12.
1. Private Recitation of the Veda
1. ‘Private Vedic recitation is austerity’––so states a Brāhmaṇa.
2. In the same Vedic text we hear:
‘When a man does his private Vedic recitation, whether he does it standing, seated, or lying down, he is in reality performing an act of austerity, for private Vedic recitation is austerity’.
3. The Brāhmaṇa of the Vājasaneyins, moreover, declares:
‘Private Vedic recitation is indeed a sacrifice offered to the Veda.
When thunder rolls, when lightning flashes, when thunderclaps burst, and when the wind howls––they are the Vaṣaṭ calls of that sacrifice.
Therefore, when thunder rolls, when lightning flashes, when thunderclaps burst, and when the wind howls, one should recite the Veda without fail so that these Vaṣat calls would not be rendered futile.’
4. This statement is made complete in a passage from a different Vedic branch:
5. ‘If, moreover, the wind howls, thunder rolls, lightning flashes, or thunderclaps burst, he should recite a single Ṛig-verse, a single Yajus-formula, or a single Sāman-chant;
or else recite: “Earth! Atmosphere! Sky! I offer truth and austerity into faith!”
In this manner, undoubtedly, his private Vedic recitation for that day is accomplished.’
6. That being the case, the above provision does not go against the accepted practice of the Āryas, 7. for they teach both the recitation of the Veda and its suspension.
That would become meaningless if we listened to the Brāhmaṇa of the Vājasaneyins, 8. for that accepted practice of the Āryas has no tangible motive.
9. The suspension of Vedic recitation laid down in the Vedic texts refers to Vedic recitation and not to the ritual use of Vedic formulas.
10. All rites are described in the Brāhmaṇas.
The lost Brāhmaṇa passages relating to some of them are inferred from usage.
11. When a practice is undertaken because of the pleasure derived from it, it does not presuppose a Vedic text. 12. A man who follows such a practice prepares himself for hell.
2. Great Sacrifices
13. Next, we present some rites given in the Brāhmaṇas, 14. rites that are eulogized as ‘great sacrifices’ and ‘great sacrificial sessions’:
15. - every day making a Bali offering to beings,
- giving food to men according to one’s ability,
13.
1. - offering at least a piece of wood in the fire as an oblation to the gods while saying Svāhā,
- making an offering of at least a pot of water to the ancestors while saying Svadhā,
- and doing one’s private Vedic recitation.
3. Salutation
2. One should pay homage to people of higher classes 3. and to those who are older.
4. When a man is elated, he becomes proud; when he is proud, he violates the Law; and when the Law is violated, of course, he goes to hell once again.
4. Study and Conduct towards the Teacher
5. A teacher cannot give orders to a pupil of his who has returned home.
6. The syllable OṀ is the gate to heaven:
Therefore, when he is about to recite the Veda, he should pronounce that syllable at the beginning, 7. as also after saying something during the recitation that is not part of the recitation.
In this way the Veda is kept separate from ordinary speech.
8. During sacrifices, moreover, commands begin with this syllable.
9. In ordinary life also during rites to secure prosperity, it is this syllable that precedes statements such as, ‘May the day be auspicious!’, ‘May there be well-being!’, and ‘May there be prosperity!’
10. Without a mutual agreement, one should not take up a difficult text, with the exception of the Triḥśrāvaṇa and the Triḥsahavacana, 11. but according to Hārīta the Veda should be studied until all doubts are cleared.
12. In the case of non-Vedic texts, subservience does not come into play.
13. The pupil should clasp the feet of the person who instructs him on the orders of his teacher for the duration of the instruction.
14. According to some, the pupil should do so always if the instructor is a worthy person. 15. With respect to such a person, however, subservience does not come into play, 16. as also with respect to older fellow students.
17. When two people rehearse the Veda with each other, subservience does not come into play.
5. Return to Studentship
18. ‘The Veda waxes strong,’ they teach.
19. Śvetaketu says:
‘If a man, after he has married and settled down, wishes to study the Veda further, he should live at the house of his teacher with a collected mind for 2 months every year, 20. for by these means I managed to study more of the Veda than during the time I was a student.’
21. But that is forbidden by authoritative texts, 22. for after a man has married and settled down, he is enjoined by Vedic texts to perform daily rites,
14.
1. namely, the daily fire sacrifice, hospitality towards guests, 2. and others of this sort.
6. Duty to Teach
3. When someone asks him for instruction, he should not spurn him, 4. provided he does not see any fault in him. 5. If by chance he is unable to complete his studies, subservience does indeed continue with respect to that teacher.
7. Salutation
6. To his mother and father he should show the same obedience as to his teacher:
7. A student who has returned home should clasp the feet of all his elders; 8. he should do so when he returns from a journey as well. 9. He should also clasp the feet of his brothers and sisters according to seniority.
10. He should pay them homage, moreover, in the prescribed manner:
11. He should rise up and greet an officiating priest, a father-in-law, or a paternal or maternal uncle who is younger than himself, 12. or he may silently clasp his feet.
13. A fellow citizen who has been a friend for 10 years,
a fellow student who has been a friend for 5 years, and
a Vedic scholar known for 3 years
- deserve to be greeted.
14. If the relative ages of the persons are known, he should greet the older ones first.
15. When a person other than an elder is standing at a different level than himself, it is not necessary to greet him, 16. or he may greet him after climbing up or down to the same level as that person.
17. In every case, however, he should rise up before offering his greetings.
18. He should not offer greetings when he is impure 19. or to a person who is impure;
20. neither should he return a greeting when he is impure.
21. Wives should be greeted according to the age of their husbands. 22. He should never greet anyone with his shoes on, or with his head covered, or carrying anything in the hand.
23. In greeting women, Kṣatriyas, or Vaiśyas, he should use a pronoun and not his personal name. 24. Some maintain that he should do so also when he greets his mother or his teacher’s wife.
25. A 10-year-old Brahmin and a 100-year-old Kṣatriya, you should know, stand with respect to each other as a father to a son. But of the two, the Brahmin is the father!
26. He should ask
- a person who is younger or of the same age whether he is doing well,
27. - a Kṣatriya whether he is in good shape,
28. - a Vaiśya whether his property is unharmed, 29. and
- a Śūdra whether he is in good health.
30. Let him not pass by a Vedic scholar without talking to him,
31. and likewise a woman in the wilderness.
15.
1. When he is paying his respects to elders, the aged, and guests;
when he is offering sacrifices and softly reciting prayers;
and when he is eating, sipping water, and doing his private Vedic recitation,
- he should wear his upper garment over his left shoulder and under his right arm.
8. Purification
2. He becomes pure by sipping water collected on the ground, 3. or when a pure person gives him water to sip. 4. He should not sip rain water 5. or water in a crevice, 6. as also warm water without a good reason.
7. If he lifts up his empty hands against birds, he should touch water.
8. If he is capable, he should not, even for a moment, remain impure 9. or naked. 10. He should not perform his purification while he is standing in water; 11. only after coming out should he sip water.
12. He shall not put firewood in the sacred fire without first sprinkling the wood with water.
13. When he is seated alongside unclean people on a seat made with grass strewn haphazardly, he is considered pure if he does not touch them; 14. the same is true when he is seated on a bed of grass or a wooden seat fixed to the ground.
15. He should wear a garment only after sprinkling it with water.
16. If a dog touches him, he should plunge into water with his clothes on; 17. or he becomes pure after he has washed that spot, touched it with fire, washed that spot again, as well as his feet, and sipped water.
18. When he is impure he should not go near the fire – 19. according to some, not nearer than the length of an arrow – 20. nor should he blow on it 21. or place it under his bed.
22. The proper place for a Brahmin to live is a village where there is a lot of firewood and water and where he is able to perform his purifications on his own.
23. When he has washed away the stains of urine or excrement after going to the toilet, the stains of food, the stains from eating, and the stains of semen, and then washed his feet and sipped water, he becomes pure.
16.
1. He should not sip water standing or stooping.
2. Let him sip thrice seated on his haunches and with water sufficient to reach his heart, 3. wipe his lips three times 4. or, according to some, twice, 5. and touch them with water once 6. or, according to some, twice.
7. With his right hand he should sprinkle water on his left hand and on his feet and head, and then touch the organs, namely, the eyes, the nostrils, and the ears, with water.
8. He should then wash his hands with water.
9. Even though he is already pure, however, when he is preparing to take his meal, he should sip water twice, wipe his lips twice, touch his lips with water once, 10. rub the inside of his lips, and then sip water.
11. He does not become sullied by the hair of his moustache getting into his mouth, so long as he does not touch it with his hand.
12. Sipping water is prescribed when one sees drops of saliva falling from one’s mouth. 13. According to some, sipping is unnecessary if they fall on the ground.
14. After he has come into contact with nasal mucus or tears while he is sleeping or sneezing, or with blood, hair, fire, cattle, a Brahmin, or a woman;
after he has travelled on a highway; after he has touched a filthy substance or an impure man; and after wearing his lower garment,
- he should touch water, 15. wet cowdung, plants, or the earth.