Manava Dharmashastra 2.45

2.45

satyapi dvandvanirdeśe guṇavidhiṣvekatvaśravaṇātkeśāntika iti 'pratigṛhyepsitaṃ daṇḍam' iti ca vikalpitaṃ ekadaṇḍadhāraṇaṃ pratīyate | "bailvaḥ pālāśo brāhmaṇasya daṇḍa" iti gṛhya | gautamīye caikadaṇḍagrahaṇamevoktam | iha kevalā daṇḍasattā śrūyate | 'daṇḍānarhanti' | daṇḍā ete brahmacāriṇāṃ yogyāḥ | kasyāṃ kriyāyāṃ ityetadatraivoktaṃ uttaratra bhaviṣyati 'pratigṛhyepsitamiti' | tasmiṃśca grahaṇe daṇḍasyopāyatvādvivakṣitamekatvamata iha dvivacananirdeśaḥ-devaścedrūpairdruhavaḥ kṛṣiṃ kuryuuriti yathā--prāptānuvādaḥ | bilvapalāśavaṭakhadirapīludumbarā vṛkṣajātiviśeṣanāmadheyāni | bilvasya vikāro'vayavo vā ‘bailvaḥ’| evaṃ sarvatra| pradarśanārthāścaite| ‘yajñiyā vā sarveṣāmiti’ vacanāt |

The Brāhmaṇa should, by law, have staves of Bilva and Palāśa wood; the Kṣatriya those of Vaṭa and Khadira; and the Vaiśya those of Pīlu and Udumbara.—(45).

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
Even though the text uses the Copulative Compound (which implies that two staves have to be carried), yet, in as much as in connection with the detailed qualifications of the staff laid down in the text, we find the singular number used,—e.g., in the next verse, and in Verse 18 below,—it is understood that only one staff is to be carried; specially as in the Gṛhya-sūtra we read—‘the Brāhmaṇa’s staff’ is of Bilva or Palāśa’; and the Gautama-sūtra speaks of the carrying of one staff only. In the present context all that is done is to lay down the mere possibility of the staff; the expression ‘should have staves’ meaning that the said staves are fit for Brahmacārīs. As regards the question as to the act during which the staff is to be held, we shall have the answer in Verse 48 below; so that the staff being only an auxiliary to that act, the singular number used in that verse must be regarded as significant. For these reasons the

Dual number used in the present verse must be taken merely as referring to all possible staves; just like the plural number in the assertion—‘if God were to give rain many persons would take to cultivation.’

‘Bilva,’ ‘Palāśa,’ ‘Vaṭa,’ ‘Khadira’ Pīlu’ and ‘bara’ are names of particular species of trees.

‘Bailva’ means ‘made of Bilva’; and so with the rest.

The naming of the woods is meant to be merely illustrative; as the general rule is that ‘staves made of sacred woods are fit for all castes’ (Gautama 1.1.24).

These staves the Brahmacārīs ‘should have’ during the act to be described below (in 48);—‘by law’—i.e., in accordance with scriptural injunctions.—(45)