Manava Dharmashastra 2.44

2.44

upavītaśabdena vāso vinyāsaviśeṣa ucyate | vakṣyati "uddhṛte dakṣiṇe pāṇāviti" | tacca dharmamātram | tasya na kārpāsatā sambhavatyato dharmeṇa dharmī lakṣyate, yasyāsau vinyāsastatkārpāsamucyate | arśa āditvādvvā matvarthīyo'kāraḥ karttavyaḥ, upavītavadupavītamiti | ūrdhvavṛtaṃ ūrdhvāṃ diśaṃ prativartyate veṣṭyate | trivṛt triguṇam | karttanikābhyo labdhasūtrabhāvasya triguṇīkṛtasyedamūrdhvanivarttanaṃ vidhīyate | saṃhatya tantutrayaṃ ūrdhvaveṣṭanena rajjvākāraṃ kṛtvā tenopavītaṃ kuryāt | sā ca rajjurekaiva dhārayitavyā tisraḥ pañca sapta vā | yajñasambandhāddhi tadyajñopavītākhyāṃ labhate | yajñārtho'yamudyata iti bhaktyopacaryate | tatreṣṭipaśusomānāṃ yajñarūpatayaikatvādekatantukaṃ kriyate | agnitrayasādhyatvādahīnaikāhasatrabhedādvā tritantukam | somasaṃsthānāṃ saptasaṅkhyatvātsapta vā tantavaḥ | "trīṇi savanāni trisandhyeneti" pañca | sūtrābhāve'pi paṭādinā'pi karttavyam | smṛtyantara evamuktam | aviḥ meṣastasya sūtraṃ tena kṛtaṃ āvikasautrikam | adhyātmāditvāṭṭhañ karttavyaḥ | 'avikasūtrikamiti' vā paṭhitavyam | tatra ca matvarthīyena ṭhanā rūpasiddhiḥ |

The Sacrificial Thread worn over the shoulder,—which is triple and twisted upwards,—should be hade op cotton for the Brāhmaṇa, of hempen fibres for the Kṣatriya, and op woolen fibres for the Vaiśya.—(44)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
The term ‘upavīta’ stands for the peculiar manner in which cloth is worn; as will be explained later in Verse 63; as such, it is only a quality; and since this quality cannot be made of cotton, the quality is taken as standing for the thing to which the quality belongs; the meaning being that the thing that is to be worn in the particular way should be made of cotton; the term ‘upavītam’ being regarded as formed with the ‘ach’ affix, according to Pāṇini 5.2.127, ‘upavītam’ being equivalent to ‘upavītavat.’

‘Twisted upwards’—i.e., turned round, coiled upwards.

‘Triple’—consisting of three yarns.

This ‘twisting upwards’ is laid down for that article which, on coming out of the spinning wheel, has acquired the properties of the ‘yarn’ and has then been folded three times. That is to say, three yarns should be brought together and by upward twisting made into a cord, and then used as the ‘sacred thread.’ Of this cord, either only one or three or five or seven should be worn. It comes to be known as the ‘sacrificial thread’ by reason of its being connected with sacrificial performances; in as much as it is worn for the purposes of sacrificial performances, it is so called figuratively.

Now, of the three kinds of sacrifice, the Iṣṭi, the Paśu and the Soma sacrifices, it may be worn single at all these, when they are all looked upon as ‘sacrifices’ in general (and hence, uniform); or it may be worn three-fold, when they are looked upon either as performed with the help of three fires, or as being divided into the three classes of ‘Ahīna,’

‘Ekāha’ and ‘Satra’; or again, it may be worn seven-fold, in view of the number of stages in the Soma sacrifice being seven; or lastly, it may be worn five-fold, in view of there being three ‘Savanas’ (extractions of Soma-juice) and two ‘Sandhyās’ (twilights).

[In the absence of Cotton], the ‘Thread’ may be made of silk and other fibres also; such is the direction given ill other Smṛtis.

‘Avi’ is sheep; the yarn made of wool is ‘woolen fibre’; the term ‘ārik?sūtrikam’ being formed with the ‘ṭhañ’ affix, according to the Vārtika on Paṇini 4.3.60. Or, we may read ‘avikasūtrikam’ this word being formed with the ‘ṭhan’ affix having the sense of the possessive.—(14)