१८

1. Now we shall explain the opening and the conclusion (of the annual course of study).

अथात उपाकरणोत्सर्जने व्याख्यास्यामः १

2. ¹ During the fortnight that precedes the Śravaṇā

full moon, when the herbs have appeared, under (the Nakṣatra) Hasta or on the full-moon day (itself), the opening ceremony of the (annual course of) study (is performed).

श्रवणापक्ष ओषधीषु जातासु हस्तेन पौर्णमास्यां वाध्यायोपाकर्म २

3. Having put wood on the fire and performed the rites down to the Vyāhṛti oblations, he sacrifices (with his pupils) to the Ṛṣis of the Kāṇḍas: ‘To Prajāpati, the Ṛṣi of a Kāṇḍa, svāhā! To Soma, the Ṛṣi of a Kāṇḍa, svāhā! To Agni, the Ṛṣi of a Kāṇḍa, svāhā! To the Viśve devās, the Ṛṣis of a Kāṇḍa, svāhā! To Svayambhū, the Ṛṣi of a Kāṇḍa, svāhā!’ - these are the Ṛṣis of the Kāṇḍas. Or (he sacrifices) to the names of the Kāṇḍas, to the Sāvitrī, to the Ṛg-veda, the Yajur-veda, the Sāma-veda, the Atharva-veda, and to Sadasaspati.

अग्निमुपसमाधाय व्याहृतिपर्यन्तं कृत्वा काण्डर्षीञ्जुहोति । प्रजापतये काण्डर्षये स्वाहा । सोमाय काण्डर्षये स्वाहा । अग्नये काण्डर्षये स्वाहा । विश्वेभ्यो देवेभ्यः काण्डर्षिभ्यः स्वाहा । स्वयम्भुवे काण्डर्षये स्वाहा । इति काण्डर्षयः काण्डनामानि वा सावि-त्रीमृग्वेदं यजुर्वेदं सामवेदमथर्ववेदं सदसस्पतिमिति ३

4. Having (thus) sacrificed, they repeat the first three Anuvākas,

हुत्वा त्रीना-दितोनुवाकानधीयते ४

5. Or the beginnings of all Kāṇḍas.

काण्डादीन्वा सर्वान् ५

6. He enters upon (sacrificing) the Jaya, &c. (oblations; see above, I, 1, 3, 8).

जयादि प्रतिपद्यते ६

7. After all rites down to the Sviṣṭakṛt oblation have been performed, they stop studying three days or one day; then they should go on studying so as to commence where they have broken off: so say the teachers.

स्विष्टकृदन्तं कृत्वा त्र्यहमेकाहं वा क्षम्य यथाध्यायमध्येतव्यमिति वदन्ति ७

8. ² During the fortnight that precedes the Taiṣī full moon, under (the Nakṣatra) Rohiṇī or on the full-moon day (itself), the Utsarga (or conclusion of the term of study) is celebrated.

तैषीपक्षस्य रोहिण्यां पौर्णमास्यां वोत्सर्गः ८

9. ³ (The teacher) with his pupils goes in an easterly or northerly direction, and where they find a pleasant water with a pleasant bathing-place, they dive into it and perform three suppressions of the breath with the Agharmarshaṇa hymn (Ṛg-veda X, 190 = Taitt. Ar. X, 1, 13. 14.). Holding purifiers (i.e. Darbha blades) in their hands they bathe with the three (verses), ‘Ye waters, ye are wholesome’ (Taitt. Saṃh. IV, 1, 5, 1), with the four (verses), ‘The gold-coloured, pure, purifying waters’ (T.S.V, 6, 1, 1 seq.), and with the Anuvāka, ‘(Soma) which clears itself, the heavenly being’ (Taitt. Br. I, 4, 8): giving the Darbha blades to each other and feigning to try to seize (??) each other.

सगणः प्राचीमुदीचीं वा दिश-मुपनिष्क्रम्य यत्रापः सुखाः सुखावगाहास्तदवगाह्याघमर्षणेन त्रीन्प्राणायामा-न्कृत्वा सपवित्रैः पाणिभिः । आपो हि ष्ठा मयोभुवः । इति तिसृभिः । हिरण्यवर्णाः शुचयः पावकाः । इति चतसृभिः । पवमानः सुवर्जनः । इति चैतेनानुवाकेन स्नात्वा दर्भानन्योन्यस्मै सम्प्रयच्छन्तो दित्सन्त इवान्योन्यम् ९

10. Then they arrange on a pure spot that is inclined towards the east, seats of eastward-pointed Darbha grass, so that they end in the north -

ततः शुचौ देशे प्राचीनप्रवणे प्रागग्रैर्दर्भैरुदगपवर्गाण्यासनानि कल्पयन्ति १०