty.'

A Vaiśya (he gives in charge) with (the verse), 'We give this boy in charge, O Indra, to Brahman, for the sake of great wealth. May he lead him to old age, and may he long watch over wealth.'

9.^[8] (The teacher) makes him sit down to the west of the fire, facing the north, and makes him eat the remnants of the sacrificial food, with these (Mantras), 'On thee may wisdom, on thee may offspring' (Taitt. Āraṇyaka, Andhra redaction, X, 44),—altering (the text of the Mantras).

10.^[9] Some make (the student) eat 'sprinkled butter.'

11. (The teacher) looks at (the student) while he is eating, with the two verses, 'At every pursuit we invoke strong (Indra)' (Taitt. Saṃh. IV, 1, 2, 1), (and), 'Him, Agni, lead to long life and splendour' (Taitt: Saṃh. II, 3, 10, 3).

12. Some make (the boy) eat (that food with these two verses).

13.^[10] After (the boy) has sipped water, (the teacher) causes him to touch (water) and recites over him (the verse), 'A hundred autumns are before us, O gods, before ye have made our bodies decay, before (our) sons have become fathers; do not destroy us before we have reached (our due) age.'

End of the First Paṭala.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

4, 1. Comp. Śāṅkhāyana I, 13, 12; Pāraskara I, 7, 1.

[2]:

Pāraskara I, 4, 13. 1 2; Atharva-veda II, 13, 2. 3 (XIX, 24). Instead of paridātavā u, we ought to read, as the Atharva-veda has, paridhātavā u.

[3]:

Atharva-veda II, 13, 3; XIX, 24, 6.

[4]:

Śāṅkhāyana II, 2, 1; Pāraskara II, 2, 8. The text of the Mantra as given by Hiraṇyakeśin is very corrupt, but the corruptions may be as old as the Hiraṇyakeśi-sūtra itself, or even older.

[5]:

I propose to correct jaṛṣṇu into caṛṣṇu. See Śāṅkhāyana II, 1, 30.

[6]:

Śāṅkhāyana II, 1, 2. 4. 5, &c.

[7]:

In the first hemistich I propose to correct pari dadhmasi into pari dadmasi. The verse seems to be an adaptation of a Mantra which contained a form of the verb pari-dhā (comp. Atharva-veda XIX, 24, 2); thus the reading pari . . . dadhmasi found in the MSS. may be easily accounted for. The second hemistich is very corrupt, but the Atharva-veda (loc. cit.: yathainaṃ jarase nayāt) shows at least the general sense.

[8]:

The text of those Mantras runs thus, 'On me may wisdom, &c.'; he alters them so as to say, 'On thee,' &c.

[9]:

Regarding the term sprinkled butter,' comp. Āśvalāyana-Gṛhya IV, 1, 18. 19.

[10]:

Ṛg-veda I, 89. 9.