Manava Dharmashastra 2.27

2.27

uktaṃ saṃskāraprayojanaṃ pāvanaḥ śarīrasaṃskāraḥ puṇyaśca | tatra pāvanatvamucyate duṣṭasya doṣāpakarṣaṇam |
kutaḥ punaḥ śarīrasya duṣṭatetyāśaṅkāyāmāha | baijikaṃ gārbhikaṃ caina iti | bīje bhavaṃ bījanimittaṃ vā 'baijikam' | evaṃ 'gārbhikam' | 'enaḥ' pāpamadṛṣṭaṃ duḥkhakāraṇam | tasya bījagarbhayornimittabhāvādaśucitvamātramihocyate | śukraśoṇite puruṣasya 'bījam' | te ca svabhāvādaśucinī | garbhādhānyapi doṣasaṅkrāntyā duṣṭaiva | atastannimittamaśucitvaṃ puruṣasya saṃskārairapamṛjyate'panudyate |
tānidānīṃ kāṃścinnāmadheyena, kāṃścitsaṃskāryaviśeṣopalakṣittān kṛtvā nirdiśati | gārbhairhomaiḥ | garbhe sambhūte nāryāḥ kriyante | garbhaṃ vā grahītum garbhaprayojanakatvādgārbhāḥ | nārī tatra dvāramātram | prayojakastu garbha eva | atastatprayuktatvāt tadarthā homāḥ puṃsavana sīmantonnayanagarbhādhānāni | homaśabda upalakṣaṇārthaḥ karmamātrasya | na hi garbhādhānaṃ homaḥ | eteṣāṃ ca karmaṇāṃ dravyadevatādirūpaṃ gṛhyasmṛtibhyo'vasātavyam | yathaiva gārbhairhomairevaṃ jātakarmāravyena saṃskāreṇa | eva cauḍena | cūḍārthaḥ 'cauḍaḥ' | mauñjīnibandhanamupanayanam | tatra hi muñjavikāro mekhalā badhyate | atastenopanayanakarmopalakṣyate | bandhanameva nibandhanam | niḥ vṛttapūraṇaḥ | jātakarmādīni saṃskāranāmadheyāni kṛtadvandvāni karaṇavibhaktyā enopamārjanasya nirdiśyante |
saṃskāraśca sarvaḥ saṃskārye kāryāntaraśeṣabhūte kṛtārthe kariṣyamāṇārthe vā kaścidadṛṣṭamadṛṣṭaṃ vā viśeṣamādadhāti | 'vrīhīnavahantīti', 'vrīhibhiryajete'ti yāgaṃ nirvartayiṣyatāṃ tuṣakaṇavipramokṣo dṛṣṭo viśeṣaḥ | 'śiraso'vatārya srajaṃ śucau deśe nidadhātīti' upabhuktāyā ākīrṇākārāyāḥ pratipattiniyamādadṛṣṭaḥ srajo viśeṣaḥ | tatreme saṃskārāḥ śarīraśuddhyarthāḥ śrutāḥ | na ca gandhādyapakarṣaṇaṃ mṛdvārisambandhādiva śarīre dṛśyate | teneyaṃ janmādikālaśuddhivadadṛṣṭaviśeṣā śuddhiveditavyā | etayā ca śuddhayā pūtaḥ śrautasmārteṣu karmasvadhikriyate | yathā mantrapūtamājyaṃ home | laukike tu kārye dravyaśuddhayaiva śuddhirayathā''jyasya bhojanādau | spṛśyatā hi kumārasya 'adbhirgātrāṇi śuddhayantī'tyetāvattaiva bhavati | tathā cāha - 'na tadupasparśanāśaucamiti' | "kathaṃ punaḥ karmārthatvameteṣām | yuktamutpavanasyājyadvārakaṃ prakaraṇena viniyogāt | amī tu bāhyā na kasyacitkarmaṇaḥ prakaraṇe śrutāḥ | ataḥ puruṣadvārikā karmārthatā durbhaṇā | na cāsati kāryopayoge svarūpataḥ saṃskāra eva nirvartyaḥ | tathā sati saṃskārataiva hīyeta pradhānakarmatā syāt | ataśca 'kāryaḥ śarīrasaṃskāra' iti, 'kumāre jāte purā'nyairālambhāditi' ca dvitīyā śrutirbādhyeta | 'saktūñjuhotīti'vadviniyogabhaṅgaḥ syāt | tatra cādhikārakalpanetyādibahusamañjasaṃ prāpnoti" | ucyate | na vayaṃ śrutyādiprāmāṇyāpekṣaṃ tādarthyamaṅgalakṣaṇaṃ brūmaḥ api tūpakārakatvam | taccānaṅgasve'pyupapadyate | yathā''dhānavidhiḥ svādhyāyādhyayanavidhiśca | na hyatra śrutyādayaḥ santi | yadāhavanīye juhotītyāhavanīyādayo viniyuktāḥ | alaukikatvācca tatsvarūpasyādhānavidhirnaiva siddhiḥ 'vasante brāhmaṇo'mīnādadhīta' iti | ata āhavanīyādinirvṛttidvāreṇādhānaṃ kratuṣūpayujyate | na cāṅgam | adhyayanavidhirapyarthāvabodhadvāreṇa kratūpakārakaḥ | evamamī saṃskārāḥ etatsaṃskṛtasvādhyayanavidhiḥ, niṣpāditādhyayanavidhyarthasya vivāhaḥ, kṛtavivāhasyādhānam, āhitāgneradhikāra ityasti saṃskārakāryopayogitā bāhyapuruṣasaṃskārāṇām | niṣekāṅgāṅga sarvatrāpi pituradhikāraḥ | tathā ca jātakarmaṇi mantraḥ 'ātmā vai putranāmāsi' iti | tasya hyapatyotpādanamapatyānuśāsanaṃ ca vihitam | 'ṛṇāni trīṇyapākṛtya' (a. 6|35) iti | 'tasmādanuśiṣṭaṃ putraṃ lokyamāhuḥ' iti | anuśāsanaṃ ca svādhikārapratipādanam, tacca vedādhyāpanenārthavibodhaparyantena bhavatīti vakṣyāmaḥ | ata evobhayopakārakāḥ saṃskārāḥ, apatyotpattividhau piturmāṃṇavakasya ca saṃskṛtasādhyāsu kriyāsu | tasmātpituradhikārastadabhāve tatsthānāpannasya | tathā cāha 'asaṃskṛtāstu saṃskāryā bhrātṛbhiḥ pūrvasaṃskṛtaiḥ' iti |
yeṣu karmasu māṇavakasya saṃskārā upakārakāstānadānīmudāharaṇamātreṇa darśayati-

Just as by the ‘libations in connection with pregnancy’. so also by the sacrament known as ‘Jātakarman’ (Rites attendant upon birth). Similarly by ‘Tonsure’;—‘Chauḍa,’ ‘Tonsure,’ is meant that which is performed for the purpose of the ‘cūḍā’ (the- lock of hair left to grow on the crown of the head). ‘Tying of the gross-girdle’ is Upanayana; as it is at this ceremony that the girdle of muñja-grass is tied, this indicates that rite. ‘Nibandhana’ is the same as ‘bandhana’; and the prefix ‘ni’ has been added for filling up the metre.

‘Jātakarman’ and the rest—which are the names of the sacraments—have been made into a copulative compound, and then have the instrumental ending added to show that they are instrumental in the removal of taint.

Every ‘consecration’ brings about some peculiarity, either seen (material) or unseen (spiritual), in the thing consecrated, which is subservient to something else to be brought about, and has either already subserved, or is going to subserve, the purposes of this latter thing. For instance, in the case of the ‘threshing of the corn’ and ‘offering sacrifices with the corn,’ the ‘threshing’ (which is the ‘consecration’ or ‘purification’ in this case) produces in the corns, that are going to help in the accomplishment of the sacrifice, the visible peculiarity, in the shape of the removal of the chaff. [So that in this case the thing consecrated is going to subserve some useful purpose]. When again it is said that ‘removing the garland from the head one should keep it in a clean place,’ the garland is something that has been used (and served its purpose) and has become mangled in shape; so that the special method of its disposal (after use) only produces an invisible effect. Now all the sacraments mentioned in the text are prescribed for the purpose of the purification of the body; but they are not found to bring about in the body any such effects as the removal of bad odour, etc., which is done by washing with clay and water. Hence the ‘purification’ in this case should be understood to consist in some unseen effect; just as has been held to result from the particular time at which the birth of the individual takes place. And when the man has become purified by such purification, he becomes fit for the performance of acts prescribed in the Smṛtis and in the Vedas; just as the Butter sanctified by mantras is fit for use in libations. In connection with ordinary (non-religious) acts, all necessary purity is attained by the (external) purification of things; as in the case of the Butter required for eating. As for that ‘purity’ of the boy which consists in his touchabien?ss, this is brought about by the ‘washing with water’ mentioned as the means of purifying the body (in 5.109). Hence has it been declared that ‘there is no impurity arising from his touch.’

Objection.—

“How can these sacraments be regarded as subserving the purposes of actions? As regards the ‘sprinkling of butter,’ it is only natural that through the butter it should subserve the purposes of the sacrificial act, in Connection with which it has been prescribed. These sacraments however lie entirely, outside the pale of any action;—their injunction not occurring in the context of any sacrificial act. So it is difficult to say that they help in the sacrifice through the man (in the way in which the does through the butter). And unless it subserves the purposes of an act, consecration cannot be performed for its own sake; as in that case it should cease to be a ‘consecration’ (which is always subsidiary to something else), and become a primary act itself, and (when it ceases to be a consecration) this would mean the nullification of the statement ‘corporeal consecration should be performed’ (verse 26), and also of the Accusative ending in the statement ‘when, the boy is born, before he is touched by any other person, the father should etc.’ (which refers to the Birth-rites); and in that case, the sense of the injunction will have to be altered, as is done in the case of the injunction ‘Saktūñjuhoti’ [where the incompatibility of the Accusative ending leads us to alter it into the Instrumental ],—a particular result (as arising out of the consecration, as a primary act by itself) will have to be assumed; and so forth, a number of absurd assumptions will have to be made.”

Our answer to the above is as follows:—What we mean by the consecration subserving the purposes of sacrifices is-not that it is a subsidiary integral part of these,—which character is indicated by Direct Vedic Declaration and certain other means; all that we mean is that it is helpful to it; and this helpfulness is possible even without the one forming an integral part of the other. For instance, we have the injunction regarding the ‘laying of fire’ and that relating to ‘Vedic study’; but there is no Direct Injunction or any other indication (of these forming part of any sacrifice); all that we find is the Vedic text ‘offerings are made into the which lays down the ‘Āhavanīya’ (as the receptacle of the offerings); and as the precise nature of the ‘Āhavanīya’ is superphysical, the only way in which it can be brought into existence is by means of the prescribed ‘laying of fire,’ which is contained in the text ‘the Brāhmaṇa should lay the fires during spring’; so that the ‘laying of fire’ helps in the sacrificial performance through the bringing into existence of the Āhavanīya, and yet it does not form an integral part of the performance. ‘Vedic study’ also helps in the sacrificial performance, through the knowledge of the meaning of Vedic texts (acquired by the study).

Analogous to these two is the case of the sacraments:

the act of Vedic study can be done only by one who has had these sacraments performed,

it is only when one has carried out the injunction of Vedic study that he can marry,

it is only when one has married that he can ‘lay the fire,’

and it is only one who has ‘laid the fire’ that is entitled (to the performance of sacrifices).

It is in this way that even though the sacraments are laid down apart from the sacrificial injunctions, yet their due performance is helpful towards the sacrificial acts.

Since the text speaks of ‘Niṣeka’ (conception, depositing of the semen) as the first of the sacraments, it follows that all the sacraments for the child are to be performed by the father. Thus the mantra for the ‘Rites on Birth’ reads—‘You are my very soul, bearing the name of son’ (Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 14. 9. 4. 8.) [which clearly shows that it is recited by the father]. It is for the father again that the begetting and instructing of children has been prescribed as a duty in the verse—‘Having paid off the three debts etc.,’ (6.35); and the passage. It is for this reason that the duly instructed son is called the real son,’ speaks of ‘instruction,’ which consists in teaching the boy his duties; and we shall show later on that this ‘instruction’ is accomplished only by teaching hi m the Veda up to the point where the boy comprehends its full meaning. It is thus that the sacraments are of use to both: they help the father in the begetting of the right sort of child, and they help the boy in the performance of those acts that can be done only by one who has been duly consecrated. Thus it is the father on whom devolves the task of having the sacraments properly performed; and on his death, for hi m who takes his place; for instance, it is said ‘he who h as not been consecrated should be consecrated by his brothers who have had their consecration already done.’ (Yājñavalkya, 2.124).—(27)

The author next indicates, by way of illustration, those acts in which the sacraments of the Boy are helpful:—

‘Libations in connection with pregnancy,’—thoso that are offered when the pregnancy of the woman has come about,—or those that are offered for the purpose of bringing about pregnancy; in either case the libations are said to be ‘in connection with pregnancy.’ What prompts the offering is the pregnancy, the woman being only a means to it; so that the libations, being prompted by pregnancy, are said to be in connection with it; and these are the rites of ‘Pumsavana,’ ‘Sīmantonnayana’ and ‘Garbhādhāna.’ The word ‘libation’ here stands for the whole rite; as the ‘Garbhādhāna’ (‘Conception’) is certainly not a ‘Libation.’ The exact details of the rites, regarding the substances to be offered, the duties and so forth—arc to be found out from the Gṛhyasūtras.