Adhyāya II, Kaṇḍikā 2

1. He should initiate a Brāhmaṇa, when he is eight years old, or in the eighth year after the conception,

2. Āśvalāyana, when he is eleven years old,

3. A Vaiśya, when he is twelve years old.

4. Or according as it is considered auspicious by all (the different families).

5. He should feed the Brāhmaṇas. And they lead him (i.e. the boy who is to be initiated) on, with his head shaven all round, and decked with ornaments.

6^[1]. (The teacher) makes him place himself to the west of the fire and say, 'I have come hither for the sake of studentship (brahmacarya).' And, 'I will be a student (brahmacārin).'

7. He then makes him put on a garment with (the verse), 'In the way in which Bṛhaspati put the garment of immortality on Indra, thus I put (this garment) on thee, for the sake of long life, of old age, of strength, of splendour.'

8^[2]. He ties round him the girdle with (the verse which the youth recites), 'Here has come to me, keeping away evil words, purifying my kind as a purifier, clothing herself, by (the power of) inhalation and exhalation, with strength, this sisterly goddess, this blessed girdle.'

9^[3]. Or, 'A youth, well attired, dressed, came hither. He, being born, becomes glorious. Wise sages extol him, devout ones, turning their minds to the gods.'

10. Or silently.

11. He gives him the staff.

12. (The student) accepts it with (the verse), 'My staff which fell down to the ground in the open air, that I take up again for the sake of long life, of holiness, of holy lustre.'

13^[4]. According to some (teachers he accepts the staff) in the way prescribed for the inauguration, because it is said, 'He enters upon a long Sattra (or sacrificial period).'

14. (The teacher) then with his joined hands fills (the student's) joined hands with water with the three (verses), 'Ye waters are' (Vāj. Saṃh. XI, 50 seqq.).

15^[5]. He then makes him look at the sun with (the verse), 'That eye' (Vāj. Saṃh. XXXVI, 24).

16^[6]. He then touches his heart, (reaching) over his right shoulder, with (the words), 'Into my will I take thy heart, &c.'

17^[7]. He then seizes (the student's) right hand and says, 'What is thy name?

18. He replies, 'I am N.N., sir!'

19. He then says to him, 'Whose pupil (brahmacārin) art thou?'

20^[8]. After (the student) has said, 'Yours!'—(the teacher replies,) 'Indra's pupil art thou; Agni is thy teacher; I am thy teacher, N.N.!'

21. He then gives him in charge to living beings with (the formulas), 'To Prajāpati I give thee in charge. To the god Savitṛ I give thee in charge. To the waters, the herbs I give thee in charge. To Heaven and Earth I give thee in charge. To the Viśve devās I give thee in charge. To all beings I give thee in charge for the sake of freedom from harm.'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

6 seqq. Comp. Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa XI, 5, 4.

[2]:

The commentators differ as to whether the Ācārya or the youth should recite the verse. The comparison of Śāṅkhāyana II, 2, 1 would rather tend to show that it is the teacher, but Gobhila II, 10 says expressly: athainaṃ triḥ pradakṣiṇaṃ muñjamekhalāṃ pariharan vācayatīyaṃ duruktāt paribādhamānety ṛtasya goptrīti vā.

[3]:

Rig-veda III, 8, 4. The verse is originally addressed to Agni.

[4]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa XI, 3, 3, 2: 'He enters upon a long Sattra, who enters upon Brahmacarya.' The student, when being initiated, ought to behave, consequently, in the same way as those who receive the inauguration (dīkṣā) for a long Sattra. This is the meaning of this Sūtra. The rules regarding the staff handed over by the Adhvaryu to the Yajamāna at the dīkṣā ceremony are given by Kātyāyana, Śrauta-sūtra VII, 4, 1-4.

[5]:

See above, I, 8, 7.

[6]:

See above, I, 8, 8.

[7]:

17 seqq. Comp. Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa XI, 5, 4, 1 seqq.

[8]:

The words 'I am thy teacher' are omitted in one of Professor Stenzler's MSS. and in his translation. But they are given in the parallel passage of the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa. The p. 306 parallel passage in Śāṅkhāyana (Gṛhya II, 3, 1) also runs thus: Agnir ācāryas tava, asāv, ahaṃ cobhau.