23 Upākarma and Utsarjana

CHAPTER XXIII

UPĀKARMA OR UPĀKARANA AND

UTSARJANA OR UTSARGA.

ning (upakran Asv. g!. III. 3:in the year. Ap.

Upākarma or Upākarana means ‘opening, starting or begin. ning’ (upakrama as the Mit. on Yāj. I, 142 says) and Utsarjana or Utsarga (in Aśv. gļ, III. 5. 13) means ’the cessation of Vedic studies for a certain period in the year.’ Ap. gr. VIII. 1 and Ap. Dh S. I. 3. 11. % employ the word ‘samāpana’ for utsarjana. In former times these two rites were performed on different dates and in different months, but with the decline of vedio studies in medieval times they came to be performed one after another on the same day. In several sātras the first of these two is spoken of as adhyayopākarspa (as in Āśv. gr. III. 5. 1.) or adhyiyopākarma (in Pār. gs. II. 10, Vas. Dh. S. 13. 1). In this case adhyāya means study of the Veda’ or it may mean Veda itself because it is studied (pre-eminently). Therefore the rite which signalises the opening of the session for Vedic study in the year is itself called upākarma.1997 In Gaut. 16. I the rite of upākarmu is called vārșika either because it took place in varsā (the rainy season) or because it took place once a year (from varsa, a year). The Āśv. gr. III. 5. 19 also states that this rite is oalled vārṣika.

The time for upakarma is variously stated in the sātras, The Āśv. gr. III. 5. 2-3 states when the herbs appear, when the moon is in conjunction with the constellation of Śravaṇa, in the month of Srāvaṇa or on the 5th (tithi) of Srāvang when the moon is in the Hasta nakṣatra. “1913 The

1922. 37THEIR FUTTATO ACTH) wa watot ari TTT #TTTTO ON T*. T. III. 5.1; ‘sturya ETTETIT TESTETT TT *** quat aru, FAUT. OD OT. I. 142.

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(Ch, XXIII

Pār. gr. II. 10 says ‘when the herbs appear, when the moon is in conjunction with Śravaṇa on the full moon day in the month of Srāvana or on the fifth of the month of Srāvans when the moon is in Hasta.’ Gaut. 16. 1 and Vas. Dh. 8. 13. 1 require that it should be performed on the full moon day of Srivana or Bhadrapada. The Khādira gf. (III. 2. 14-15) and Gobhila III. 3. 1 and 13 ordain that Upakarma should be performed on the full moon day of Bhadrapada or under the constellation of Hasta in that month or according to some on the full moon day of Srāvana. The Baud. gr. III. 1. % prescribes that Upakarma may be done on the full moon day of Śrāvana or Aṣadha. The Hir. gr. (II. 18. 2, S. B. E. vol. 30 p. 241) says ‘during the fortnight (at the end of which) the full moon of Srāvana ocours, when the herbs have sprouted forth, the ceremony for the open ing of the annual Veda study ( should be performed ) under the Hasta oonstellation or on the full moon day’. The Ap. Dh. S. I. 3.9.1 speaks only of the full moon day of Srāvans as the time for the performance of the Upakarma rite. Manu. IV. 95 prescribes the full moon of Śravaṇa or Bhadrapada as the time for upākarma. Yaj. I. 142 provides three times viz. on the full moon day of Srivaṇa or on a day (in Srāvapa).when the moon is in conjunction with the Śravaṇa nakṣatra or on the 5th tithi of Śrāvaṇa if the moon is in conjunction with Hasta. The Kūrmapurāṇa (Uttarārdha 14. 60-61 ) holds that Upakarma should be performed on the full moon day of either Srāvana, Āṣāḍha or Bradrapada. In this rather bewildering variety of opinions oommentators like the Mit. prescribed that one should follow one’s gphyasutra.’°* This means ( as stated by Medhātithi on Manu IV.95 ) that the full moon of Bhadrapada being mentioned by Gobhila gr. and Khādira gł. Chandogas (students of the Sāmaveda ) should perform upakarma on that day; but as Ap. Dh. 8. speaks only of the full moon of Srāvana, the followers of the Krsna Yajurveda should perform upakarma only that day. When there is no rain and so no herbs appear in Srāvapa or when that day is inauspicious owing to an eclipse or the like, Upakarma may be performed on the full moon day of Bhadrapada by those whose grhys aŭtra allows

students of these by Gobhila hat the full moc

1924. • Prymartur ogrua Ancontraria automat sro अपि । पशुःशालिना पोर्णमास्याम् । तत्रापि तैतिरीपाणामौदपिके पर्वणि इतरेषा । पूर्व पिढे पर्वणि सामगाना हस्ते । अयं च निर्णया श्रवणाविप्राधान्यनिर्देशादम्यते । असति

महसकात्यादिरूपमविषधे भाषणे मास्येष मदनपारिजात p. 85.

Oh. XXIII )

U pakarma or upakarana

809

the option of two months or on the fifth of the bright half of Śrāvana. But if both days of the full moon in the two months are inauspicious, then Upākarma should be performed on the full moon of Srāvana. As the Baud. gr. refers to the full moon of Aṣāḍha, the followers of the Black Yajurveda may perform upākarma on Āṣāḍha full moon, if the full moon of Srāvana is not available. But the students of the Rgveda cannot do so, since no sutra of the Rgveda speaks of Asādha 88 an optional month. Rgvedins have to prefer Śravaṇa bakṣatra (so that they may perform upakarma on the 14th or 15th of the bright half of Srāvana ); the followers of the Yajurveda (Sukla ) must perform it on the full moon day of Śrāvana when the moon is in Śravana nakṣatra, but if the moon is not so, then they have to prefer the full moon day. The students of the Taittiriya gākhā also have to follow this last course. The followers of the Sāmaveda should prefer Hasta. Vide Sam. Pr. pp. 497-498, Sm. M. pp. 32-33, Nirn, pp. 114-120. Some interpreted Yaj. I. 142 in such a way as to yield four times for upākarma, viz. the full moon of Srāvana, the day in Srāvana on which the moon is in conjunction with Śravaṇa nakṣatra ( this may sometimes be the 14th tithi of the bright half ), or on the 15th of the bright half of Śrāvana or on that day in Srāvana when the moon is in Hasta. Why so much importance was attached to the month of Srāvana and to the constellation of Sravans as the season for starting Veda study is obscure. It is possible that that month was originally chosen as owing to showers of rain it is pleasantly cool, there is more leisure and staying inside the house in that month for brāhmaṇas than in other months of the year and then Nature is at its best. The month of Srāvaṇa being fixed upon, the best day therein would be the full moon (Soma in another sense being the king of brābmaṇas ). If any other day in Srāvana was to be chosen then the day on which the moon was in Hasta would be the best, which would ordinarily be the 5th of the bright half (of Srāvana). As the Paurṇamāsī of that month was called Srāvani owing to the moon’s conjunction with the Śravaṇa nakṣatra ( which conjunc

tion usually takes place on that day) the Śravaṇa nakṣatra came to be associated with the starting of the annual session of Vedic studies. But that the Śravaṇa nakṣatra by itself bad no direct connection with upākarma is clear from the fact that several sūtras do not mention it at all. The Gobbila and Khādira gr. do not accept the full moon day of Srāvana ( but of Bhadrapada and the Hasta nakṣatra ) as the proper time for upakarma.

7. D. 102

810

History of Dharmaśāstra (Ch. XXIII

Oldenberg in his note on san, gr. IV. 5. % when the herbs appear, under the nakṣatra Hasta or Śravaṇa’( S. B. E. vol. 29, P. 112 ) remarks ’the nakṣatra Śravaṇa is evidently considered 88 particularly fit for this occasion because of its name contain ing an allusion to śruti’. But this conjecture has no plausibi. lity. Hardly any ancient writer makes the suggestion that Śravaṇa and Sruti are brought together on account of the root ‘śru’. The presiding deity of Hasta is Savitr. Owing to the supreme importance given to the Gāyatri verse (of which Savity is the deity ) and to the fact that Veda study begins with the recitation of the Gayatri, the nakṣatra Hasta would be closely connected with the starting of Veda study. As a matter of fact the San. gr. IV. 5.2 mentions Hasta first and then Śravana; the Hir. gg. does not name the Śravaṇa nakṣatra at all, but names Hasta in this connection; while the Āśv. gr., Pār. gr. and several others mention both Śravaṇa and Hasta.

. are brought together as the suggestion that

‘śru’. The n

Upākarma is to be done in the morning. If for part of the day, the moon is in conjunction with Uttarāṣadhā and then with Śravaṇa that day is not to be chosen for upākarma, but the next day is to be chosen on which the moon is in conjunction with Śravaṇa and Dhaniṣthā. Later writers introduced further complications about the zodiacal sign (rāśi) in which the Sun would be at the time. Garga required that upākarma must be performed during the days when the Sun was in the sign of Leo by the followers of the Sāmaveda and by those who are to the north of the Narmada river. There is no upākarma in the intercalary month of Srāvana and Bhadrapada except for the followers of the Sāmaveda who must perform it in the inter calary month. When upākarma is to be done for the first time after a boy’s upanayana, the planets Jupiter and Venus must not be in the position of asta ( i. e. invisibility owing to their being too near the sun).

Upakarma is to be done by brahmacārins, by householders and also by vānaprasthas ( forest hermits). The teacher does it in the company of his pupils whether they be brahmacārins or not and performs the homa in his own gļhya fire, as the Pār. gr. II, 10 says. Karka the com. of Pār. gr. states that if the ācārya has no pupils then he has no adhikāra ( right or eligibi. lity ) to perform the upakarma in the gļhya fire, while Harihara says that the practice of performing upakarma in the ordinary

Ch. XXIII

Upakarma or upākaraña

811

domestic fire in the company of a Veda student is based on no authority, but is a mere usage. 1935

The procedure of upākarma is set out as followg1988 in the Aśv. gr. (III. 5. 4-12): ‘having sacrificed the two ūjyabhāgas 1927 (portions of clarified butter), he should offer oblations of ajya to the following deities, viz. Savitri, Brahmā, Sraddhā, Medha, Prajāā, Dhāraṇā (memory), Sadasaspati, Anumati, Chandases (metres) and Rṣis (Bages). Then he sacrifices saktu (barley flour) mixed with ourds to the accompaniment of the following mantras; the one verse “I praise Agni, the purohita’ (Rg. I. 1, 1),1948 and ’the Kuṣumbhaka bas said it’ (Rg. I. 191. 16), ‘O bird, when crying announce welfare to us’ (Rg. II. 43.3), *Sung by Jamadagni’(Rg. III. 62. 18), ‘In thy abode the whole world rests’ (Rg. IV.58, 11), ‘you ( Maruts ) that deserve sacri fice, come to our sacrifice’ (Rg. V. 87.9), ‘whosoever whether ours or a stranger ( Rg. VI. 75, 19), ’look towards us, look in various directions’ (Rg. VII. 101.25 ), ‘Come here, O Agni, the friend of the Maruta’ ( Rg. VIII, 103. 14), ‘O king, the oblation that is cooked for thee’ (Rg. IX. 114. 4).–each time two verses: the one verse one is our intention’ (Rg. X. 191. 4); the one Verse we choose that blessing and boon.’ When he is about to study the Veda he should, while the pupils (i. e. those who are to be taught the Veda) join him (lit. take hold of him), sacrifice

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TITIET OD PT. T. II. 10. 1926. Vide Appendix for the text.

1927. The ajyabhagas bave been explained at Afv. 87. 1. 10, 13-16. Vide f. n. 483 above.

1928. It will be noticed that the first and the laat verses of each of the ten mandalas of the Rgveda are repeated in making these oblations of barley mixed with curds. The verge tacchamyor-/vipimabe’ in the laat verso of the Baṣkala roconsion of the Rgvode. Those who studied the Baakala takbo were to recite this last vorso instead of Rg. I. 191. 4. Both Nardya ga and Haradatta point this out and the former romark, ‘शाकलसमानास्पास्कलसमाम्नायस्य वेदमेव वर्ष पर चेत्पश्येतामासिटम’. The Backalatakbd contained 8 bymns inore than the Sakalasakha.

812

to those deities,1°** then offer an oblation to Agni Sviṣtakst and partake of the barley mixed with curds and then follows cleaning. 1980 Sitting down to the west of the fire on darbha grass, the ends of which are turned towards the east, he should dip darbha blades into a water pot, he ( the ācārya ) should join his hands in the brahmāñjali 1931 form and then recite ( together with his pupils, if any ) the following: the three vyāhrtis pre ceded by om, these and the Sāvitri verse (Rg. III. 62, 10 ) he should repeat thrice and then the beginning of the Rgveda (either one hymn or an anuvāka).

In the other grbga sūtras there is a good deal of divergence as to the mantras, the deities and the materials offered as obla tions. Pār. gr. II. 10 says that the two ājya portions are offered and then oblations of ajya are to be made to the earth and fire if the Rgveda is to be studied, to the Airy region and to Vāyu if the Yajurveda, to the Heaven and the Sun if the Sāmaveda, to the quarters and the moon if the Atharveveda and oblations are also offered to Brahmā, to the Chandases (metres ) in all cases, and to Prajāpati, to the gods, to the Rṣis, to Sraddbā, to Medhā, to Sadasaspati, to Anumati. Then Par. gr. (II. 10) proceeds “with the verse Sadaspatim’ (Vāj. S, 32. 13=Rg. I. 18.6) the teacher three times sacrifices fried grains. All (pupils ) should repeat the verse after him. After each oblation they should each time put on the fire three pieces of udumbara wood that are fresh branches with leaves, anointed with ghee, reciting the Sāvitri. And the pupils should put on samidhs in the manner stated above ( Pār. gr. II. 4). With the verge Sam no bhavantu’ (Vaj. 8. 9. 16 ) they should gulp down the fried grains without chewing them under the teeth. With the verso * dadbikrāvṇo’(Vaj. S. 23. 32 ) they should eat ourds. What ever number of pupils he wishes to obtain so many sesamo

1929. Thoso deities -Narayana explains that these words refer to the deities (Savitri and others) enumerated above and the 20 doitios of the 20 verses ( at the beginning and end of the ten mandalas of the Rgveda ).

1930. Cleaning’ (marjana) is explained in Afv. Sr. 1. 8. 2. TTT por quotes arreatorul a r para ( 37. t. I. 8. 2) when bo holds between his joined bands the kusa grase spread round the fire altar and bas water sprinkled over himself, that is mārjana,

1931. ‘Brahmāājali’-in defined by Manu II. 71 as per RTU # TUI ( i. e. joining the hands together, so that they look like a bud. )

Ch. XXIII ]

Upūkarma or upūkarana

813

grains should the ācārya sacrifice by means of a dice board *** with the Savitri or with the anuvāka (Vaj. S. 17. 80-86). After they (the pupils ) have eaten (the remainder) the teacher should pronounce the word om and then repeat the Savitri three times and the beginnings of the adhyāyas to the students who are seated facing the east. All repeat “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 no batred may spring up among us.”

The Āp. gļ. (VIII. 1-2) is very brief and states that at the opening and conoluding rites of Vedic study that Rṣi who is indicated as the Rși of the Kāṇda ( section of the Tai. S.) to be studied is the deity to whom the rite belongs and in the second place Sadasaspati is the deity. Sudarśapācārya explains 1933 these two sūtras at great length. Briefly what he means is : the commencement (upākarma ) of the study of the whole Veda (Black Yajurveda) is to be done on the full moon day of Śrāvana, tarpana is to be done for nine Rṣis and pine oblations of ūjya are to be offered to these nine, the ninth being offered with the verse ‘sadagaspatim’ (Rg. I. 18. 6 = Āp. M. P. I. 9,8). But when a Kānda is to be begun that is another upākarma and a homs is to be performed in respect of it also.

Gradually many accretions were made to the simple upa karma rite given in the Āśv. gr. and other gļhya sūtras. In modern times upakarma is & most elaborate matter. That of Rgvedins may be briefly described here ; After acamana, prūpāyāma and reference to time and place, a saṅkalpa is made

1932. जयराम and हरिहर explain आकर्षफलकेन as ‘ओडम्बरेण पाहमात्रेण Haftaar’.

1933. The तर्पण of nine Rsis according to सुदर्शनाचार्य in the अध्यायो. mu would he #FFFTVERTA A I ATH FEft auta I 7… तर्पयामि।विश्वाग्देवान्काअषीस्तर्पयामि ।सांहितीदेवता उपनिषदस्तर्पयामि। याज्ञिकीर्देवता उपनिषदस्तर्पयामि। वारुणीदेवता उपनिषदस्सर्पयामि । ब्रह्माण स्वयंभुवं तर्पयामि । सदसस्पति तर्पयामि | and the nine shutis will be offered to these as प्रजापतये कायऋषये FYTETI FTATE…FTETIT… FUTETI

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FATET I FEET FETET I. FFTTITA, PIH, sit and A ar: are the principal

Ta and the other four are subordinate ; 80 in verrato oblations are offered to the first four, tbon to the devata of the particular kanda begun (either frient or rent or rouff or pr) and lastly to Sedasug pati. In उपाकरण, सदसस्पति takes the place of विष्टकत् according to Sudarkeaa.

814

(Ch. XXIII

88 stated 19** below, then follow worship of Ganapati, the prepa ration of the altar and fire ( as described before for homa in general); then nine āhutis of clarified butter are made to the nine deities Savitri ( as in Aśv. gr. above), then offerings of barley flour mixed with curds are made to twenty deities with the first 1988 and last verses of each of the ten mandalas of the Rgveda viz. to Agni, Aptīpasurya (plural), Agni, Sakunta, Agni, Mitrāvaruna (dual), Agni, Apaḥ (waters), Agni, Maruts, Agni, Vibye Devas, Agni, Indrāsoma (dual), Indra, Agpamarutaḥ, Pavamānasoma, Pavamānasoma, Agni, Samjñāna. Then the romaids of barley and curds are offered to Agni Sviṣtakst. Then the persons engaged in upākarma should partake of the remains of barley mixed with curds after repeating the verse * dadhikrāvạo ‘( Rg. IV. 39. 6). Then ūcamana and mārjana are performed, then homa of a yajñopavita in fire, then giving of yajopa vita and dakṣiṇās to brāhmapes and wearing new yajñopavita oneself ( which consists in its abhimantrana with the three verses ‘āpo hi ṣthā’ Rg. X. 9. 1-3 and several mantras beginning with ‘hiraṇyavarnāḥ’, Tai. S. V. 6. 1, 1-% and Tai, Br. I. 4.8), after symbolical nyāsa ( deposit ) of omkāra, Agni, Nāgas, Soma, Pitīs, Prajāpati, Vāyu, Sūrya and Viśve Devas on the nine tantus (strands ) of the yajñopavita, then japa of ten Gayatri verses for each of the yajñopavitas intended to be worn, then presenting the yajñopavita to the Sun with the three verses ‘udyan-padya’(Rg, I. 50. 11-13), clapping the hands thrice, then repeating the mantra ‘yajñopavitam paramam &c.’ (vide f. n. 66% above ) and then putting on the yajñopavita, then acamana, casting away the old yajñopsvita in water, prāṇāyāma, then repeating three verses’ prthvi tvayā &o.’, then repeating the words Vidyudasi vidya me pāpmānam-ṣtāt satyam-upaimi’(Tai. Br. III. 10. 9), then placing one’s folded hands with darbha blades between on one’s right knee, to repeat

1934. ममायाप्पाना बाधीतानामध्येष्यमाणानां च छन्दसा यातयामतानिरासेनाप्या. बनवारा श्रीपरमेश्वरमीरपर्थमेभिर्माणः सहोपाकर्माख्यं कर्म करिष्ये।. In modern उत्सर्जन there is a similar (omitting TT Arorrat) ‘HAT .. … mari u . statut …… pot: HEPATITET ined in the

1935. The method of offering thoso oblations is first to inention the sago, the deity and metre of the verse and then to state tho purpose of its omployment in the rite, then to repeat the whole verse proooded by om and followed by svāhi and then to put tho oblation on to firo, e.g. sferat fut a rengti 791 teret for पोगः। ओं अग्रिमी पुरोहितं पक्षस्य देवमुस्विजम् । होतारं रस्नधातमम । स्वाहा । भनषदे V RU I

Ch. XXIII

Upakarma or upakarana

815

and make others repeat om’, vyāhrtis and Gāyatri thrice, then brahmayajña and then saying upākṛtā vai vedāḥ’ (the study of the Vedas has been begun), then the acārya finishes the rest of the rite such as prāyasoitta, then all resolve to feed brahmaṇas and give dakṣiṇā according to ability. The ācārya takes leave of the fire, bows to Viṣṇu and sips water twice.

The gļhyasūtrag prescribe a holiday (anadhyāya ) after the performance of upākarma, though the duration varieg. Par. gs. II. 10 prescribes that he should not study the Veda for three days and nights and should not clip his nails or shave for that period and points out that some said that he should not clip nails or hair till the date of utsarjana ( i. e. for 5 months and a half). Sān, gf. IV. 5. 17 (=Manu IV. 119) presoribes an anadhyāya ( holiday ) for three nights on upākarma and utsarga. Gobhila gr. (III. 3. 9 and 11 ) says that there is no study on the upākarma day performed on Hasta nakṣatra and that according to some teachers for three days before it and after it. The Bhār. gr. III. 8 enjoins that after upakarma there should be a holiday of three days or one day and for one month thereafter one should not study the Veda in the evening (i. e, the first watch after sunset).

Utsarjana:- About the time of utsarjana also there was divergence of view. The Baud. gr. (1.5.163 ) prescribes that it may be performed on the full moon day of Pauṣe or Māgha. Āśv.gr.(III.5.14) requires Veda study after upakarma for six months and so if the upākarma was performed on tbe new moon of Srāvana the utgarjana according to it would be on the full moon of Māgha ( vide III. 5. 20 also ). The Pār. gr. II. 11 states that after having studied the Veda for five months and a half or for six months and a half they (teacher and pupils ) should per form utsarga (1. e. the rite of closing the course of Vedic study). These periods are only approximate, since Pār. gs. II. 12 further on says that utsarjana should be performed in the month of Paupa when the moon is in the Rohiṇī nakṣatra ( i. e. about the eleventh of the bright half ) or in middle Aṣtakā (1. e. 8th of the dark half of Pausa ). The Gobhila gr. III. 3. 14 says that utsarga is performed on the full moon of Taisa ( i. e. Pausa ), while the Khadira gr. III. 2. 24 says that having studied the Veda for four months and a half they close the session on the full moon day of Pauṣa, The Sān. gr. IV. 6. 1 holds that utsar jana should be performed on the first day of the bright half of Māgha ; Yaj. I. 143 follows Pār. gr. II. 12 by saying that

TT 5.14) requires vous performed ontbeno full moon

half they clor. 6. 16 holds the theatre

816

utsarga takes place in Pauṣa on the Rohini nakṣatra or on the 8th of the dark half, while Manu ( IV, 95-96 ) says that after studying Veda for four months and a half from upākarma, utsarga should take place when the moon is in the Puṣya nakṣatra thereafter or on the first day of the bright half of Māgha. The Mānava gr. I. 4.7 says that Veda study is stopped 41 or 5 or 5} months after upakarma. These several periods ( 4 months, or 51 months or 6 months ) and the various dates of utsarga in Pauṣa or Māgha were due to the fact that upākarma may take place on the full moon day of Srāvana or Bhadrapada (or even Aṣāḍha) or on the 5th of the bright half of Srāvana or on Hasta in Bhadrapada or Srāyapa.

The Aśv. gr. III. 5. 13 extends the procedure of upākarma to utsarga and adds (III. 5. 20-22) that offerings of boiled rice are made to the same deities instead of clarified butter, then they take a bath and perform tarpans of thoge very deities and of ācāryas, īṣis and pit?s (as in brahmayajāa ). Nārāyana states that in utsarjana there is no eating (of barley late with ourds ) as there is in upākarma nor mārjana. Par. gr. II. 12 gives the procedure of utsarjana as follows: “They ( teacher and pupils ) should go to the brink of water ( a river &c.) and offer oblations of water ( i. e. tarpana ) to the gods, to the metres, to the Vedas, īsis, the ancient teachers, the Gandha. Ivas, the other teachers, the year with its divisions, the Pitrs, ācāryas, their ( deceased) relatives. After having rapidly recited the Sāvitri four times, they should utter loudly’ we have stopped (Vedic study ).’ There is anadhyāya in utsarjana for the same period as on upakarma and they should then continue the repeti. tion (of the Veda ) as before”. The Gobhila gr. III. 3. 15 says about utsarjana ’they go out of the village turning their faces to the east or north, they should approach water that is deeper than their waist, should bathe therein and should offer tarpana to the vedas, ļṣis and āoāryas.’ A holiday was observed on the day of utsarjana for a day and half (pakṣiṇi) or three days after it (Manu IV. 97, Yāj. I. 144 ).

1936. a TI QUATHIPUTA I … … APATATERTYPE a tsa ATSOTSTE GET g uararapat Istrargata foreigh HIST*** I. III. 5. 13-14, 20-23 ; 1994 Theugt hruarat TS8TUTARITTIERT

Art T atragretter tarafia yriorarefa pof teria pre साव पितमाचार्यान स्वांश्च तर्पयेयुः सावित्री खतरहनुत्य विरताः स्म इति प्रसूरः क्षपणं

u grupi. T. II. 12.

Ch. XXIII )

Utsarjana

817

To give up Veda study for several months altogether was probably found undesirable. Therefore Manu IV. 98, Vas. Dh. S. 13. 6-7, Auśanasa (p. 515 ) and others prescribe that after utsarjana the Vedas should be studied till the next upakarma during the bright fortnights of the remaining months and the Vedāngas at one’s will or in the dark fortnights. The Gobhila smrti III. 134 says that after Dakṣiṇāyana (sun’s passage in the southern celestial hemisphere) for six months one should not study tbe Upaniṣads and Rahasya texts. It appears that gradually the rite of utsarga in Pauṣe or Māgha came to be discontinued. Astāvakra 1937 on Mānavagshya I. 5. 1 deplores that in his day hardly any one was found to celebrate utsarga on the day specified by the sūtrakāra, that he was powerless to do anything or to upbraid any one but that he would only describe what the sastra prescribed. Similarly the Smrtyarthasāra, after describing the procedure of utsarjana, remarks (p. 11 ) *after studying the Veds for a year utsarjana may be performed on the day of upākarma or may not be so performed’. Gobhila-Smrti (III. 128-129, quoted in Sm. C. I p. 55 ) says ‘when dvijas perform every year upākarma together with utaarjana according to the prescribed procedure, that results in the growth of the Vedas (Vedic study ). Whatever act is performed even in sport by brāhinaṇas whose vedas have not grown stale, that act becomes successful.’ Vide Sān. gr. IV. 5. 16 to the same effect. It is on account of this idea that in the saṅkalpa the expression ‘yāta. yāmatānirāsena’ (by removing staleness ) occurs. In modern times utsarjana is performed on the same day as upākarma, but precedes the latter. These two together being generally per formed in Srāvana either on the full moon or on Śravaṇa nakṣatra or on the 5th of the bright balf of Srāvans are designated by the word Śrāvanl.

The modern utsarjana of Rgvedins may be briefly described here : after acamana, putting on a pavitra ( & loop or ring ) of darbhas (on the finger called anāmikā), prāṇāyāma, mentioning the time and place, & saṅkalpa ( as set out above) is made ; then pañoagavya is taken in by all; then the worship of Ganapati, then preparation of an altar for utsarjana homa is made, fire is invited with the verses justo damūnā’(Rg. V. 4. 5) and ’ehyagna’ (Rg. I.

1937. यदा तु तस्मिन्काले न केचनोत्सर्गमातिष्ठन्तो दृश्यन्ते तदा कि कुर्मः कमुपाल. ITARE I Termo a ra forar: BETAK on raT I. 5. 1; … Al शिष्यैर्यामावहिर्जलान्त उत्सर्जन कार्य तर्पणं च । वर्षे चाधीस्योपाकर्मदिन उत्सर्जन कार्यन aiad of Freitai p. 11,

H. D. 103818

76. 2), then the fire called balavardhana is established on the sthandila, then contemplation of fire with the verse ‘catvāri srāga’ (Rg. IV. 58. 3.) and several paurānika verses ; then two samidhs are placed over the fire, then oblations of clarified butter are offered to the deities, Savitri &c. (specified in upākarma above) and of boiled rice to 20 deities, Agni &c. ( vide p. 814 above ). then the rest is offered to Agni Sviṣtakrt, then āoamana, prāṇā yāma, then brahmayajña is performed, then he should say ‘vrstir-asi vrāca me pāpmānam-tāt-satyam-upāgām’ (Tai. Br. III. 10.9); then all should say utsrstā vai vedāh’ (the study of voda has been stopped); then clarified butter is offered into fire by way of prāyascitte with the verses’ ayāścāgae’ (Ap. M. P. 1.5. 18 ),’ ato devā’ (Rg. I. 22. 16), ‘idam visnur’ (Rg. I. 22. 17 ); then offering to Agni, Vāyu, Sūrya, Prajāpati respec tively with the vyābstis separately and together, then offering with the verses ‘anājñātam’ (Tai. Br. III. 7. 11), ‘puruṣa-sammito’ (Tai. Br. III. 7, 11 ), ‘yat pākatrā’ (Rg. X, 2.5), ‘yad yo deva ‘(Tai. Br. III. 7, 11); then follows sarva prāyaścitta with om and the vyābstis; then mārjana (purifica tion) with the verses ‘āpo asmān mātaraḥ’ (Rg. X. 17. 10), *idamśpaḥ pravahata’(Rg. I. 23, 22 ), ‘sumitrā na āpa’ (Tai, S. I. 4. 45.2-3); then he should think of the Ganges and other holy rivers ; then be should honour Agni with the four verses ‘Agne tvam no’ (Rg. V. 24. 1-4) and offer the upacūras of sandal-wood paste, flowers &c.; then he should take holy ashes from the boma fire with the mantra’mānastoke’( Rg. I. 114.8) and apply the ashes to his forehead, throat, navel, right and left arms and head; then pray Agni to bestow sraddhā (faith), medha (intelligence) &c. and then wind up the utsarjana with the words quoted below, 1989

77. अमेन उत्सर्जनहोमाख्येन कर्मणा भगवान श्रीपरमेश्वरः प्रीयतां न मम । भों तत्सममार्पणमस्तु।