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The Grihya Sutras, Part 2 (SBE30), by Hermann Oldenberg, [1892], at sacred-texts.com


PATALA 3, SECTION 10.

1. With (the formula), 'Stand in your places for the sake of the enjoyment of food. Stand in your places for the sake of long life. Stand in your places for the sake of holy lustre. May I be blessed with long life, an enjoyer of food, adorned with holy lustre.'

2. Then (the teacher) makes him wash himself with lukewarm water, with the three verses, 'O waters, ye are wholesome' (Taitt. Samh. IV, I, 5, 1), with the four verses, 'The gold-coloured, clean, purifying (waters)' (Taitt. Samh. V, 6, 1), and with the Anuvâka, 'The purifier, the heavenly one' (Taitt. Brâhmana I, 4, 8).

3. 3 Or (instead of performing these rites in the neighbourhood of water) they make an enclosure in a cow-stable and cover it (from all sides); that (the student) enters before sunrise, and in that (enclosure) the whole (ceremony) is performed. 'On that day the sun does not shine upon him,' some say. 'For he who shines (i.e. the sun), shines by the splendour of those who have taken the bath. Therefore the face of a Snâtaka is, as it were, resplendent (?).'

4. 4 (His friends or relations) bring him all sorts of

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perfumes, or ground sandal wood; he besprinkles that (with water), and worships the gods by raising his joined hands towards the east, with (the formulas), 'Adoration to Graha (the taker) and to Abhigraha (the seizer)! Adoration to Sâka and Gañgabha! Adoration to those deities who are seizers!' (Then) he anoints himself with (that salve of sandal wood) with (the verse), 'The scent that dwells with the Apsaras, and the splendour that dwells with the Gandharvas, divine and human scent: may that here enter upon me!'

5. They bring him a pair of (new) garments that have not yet been washed. He besprinkles them (with water) and puts on the under garment with (the formula), 'Thou art Soma's body; protect my body! Thou who art my own body, enter upon me; thou who art a blissful body, enter upon me.' Then he touches water, (puts on) the upper garment with the same (Mantra), and sits down to the west of the fire, facing the east.

6. 6 They bring him two ear-rings and a perforated pellet of sandal wood or of Badarî wood, overlaid with gold (at its aperture); these two things he ties to a Darbha blade, holds them over the fire, and pours over them (into the fire) oblations (of ghee) with (the Mantras),

'May this gold which brings long life and splendour and increase of wealth, and which gets through (all adversities), enter upon me for the sake of long life, of splendour, and of victory. Svâhâ!

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[paragraph continues] '(This gold) brings high gain, superiority in battles, superiority in assemblies; it conquers treasures. All perfections unitedly dwell together in this gold. Svâhâ!

'I have obtained an auspicious name like (the name) of a father of gold. Thus may (the gold) make me shine with golden lustre; (may it make me) beloved among many people; may it make me full of holy lustre. Svâhâ!

'Make me beloved among the gods; make me beloved with Brahman (i.e. among the Brâhmanas), beloved among Vaisyas and Sûdras; make me beloved among the kings (i.e. among the Kshatriyas). Svâhâ!

'This herb is protecting, overcoming, and powerful. May it make me shine with golden lustre; (may it make me) beloved among many people; may it make me full of holy lustre. Svâhâ!'

7. Having thrice washed (the two ear-rings) in a vessel of water with the same five (Mantras), without the word Svâhâ, (moving them round in the water) from left to right—


Footnotes

165:3 10, 3. Rephâyatîva dîpyatîva. Mâtridatta. Comp. Âpastamba Dharma-sûtra II, 6, 14, 13, and Bühler's note, S.B.E., vol. ii, p. 135.

165:4 Comp. above, I, 2, 8, 4.

166:6 Regarding the first Mantra, comp. Vâgas. Samhitâ XXXIV, 50. In the fifth Mantra we ought to read oshadhis trâyamânâ. Comp. below, I, 3, 11, 3; Pâraskara I, 13; Atharva-veda VIII, 2, 6.


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