The upanayana ritual in the Śatapathabrāhmaṇa

The Upanayana ritual in the atapathabrāhmaṇa Dr. N. K. Sundareswaran Associate Professor & Head, Dept. of Sanskrit, University of Calicut, India - 673635 Email: nkswaran@gmail.com Introduction The Upanayana is one of the important domestic rituals (g hyasaṃsk ra-s) prescribed in the G hyasūtra-s. It is the first and foremost of the rituals pertaining to education that are enjoined in the G hyasūtra -s. As the word itself signifies, upanayana is the ceremonial approach/appeal of a student to a teacher, seeking admission to the Vedic studies1. It is an initiation ceremony enjoined by the Veda-s, says pastamba in his Dharmasūtra2. The domestic rituals, the conduct-details of which are prescribed in the G hyasūtra-s, are not directly enjoined by the ruti. That is why often they are called as sm rttakarman-s, meaning ‘enjoined by the Sm ti-s’3. Tradition holds that these are actually enjoined directly by the ruti, the relevant passages being extinct now. As to the origin of these rituals, scholars generally hold the opinion that these might have originated even before the Vedic texts got compiled and edited as we have them today4. Scholars like Hillebrandt think that there might have existed G hya Br hmaṇa texts containing all the mantra-s prescribed by the G hyasūtra-s to be uttered in the accompaniment of the rites, which are now lost for us5. Some of the mantra-s of the Saṃhit and the Br hmaṇa texts, like those of marriage and funeral hymns of the gveda, can be explained only in the context of the domestic rituals. And some G hyasūtra texts refer to the Br hmaṇa passages6. It is in this context, the two br hmaṇa-s (sections), viz. 11.5.4 and 11.3.3 of the atapathabr hmaṇa ( M dhyandina recension), dealing with the upanayana, are subjected to a close study here7. These sections are named as upanayanadharm bhidh yakabr hmaṇa and brahmac ridharmanirūpaka br hmaṇa in some edited texts8. Most of the G hyasūtra-s enjoin that the student or incumbent is to utter the statement brahmacaryam g ṃ upa m nayasva (cf. brahmacaryam g miti kum ra ha -AGS 4.11.1) 2 upanayanaṃ vidy rthasya utitaḥ saṃsk raḥ / sarvebhyo vedebhyaḥ s vitryanūcyata iti hi br hmaṇam/ ( pastamba Dharmasūtra 1.1.1. 9,10) 3 The texts on Dharma stra (the Dharmasūtra-s and the Sm ti-s) also discuss these. 4 For a detailed discussion on the origin of g hya rituals see Ram Gopal, India of Vedic Kalpsūtra-s pp.13-19 5 For details see Development of domestic rites (Saty ṣ ḍha School) p.5 and Prof. Oldenberg’s Introduction to the G hyasūtra-s SBE vol. XXX. 6 see Ram Gopal, India of Vedic Kalpsūtra-s p.5 7 The Gopathabr hmaṇa, a text of later origin, enlists, in the second Prap ṭhaka, many do’s and don’ts for a brahmac rin. Some passages of the atapathabr hmaṇa (section 11.3.3) are found to be reproduced verbatim. The Atharvavedasaṃhit also has a hymn (11.5) devoted to brahmac rin , whereat the symbols of samit and bhikṣ are depicted as unique ones. 8 See the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan edition of 2002. 1 The former, i.e. the fourth br hmaṇa of the fifth adhy ya in the 11th k ṇḍa, describes the upanayana ritual, explaining the significance of some of the rites. The text resembles a G hyasūtra passage in as much as it prescribes the mantra-s to be uttered while performing some of the ceremonial actions9. The Br hmaṇa (section) immediately preceding this one narrates a debate between auceya Pr cīnayogya and Udd laka ruṇi regarding agnihotra. At one stage of the debate, Pr cīnayogya admits that he was unaware of a particular point and seeks to be instructed on it. ruṇi agrees to accept him as a student (… auceyo jñaptaḥ/ im ni samitk ṣṭh nyup y ni bhagavantamiti sa hov ca yadevaṃ n vakṣyo vyapatiṣyadehyupeh ti tatheti taṃ hopaninye…). It is in this context the upanayana ritual is described. The latter, i.e. the third br hmaṇa of the third adhy ya in the 11th k ṇḍa, describes the duties of a student (brahmac rin). The description confines to only two of them viz. the samid dh na (usually taken as fire worship with the offering of twigs of wood) and the bhaikṣ caraṇa (seeking food as alms)10. The significance and the some details regarding the performance are explained. In the midst of discussion on different aspects agnihotra ritual, this br hmaṇa seems to be an odd insertion. The upanayana ritual in the Brāhmaṇa The upanayanadharm bhidh yakabr hmaṇa starts with the statement that the incumbent (student) expresses verbally his desire to enter into brahmacarya to the preceptor. The latter accepts him with the statement ‘ko n m si’, by which, the br hmaṇa says, he makes the student related to Praj pati11. Then he holds the hand of the student with the mantra, ‘indrasya brahmac ryasi agnir c ryastav ham c ryastava’. The text then explains the significance of this utterance. The text proceeds in a similar manner intermixing the narration of action with the utterances to be accompanied along with their significance. The actions narrated are 1) parid na (offering the brahmac rin or making him committed to12) to different beings (bhūtebhyaḥ) viz. ‘Praj pati’ and ‘Savitṛ’; ‘ap’ (waters) and ‘oṣadhī’ (plants); and, to all beings (vi vebhyo bhūtebhyaḥ) by the preceptor 2) aṃsana or giving instructions – ‘be a brahmac rin’, ‘do thy duties’ (be active), ‘offer samit’ (to the fire), ‘do not be drowsy’, and ‘drink water’ – to the brahmac rin and 3) imparting the s vitr mantra. Along with these narrations and the explanations of the significance of such actions and the accompanying utterances, we get interesting discussions on some important issues. They are 1) When should the preceptor impart the s vitr mantra – whether he shall do it immediately after accepting the incumbent as a student or after a lapse of one year/six months/24 days/12 days/six days/three days. The br hmaṇa says that the See for instance athainaṃ bhūtebhyaḥ paridad ti praj pataye tv paridad mi dev ya tv savitre paridad m ti … adbhyas tvauṣadh bhyaḥ paridad m ti… dy v p thiv bhy ṃ tv paridad m ti… vi vebhyastv bhūtebhyaḥ paridad myariṣṭy iti/- SPB11.5.4.3,4 10 The brahmac risūkta (11.5) of the Atharvavedasaṃhit describes these as the essential duties of a brahmac rin. 11 athainam ha ī ko n m s ti/ praj patirvai kaḥ/ pr j patyamevainaṃ tat k tvopanayate/ SPB 11.5.4.1 12 The translation ‘making committed to’ is after Julius Eggeling. 9 2 discussion is caused by the fact that when the preceptor places his hand on the student, he (i. e., the preceptor) becomes pregnant with him (i. e., the student) and that the speech (s vitr mantra) should be imparted as soon as the child is delivered. Concluding the discussion, it states that the s vitr mantra is to be imparted to a Brahmin at once (i.e. immediately after the acceptance). Here it may be noted that the text quotes a verse (to substantiate the statement that the preceptor becomes pregnant) with the introductory remark ‘tadapi lokaṃ g yanti’, which runs as ‘ c ryo garbh bhavati hastam dh ya dakṣiṇam/ t t yasy ṃ sa j yate s vitry saha br hmaṇaḥ//’. The Atharvavedasaṃhit also, in its brahmac risūkta (11.5), has a mantra, with the same purport. It runs as ‘ c rya upanayam no brahmac riṇaṃ k ṇute antaḥ/ taṃ r tr stisra udare bibhartti taṃ j taṃ draṣṭumabhi saṃyanti dev ḥ//(11.5.3) In order to justify the conclusion that the s vitr mantra should be imparted to a Brahmin at once, the br hmaṇa states ‘ sadyo ha tv va br hmaṇ y nubrūy d gneyo vai br hmaṇaḥ sadyo ha v agnir j yate tasm t sadya eva br hmaṇ y nubrūy t’ [one shall impart (s vitr ) to a Brahmin at once, for, a Brahmin pertains to Agni, and Agni is born at once. Therefore, one shall impart (s vitr ) to a Brahmin at once]. It is significant to note that some G hyasūtra-s make a passing reference to this subject and some quote the concluding statement of this Br hmaṇa text13. 2) Extending the discussion on the teacher becoming pregnant, the text refers to the opinion of some people that the preceptor should refrain from having sexual intercourse during the studentship period (brahmacarya) of the disciple. The view is refuted with the remark that the foetus in the preceptor’s pregnancy is a divine one. 3) One should impart the s vitr mantra couched in the g yatr chandas (the famous one) and not the one couched in the anuṣṭup chandas14, as is prescribed by some, for, the anuṣṭup s vitr is the speech, and hence by giving it away to the student, the preceptor is certain to become dumb15. The duties of a Brahmacārin The brahmac ridharmanirūpaka br hmaṇa establishes the inevitability of samid dh na and the bhaikṣ caraṇa for a brahmac rin. For this, the text employs metaphors, allegories and stories. ‘Brahman delivered (vested the powers to capture) all the creatures (praj ḥ), except the brahmac rin, to Mṛtyu, the God of death’, narrates the text. When the latter asked for share in brahmac rin also, he was told: ‘the night in which a brahmac rin fails to do samid haraṇa shall be yours’ (brahma vai m tyave praj ḥ pr yacchat/ tasmai brahmac riṇameva na pr yacchat See e.g. sadyastveva g yatr ṃ br hmaṇ y nubrūy d gneyo vai br hamaṇa iti ruteḥ –PGS 2.4 ; tasm t sadyo’nūcyeti rutiḥ - MGS 1.22.15 ; eka hust ṃ khalvim ṃ s vitr ṃ saṃvatsar d eka hur dv da ar tr d eke trir tr d eke sadya eke … BhGS 1.9 14 The anuṣṭup s vitr referred to here is ‘tatsavitur v ṇ mahe/ vayaṃ devasya bhojanam// reṣṭhaṃ sarvadh tamam/ turam bhagasya dh mahi//’( gveda 5.82.1), says S yaṇa. 15 t ṃ hait meke s vitr manuṣṭubham anv huḥ/ v gv anuṣṭup/ tadasmin v caṃ dadhma iti/ na tath kury t/ nv ayamasya v camadita mūko bhaviṣyat t varo tathaiva sy t/ tasm det ṃ g yatr m eva s vitr m anubrūy t// 11.5.4.13 The B had raṇyaka upaniṣad also states the same fact in almost the same words as ‘t ṃ hait m eke s vitr manuṣṭubham anv hur v ganuṣṭub etad v cam anubrūma iti na tath kury d g yatr meva s vitr m anubrūy t’ 5.14.5 13 3 so’brav d astu mahyametasmin bh ga iti y meva r triṃ samidann har t iti/). Therefore, says the br hmaṇa, ‘brahmac rin should daily do the samid haraṇa16 lest he passes his nights cutting them off from his life. The essential nature of samid dh na is further exemplified by using a metaphor: ‘He who enters brahmacarya, enters indeed on a satra (long sacrificial session), the first samit he offers while entering into (the brahmacarya) being the pr yaṇ yeṣṭi and the one he is to offer at the time of sn na (the ceremonial closure of brahmacarya) being the udayan yeṣṭi’. Then the text proceeds to emphasise that three things are the very life of a brahmac rin. They are 1) the samid haraṇa, 2) the bhaikṣ caraṇa and 3) obeying the words of the preceptor17. The text puts it as : ‘ a brahmac rin entering into brahmacarya , enters into four beings (dividing himself into four parts) – the fire (Agni), the death (Mṛtyu), and the preceptor, the last quarter remaining in oneself. By doing samid haraṇa, he redeems the fourth part invested in the fire. Likewise, by begging alms shedding shyness, he redeems the part invested in Mṛtyu. And by obeying the preceptor or by doing things for him, redeems the part invested in the c rya.’ This is followed by three instructions regarding the bhaikṣ caraṇa. 1) One should not perform it after the sn na ceremony. 2) One shall seek bhikṣ from such persons, say some people, whom he is the most confident of not refusing. The passage of the Br hmaṇa runs as ‘yasy eva bhūyiṣṭhaṃ l gheta t ṃ bhikṣeta’. S yaṇa explains it to mean that one should get alms from the lady whom he is confident of getting the most. We have followed the explanation given by Julius Eggeling which is in conformity with some of the G hyasūtra texts which declare ‘one should seek alms from apraty khy yin-s18’. 3) One may seek bhikṣ from even one’s own mother or preceptor’s wife because a brahmac rin should not let off seven days without begging alms19. The Brāhmaṇa section and the Gṛhyasūtra-s The br hmaṇa dealing with the upanayana ritual covers some of the important rites that are dealt with in the major G hyasūtra texts like val yanag hyasūtra, Kauṣ takag hyasūtra, Baudh yanag hyasūtra, pastambag hyasūtra, P raskarag hyasūtra and the Gobhilag hyasūtra. The style and nature of description is similar to that of a G hyasūtra text. The actions to be performed are stated along with the mantra-s to be uttered in accompaniment (to such actions)20. The only difference is that the significance or the meanings of these actions and utterances are detailed here. This is collecting firewood for ‘Agni’. S yaṇa explains it as ‘samid haraṇamagnyartham’ It is interesting to note that Kauṣ takag hyasūtra also states that these three are essential and obligatory duties of a brahmac rin (aharahaḥ samid dh naṃ bhaikṣ caraṇamadha ayy guru u rūṣeti brahmac riṇo nity ni – 2.4.18). 18 See for instance Bh radv ja ‘tato bhikṣate y ṃ manyata iyam m na praty khy syat ti BhGS (1.10), P raskara ‘tisro’praty khy yinyaḥ ṣaḍ dv da parimit v ’( 2.6), Kauṣ taka ‘m tarameva prathamam/ y vainaṃ na praty cakṣ ta’ (2.3.14, 15) and val yana ‘apraty khy yinamagre bhikṣet praty khy yin ṃ v ’ (1.22.7). 19 a) Many of the G hya authors ordain that one should take the first bhikṣ form his mother. b) Manusm ti also has a similar statement – ak tv bhaikṣyacaraṇam asamidhya ca p vakam/ an turaḥ saptar tram avak rṇivrataṃ caret// - 2.187 20 See for instance the following statements in the beginning portion - 1) ath sya hastaṃ g hṇ ti indrasya brahmac ry asy agnir c ryas tav ham c ryas tava iti , 2) athainaṃ bhūtebhyaḥ 16 17 4 The rites described in the Br hmaṇa such as the ceremonial appeal of the student (to accept him as a student), the preceptor holding the hand of the student (hastagrahaṇa), offering (ritualistically) the student to different beings (parid na), ceremonial address (instruction) by the preceptor to the student ( aṃsana), and the imparting of the s vitr mantra appear in the G hyasūtra-s as well. The P raskarag hyasūtra, the lone g hya text pertaining to V jasaneya School available in print, naturally has almost the same sentences and the accompanying mantra-s as that of this Br hmaṇa section21. When we compare the Br hmaṇa section with the major G hyasūtra-s, we can see that the latter texts have developed the rituals by incorporating some more rites. The notable items that are commonly found in them are 1) upay na the ceremonial appeal of the student (to accept him as a student) to the preceptor and the acceptance thereon 2) añjalipūraṇa holding/filling of waters in the añjali (hand- cup) of brahmac rin or/and the preceptor 3) hastagrahaṇa (the preceptor holding the hand of brahmac rin) 4) parid na (offering the brahmac rin or making him committed to) to different beings 5) making the brahmac rin wear new garment 6) putting on mekhal , ajina, etc. 7) dityopasth na/ dityod kṣaṇa, the Sun-worship 8) daṇḍaprad na (giving a staff to the brahmac rin) 9) pradh nahoma, the offering of oblation in the sacred fire 10) aṃsana (giving ritualistic instructions to the student) 11) samid dh na 12) s vitryupade a ( imparting the s vitr mantra) and 13) the bhaikṣ caraṇa. These major items appear with slight variations in their order of performance in various texts. Thus we can find that the rituals got some changes, modifications and even additions in due course of time. The variations in the practical and technical details of the rites we find in the G hyasūtra-s, form only a small recorded chunk. Now we may take up a few of such notable variations and modifications that have developed from the ritualistic tradition recorded in the atapathabr hmaṇa. paridad ti praj pataye tv paridad mi dev ya tv savitre paridad m ti , and 3) brahmac ryas ty ha. 21 brahmacaryam g miti v cayati brahmac ryas n ti ca/ PGS 2.3 (brahmacaryam g m ity ha SPB11.5.4.1); athainaṃ bhūtebhyaḥ paridad ti praj pataye tv paridad mi dev ya tv savitre paridad mi adbhyas tvauṣadh bhyaḥ paridad mi dy v p thiv bhy ṃ tv paridad mi vi vebhyastv devebhyaḥ paridad mi sarvebhyastv bhūtebhyaḥ paridad myariṣṭy iti/ -PGS 2.3 (athainaṃ bhūtebhyaḥ paridad ti praj pataye tv paridad mi dev ya tv savitre paridad m ti … adbhyas tvauṣadh bhyaḥ paridad m ti… dy v p thiv bhy ṃ tv paridad m ti… vi vebhyastv bhūtebhyaḥ paridad myariṣṭy iti/- SPB11.5.4.3,4); ath smai s vitr m anv ha (the same in PGS 2.4 and in SPB11.5.4.7) 5 Ko nāmāsi The Br hmaṇa directs the preceptor to address the brahmac rin, who has approached him seeking brahmacarya, with the statement ‘ko n m si’. It immediately explains that by this act he makes the brahmac rin as belonging to Praj pati for ‘ka’ means Praj pati. But this statement was wrongly interpreted to mean ‘what is your name’ by many a G hyasūtra22. Even the P raskarag hyasūtra follows the cue of others and instructs the incumbent to state his name (hastaṃ g h tv ha ko n m s ty as vahaṃ bho iti23). Baudh yanag hyasūtra states : ‘ko n m syasau n m sm ti ṭy yanakam’24 . Thus citing (probably) a Vedic text ṭy yanaka, the author hints at a probable uncertainty regarding the correct interpretation. In this connection it would be very interesting to note that the M navag hyasūtra extends this rite of asking the name (a subsequence of a wrong interpretation) to the marriage ritual. Thus in the marriage ritual the text states ‘ k n m s ty ha/ n madheye prokte devasya tv … iti hastaṃ g hṇann ma g hṇ ti/’25. The a māropa If the M navag hyasūtra takes the rite of asking the name from the upanayana ritual to the marriage ritual, some authors (of G hyasūtra texts) seem to have extended the rite of a m ropa from the marriage ritual to the upanayana. Thus the Baudh yana, pastamba and M navag hyasūtra-s prescribe the a m ropa in the upanayana ritual. The a m ropa in the marriage ritual is enunciated by almost all the G hya authors. In this rite the bridegroom makes the bride to stand atop a piece of rock and utters a mantra ‘ tiṣṭhemam a m nam a meva tvaṃ sthir bhava/abhitiṣṭha p tanyataḥ sahasva p tan yataḥ’(Stand atop this rock and be firm like a rock. Confront all the (adverse) situations boldly). In the upanayana ritual the brahmac rin is he who is made to stand atop the rock: and the mantra is changed as ‘ tiṣṭhemama m nama meva tvaṃ sthiro bhava/. The Sāvitrī mantra The authors of G hyasūtra texts unanimously prescribe the famous s vitr mantra ( gveda 3.62.10) for the s vitryupade a (for Brahmins). But the atapathabr hmaṇa explicitly states,as we have seen, that some people held the opinion that it is the anuṣṭup mantra which is to be imparted. And it makes a confirmatory remark that the anuṣṭup mantra should not be imparted since it will lead to dumbness of the preceptor. In this connection it may be noted that val yanag hyasūtra prescribes the anuṣṭup mantra in the case of a repeated upanayana26(upetapūrvasya). Kauṣ takag hyasūtra, as if to make it unambiguous, instructs that the brahmac rin should ask ‘vai v mitr ṃ g yatr ṃ s vitr ṃ bho anubrūhi27’ (kindly teach me the s vitr mantra found by sage Vi v mitra and which is set in the g yatr chandas) while seeking the upde a. KGS - ko n m s ti/ as vahaṃ bho it taraḥ/- 2.2.1,2., GGS – kon m s ti n madheyaṃ p cchaty c ryaḥ – 2.10.22., ApGS – p ṣṭaṃ parasya prativacanaṃ kum rasya- 11.4.2 (kon m syasaun m smi – Mantrap ṭha), MGS ī ko n m s ty ha/ n madheye prokte…21.4,5., BGS - ko n m s ti as vit taraḥ praty ha - 1.7 23 PGS 2.3 24 BGS 2.5.25 25 MGS 1.10.14,15. 26 tatsaviturv ṇ maha iti s vitr m – AGS 1.22.26 27 KGS 2.3.7 22 6 Honey prohibited for brahmacārin In the concluding portion of the section 11.5.4, the atapathabr hmaṇa refers to the prohibition of honey for a brahmac rin laid down by some people. The Br hmaṇa says that they prohibit the consumption of honey taking it as the quintessence of all edible things. Hence eating honey would be as good as enjoying all the edible things. Therefore a brahmac rin should refrain from it, they say. The Br hmaṇa says that the great sage vetaketu (who used to take honey while he was a brahmac rin) said: ‘One may eat honey. Honey being the essence of all edible things would lead one to the essence of the whole Vedic lore’. Therefore a brahmac rin may eat honey at his will28. Interestingly the Baudh yanag hyasūtra includes honey in the list of prohibited items for brahmac rin as ‘… r ddhasūtakamaithunamadhum ṃs ni varjayan …’29. One may argue that this stand of Baudh yana may be due to the rivalry between the V jasaneya and the Taittirīya schools. But surprisingly P raskarag hyasūtra also enlists honey in the prohibited items for a brahmac rin as ‘madhum ṃsamajjanopary sanastr gaman n t datt d n ni varjayet’30. The Dharma stra-s also lay down abstinence from honey for a brahmac rin31. It is not known why honey was prohibited for a brahmac rin. We see it as prescribed in many other rituals like j takarman and annapr ana in Gg hyasūtra texts32. Samidādhāna As we have seen the Br hmaṇa states that the samid haraṇa is an inevitable duty of a brahmac rin. Moreover it says, in the section dealing with the duties of a brahmac rin, that he is to lay a samit on the sacred fire while entering into brahmacarya and while closing it33. But it does not explicitly prescribe samid dh na in its ‘upanayana ritual’. Not all the G hyasūtra-s prescribe this samid dh na at the entry into brahmacarya. Only some of the G hya authors like Baudh yana34 and pastamba prescribe the laying of samit in the sacred fire at the beginning of the ritual (i. e. before the s vitryupade a). Anyway, samit seems to be an invariable symbol of an earnest seeker of knowledge in ancient India. That is why whenever somebody is spoken of as seeking knowledge, he is invariably tad huḥ/ na brahmac r sanmadhva n y t/ oṣadh n ṃ v eṣa raso yanmadhu/ nedann dyasy ntaṃ gacch n ti/ atha ha sm ha vetaketur ruṇeyaḥ/ brahmac r sanmadhva nan/trayyai v etadvidy yai madhu/ sa tu raso yasyed k iṣṭamiti/ yath hav caṃ v yajur v s ma v ’bhivy haret/ t d k tat/ ya evaṃ vidv n san madhva n ti/ tasm du k mamev n y t/ SPB11.5.4.18 29 BGS 2.5.72 30 PGS 2.6. 31 ‘varjayenmadhu m ṃsaṃ ca gandhaṃ m lyaṃ ras n striyaḥ/ ukt ni y ni sarv ṇi pr ṇin ṃ caiva hiṃsanam//’ Manusm ti 2.167 ; ‘madhum ṃs ñjanocchiṣṭa uktastr pr ṇihiṃsanam/bh skar lokan l lapariv d di varjayet//’ Y jñavalkyasm ti 1.33 32 See for instance AGS 6.15.4, 6.16.1; BGS 2.1.7, 2.3.15; and MGS 1.17.4. 33 sa y mupayan samidham dadh ti s pr yaṇ y / y ṃ sn syan sodayan y / SPB 11.3.3.2 34 BGS 2.5.9; ApGS 4.10.9 28 7 depicted as samitp ṇi (holding a samit in his hand)35in the Upaniṣad-s. Moreover whenever somebody reveals his ignorance, even in the midst of a heated discussion, he is asked to bring samit as samidham hara, so that he can be taught. Even our Br hmaṇa section on the upanayana ritual happens to be narrated as Pr cīnayogya seeks knowledge from ruṇi in the midst of a discussion. Pr cīnayogya says then ‘im ni samitk ṣṭh ni up y ni bhagavantamiti’(Here are the samitk ṣṭha-s, kindly accept me as your student, revered sir!). In the Brahmacaryasūkta of the Atharvavedasaṃhit we get a picturesque image of a brahmac rin where the samit is depicted as his essential feature36. Samid dh na forms an essential item of the vrata rituals (pertaining to the learning of Vedic texts) also. In the rauta rituals also the samid dh na plays a significant role. It may be noted that many a Br hmaṇa and G hya passage, at times, speak of samid haraṇa (fetching logs or twigs of wood) along with samid dh na which poses a query as to what for the logs are to be fetched. Sāvitrīvrata and Pālā akarman We have seen that the atapathabr hmaṇa records the practice of leaving a gap of three days/ six days/ 12 days/24 days after the upanayana for imparting the s vitr mantra to the student. Of course, the Br hmaṇa refutes the view and asserts that it should be imparted immediately, at least for a Brahmin. But it seems that this practice had been so strong that it was retained symbolically. The reason for the intentional delay for imparting s vitr mantra, according to the Br hmaṇa, is that the student has to reside in the garbha of c rya. The Baudh yanag hyasūtra prescribes, as a part of the upanayana ritual, a vrata (named S vitr vrata) for three days and at the end of this, a rite called P l akarman is enjoined. The ceremonial laying of samit (samid dh na) is the core part of this rite. After this rite the brahmac rin has to leave aside or sever with the garment, mekhal , ajina and daṇḍa which he wore for the upanayana ritual37. Now almost all the G hya authors prescribe, at the end of the upanayana ritual, a vow for three days, during which period, he is to abstain from salty and sour food (akṣ ralavaṇ ) and some other items. Can this be taken as a symbolic garbhav sa? It seems that this can be. Most of the G hya authors ordain that the brahmac rin is to give his new garment (which he was wearing) to the preceptor at the end of the vow. val yana prescribes medh janana at end of the vow (caritavrat ya medh jananaṃ karoti). The medh janana is usually prescribed for a new born child. This is a pointer to the fact that the vow might have been a symbolical representation of garbhav sa of the brahmac rin. Further, val yana hints at the fact that the duration of three days for the vrata is shortened representation of one year’s garbhak la. For, his pronouncement of vrata runs as : ‘ata For instance see tadvijñ n rthaṃ sa gurumev bhigacchetsamitp ṇiḥ rotriyaṃ brahmaniṣṭham- Muṇḍaka 2.12; te ha samitp ṇayo bhagavantaṃ pippal damupasann ḥ Pra na 6.1; te ha samitp ṇayaḥ pūrv hṇe praticakramire - Ch ndogya 15.11.7 36 brahmac ryeti samidh samiddhaḥ k rṣṇaṃ vas no d kṣito d rgha ma ruḥ/ AVS 11.5.6a. 37 See BGS 2.4.34; 2.4.35; 3.4.66; and 3.4.70. 35 8 ūrdhvamakṣ ralavaṇ brahmac ryadha y dvir tram trir tram dv da ar tram samvatsaram v ’38( henceforth he should keep the vow of brahmacarya, and abstain from salty and sour food for one year, 12 days, or three days). If we read this statement along with the discussion of the Br hmaṇa39 as to when should the preceptor impart the s vitr mantra - whether he shall do it immediately after accepting the incumbent as a student or after a lapse of one year/six months/24 days/12 days/six days/three days – we can see that these three days are the symbolic shortened representation of one year’s garbhav sa. Thus it seems that the G hyasūtra-s point to the retention of the practice of leaving a gap of three days/ six days/ 12 days/ 24 days after the upanayana for imparting the s vitr mantra to the student. The present writer is well aware of the fact that the P l akarman is prescribed to be performed three days after the s vitryupade a. But he holds the view that the present S vitr vrata might be a later elaboration of a shorter rite performed before s vitryupade a. The upanayana ritual and the rebirth of a dvija The G hyasūtra-s and the texts on Dharma stra enjoin that a traivarṇika should perform the upanayana ritual in the prescribed age. And these state that the traivarṇika-s are called Dvija-s as they have two births – a natural birth and a symbolical birth caused by the upanayana ritual. Y jñavalkya, for instance, states: ‘ Since br hmaṇa-s, kṣatriya-s and the vai ya-s take two births – the first one from mother’s womb and the second one by virtue of the upanayana ritual – they are called the dvija-s’40. Manu in his Sm ti states41 that there are three births for the traivarṇika-s, the first one from mother’s womb, the second by virtue of the upanayana ritual, and the third at the time of ‘d kṣ ’ in a Sacrifice (yajña)42. The initiation/investiture rites in sacrifice (yajñad kṣ ) are likened to the state of foetus. The Br hmaṇa texts explicitly proclaim that the yajñad kṣ is a symbolical garbha.43 But how does the upanayana ritual cause a new birth? Neither the texts on Dharma stra nor the G hyasūtra-s give a clear answer to this. It is in this context the passage ‘tadapi lokaṃ g yanti ‘ c ryo garbh bhavati hastam dh ya dakṣiṇam/ t t yasy ṃ sa j yate s vitry saha br hmaṇaḥ//’ of the atapathabr hmaṇa assumes importance. The passage clearly states that the tradition held the concept that the student enter into the preceptor as a foetus as soon as the latter touches him ceremonially at the time of initiation. And he is (re)born as a Brahmin after three days. 38 AGS 1.22.17 SPB 11.5.4.6-11 40 ‘m turyadagre j yante dvit yaṃ mauñjibandhan t / br hmaṇakṣatriyavi as tasm dete dvij ḥ sm t ḥ//’ Y jñavalkyasm ti 1.39. 41 ‘m turagre’dhijananaṃ dvit yaṃ mauñjibandhane / t t yaṃ yajñad kṣ y ṃ dvijasya ruticodan t // Manusm ti 2.169. 42 The atapathabr hmaṇa also has a similar statement (trir ha vai puruṣo j yate etannveva m tu c dhi pitu c gre j yate’tha yaṃ yajña upanamati sa yadyajate tad dvit yaṃ j yate’tha yatra mriyate yatraitamagn vabhy dadhati sa yattataḥ sambhavati tat t t yaṃ j yate tasm t triḥ puruṣo j yata ity huḥ/ 11.2.1.1). But then there the birth caused by the upanayana ritual is omitted and the cremation of the body at the time of death is put in its place. 43 For instance see ‘garbho v eṣa yad d kṣitaḥ’ Taittir yasaṃhit 6.2.4 Ś ‘garbho v eṣa bhavati yo d kṣate’ atapathabr hmaṇa 3.2.1.16 ; ‘punarv etam tvijo garbhaṃ kurvanti yaṃ d kṣayanti’ Aitareya br hmaṇa 1.1.3.1. 39 9 Thus it is not the s vitr mantra which causes the rebirth. It is the initiation or the preliminary rites qualifying the student to receive it, which causes the rebirth. After a symbolic garbhav sa for three days, he is reborn and no sooner the s vitr mantra is imparted to him. The Atharvavedasaṃhit makes this point very clear. It states: ‘ c rya upanayam no brahmac riṇaṃ k ṇute antaḥ/ taṃ r tr stisra udare bibhartti taṃ j taṃ draṣṭumabhi saṃyanti dev ḥ//’ (The preceptor puts the student in oneself (garbha) while accepting the latter as a student; and bears him for three days. The Gods come to see him then). That is, the imparting of s vitr mantra has got nothing to do with the rebirth. The s vitr mantra just causes the brahminhood (brahmaṇya). Dīkṣā ceremony – a symbolical garbha The investiture ceremony (d kṣ ) in the rauta tradition contains many rites like vapana (shaving the hairs), wearing a new garment, putting on ajina (black deer’s skin), anointing the body with butter, wearing a girdle mekhal made of muñja grass, holding the fingers closed in a fist (muṣṭ karaṇa), keeping a vow of silence, committing the initiate to the gods (parid na) and bestowing the initiate with a daṇḍa. Many of these are said to be a symbolical representation of the state of a foetus. The Brahmaṇa texts express a complete parallelism between the initiate and the human foetus. As the body of foetus remains clammy, the body of the initiate is anointed with butter. Just as the foetus is covered by ulba (vulva), the initiate is covered by new unbleached garment44. The foetus has an outer cover (jar yu), so has the initiate the outer cover of ajina45. As the foetus cannot speak, the initiate is to keep a vow of silence. The foetus keeps its fingers clenched, so the initiate should also hold them clenched in a fist46. Just as the foetus remains closed in the womb, so the initiate is expected to remain in the shed called pr c navaṃ a. Through this symbolical birth, the initiate gets a transfigured life. He is said to achieve union with the gods. Yajñadīkṣā and the upanayana ritual Now we can see that many of these yajñad kṣ rites are prescribed in the upanayana ritual making it a miniature of the initiation ceremony in the rauta tradition. Thus the vapana, wearing a new garment (unbleached, ahataṃ v saḥ), wearing a cover of ajina, wearing mekhal committing the student to the gods, bestowing him with a daṇḍa in the upanayana ritual are simply reproduced from the sacrificial tradition. Moreover the mah praiṣa (ritualistic proclamation of the do’s and don’ts made by Adhvaryu to the yajam na) has a parallel in the aṃsana of the upanayana. Thus we can see that the upanayana ritual has drawn much from the investiture ceremony (d kṣ ) of the rauta tradition. v sas prorṇuvanti/ulbaṃ v etad d kṣitasya yad v saḥ AB 1.1.3 k ṣṇ jinamuttaraṃ bhavati/ uttaraṃ v ulb jjar yu/ jar yuṇaivainaṃ tat prorṇuvanti/ AB 1.1.3 46 muṣṭ kurute/ muṣṭ vai k tv garbho’ntaḥ ete/ muṣṭ k tv kum ro j yate/ AB 1.1.3 44 45 10 Conclusion Thus, it can be seen that the atapathabr hmaṇa has recorded some of the old practices in the early stages of formation of the upanayana ritual. It seems that the upanayana ritual drew much from the sacrificial investiture ceremony of d kṣ in its earliest stages. During course of time, it got transformed and modified even before the formalisation of G hyasūtra texts. Some of old practices and customs were misinterpreted (as in the case of ‘ko n m si’), some were dropped or symbolically retained (as in the case of delaying the s vitryupade a), some were modified, and some others were elaborated in due course. Special attention and a focused analytical study on the samid haraṇa, samid dh na, bhaikṣ caraṇa and P l akarman from the sociological and cultural angle, is certain to throw new light on the cultural history of ancient India. **** 11 References Primary sources AGS: val yanag hyasūtram, ed. by Ganesha Sastri, Anandashramam Press, Pune, 1987. ApGS: pastambag hyasūtram, ed. by A. Mahadeva Sastri, Oriental Research Institute, Mysore,1983. AVS: Atharvavedasaṃhit , ed. by Shripada Damodar Satvalekar, Svadhyay Mandal, Pardi. BGS: Bodh yanag hyasūtram, ed. by R. Shama Sastri, Oriental Research Institute, Mysore,1983. BhGS: Bh radv ja g hyasūtram, ed. by Heneriette J. W. Salomons, Meharchand Lacchmandas Publications, Delhi, 1981(Originally published from Leiden, 1913). GGS: Gobhilag hyasūtram, ed. by Sudhakar Malvya, Chowkhambha Sankrit Sansthan, Varanasi, 1977. GPB: Gopathabr hmaṇam, ed. by Vijayapal, Sabitri Debi Bagriya Trust, Calcutta, 1980. IDU: dida opaniṣadaḥ, Motilal Banarsidass, New Delhi, 1992. KGS: Kauṣ takag hyasūtram, ed. by T. R. Chintamani, PANINI, New Delhi, 1982. MS: Manusm ti,ed. by L. Vasudvasharma, Nirnayasagar Press, Mumbai, 1902. MGS: M navag hyasūtram, ed. by Ramakrishna Harshaji Sastri, PANINI, New Delhi, 1982. PGS: P raskarag hyasūtram, ed. by Anantarama Dogra Shastri, Chowkhambha Sankrit Sansthan, Varanasi, 1978. SBE: The Sacred Books of the East (Vol.s XXIX and XXX), ed. by F. Max Muller, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1980 (Originally published by the Oxford University Press, 1892). SPB: atapathabr hmaṇam, ed. by several learned persons, Rashtriya Sanskrita Sansthan, New Delhi, 2002. YS: Y jñavalkyasm ti,ed. by Narayana Ram Acharya, R ashtriya Sanskrita Sansthan, New Delhi, 2002. Secondary sources Deshpande, Maitreyee. 2008. (ed.) atapathabr hmaṇam with the Eng. Trans. of Julius Eggeling: Text, translation and notes. Delhi: New Bharatiya Book Corporation. Sharma, N.N. 1976. (Ed. and Eng. Trans.) val yanag hyasūtram, with N r yaṇa’s commentary: Text, translation and notes. Delhi: Eastern Book Linkers. Basu, Jogiraj. 1969. India of the age of the Brahmanas, Calcutta: Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar. Date, Ranjana Shrikant. 2006. Development of domestic rites (Saty ṣ ḍha School). New Delhi : New Bharatiya Book Corporation. Ram Gopal. 1983. India of Vedic Kalpasūtras. Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass. ***** 12