Adhyāya II, Kaṇḍikā 10

1. Now (follows) the Adhyāyopākarman (or opening ceremony at the beginning of the annual course of study).

2^[1]. When the herbs appear, (when the moon stands in conjunction) with Śravaṇa, on the full-moon day of the Śrāvaṇa month, or on the fifth (Tithi) of the Śrāvaṇa month under (the Nakṣatra) Hasta;

3. Having sacrificed the two Ājya portions, he offers two Ājya oblations, (namely,)

4. To the Earth and to Agni, if (he studies) the Rig-veda,

5. To the Air and to Vāyu, if the Yajur-veda,

6. To the Heaven and to the Sun, if the Sāma-veda,

7. To the quarters (of the horizon) and to the Moon, if the Atharva-veda;

8. (Besides) to the Brahman, to the metres in every case,

9. And to Prajāpati, to the gods, to the Ṛṣis, to Faith, to Insight, to Sadasaspati, to Anumati.

10^[2]. The same (oblations are made) when the observances are imposed (on a student) or given up (by him, after having been kept through the prescribed period of time).

11. With (the verse), 'Sadasaspati' (Vāj. Saṃh. XXXII, 13) (the teacher) three times (sacrifices) fried grains.

12. All should repeat (that verse after him).

13. After each oblation they should each time put on the fire three pieces of Udumbara wood, fresh branches with leaves, anointed with ghee, reciting the Sāvitrī.

14^[3]. And the students (should put wood on the fire) in the manner stated above.

15. With (the verse), 'Luck may bring us' (Vāj. Saṃh. IX, 16) they should eat the fried grains without chewing them.

16. With the verse, 'Of Dadhikrāvan' (Vāj. Saṃh. XXIII, 32) they should eat curds.

17^[4]. As many pupils as he wishes to obtain, so many sesamum grains should he sacrifice with a dice-board, with the Sāvitrī or with the Anuvāka, 'Bright-resplending' (Vāj. Saṃh. XVII, 80 seqq.).

18^[5]. After they have eaten (the remainder of the sacrificial food, the teacher) should pronounce the word Om and then repeat the Sāvitrī three times, and the beginnings of the Adhyāyas to (the students) who are seated facing the west;

19. The beginnings of the sections belonging to the (different) Ṛṣis, if they are Bahvṛcas (i.e. if they study the Ṛg-Veda),

20^[6]. The Parvans, if they are Chandogas (i.e. if they study the Sāma-veda),

21. The Sūktas, if they are Atharvans.

22. All murmur: 'May it be ours in common; may it bless us in common; may this Brahman be powerful with us together. Indra knows that through which, and in which way, no hatred may spring up amongst us.'

23. Through a period of three nights they should not study (the Veda).

24. And they should not cut the hair of their bodies and their nails.

25. Some say (that this should not be done) till the Utsarga (i.e. the concluding ceremony of the annual course of study).

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

10, 2. Comp. Āśvalāyana-Gṛhya III, 5, 2. 3 and my note.

[2]:

On the different vratas (observances) connected with the p. 322 study of the Veda, such as the Sukriya-vrata, the Śākvara-vrata, &c., comp. especially Śāṅkhāyana-Gṛhya II, 11. 12 and the notes there.

[3]:

See above, chap. 4.

[4]:

Ākarshaphalakena. Rāmakṛṣṇa states that this is a board of Udumbara wood, of the length of an arm, and of the shape of a serpent. (See Professor Stenzler's note.)

[5]:

The following Sūtras clearly show that this rule is intended for students of the Yajur-veda only.

[6]:

On the division of the Sāma-veda into Parvans, comp. Weber, Indische Literaturgeschichte, 2nd edition, p. 72.