Manava Dharmashastra 2.46

2.46

ākāraviśeṣavacano daṇḍaśabdaḥ | dīrghaṃ kāṣṭhaṃ sammitāyāmaṃ ‘daṇḍa’ ityucyate | kiyattasya dairghyamityapekṣāyāmāha| keśāntaṃ gacchati prāpnoti keśāntago mūrddhapramāṇaḥ| pādāgrādārabhya mūrddhāvadhiḥ keśāntagaḥ| keśā vā'nto'syeti keśāntakaḥ| samāsāntaḥ kakāraḥ | pramāṇātaḥ pramāṇenānena yukto daṇḍaḥ kāryaḥ kārayitavyaḥ| brāhmaṇasyācāryeṇa| lalāṭasammitaḥ lalāṭāntamitaḥ lalāṭāntapramāṇaḥ lalāṭamātre caturaṃgulena mīyamānasya daṇḍaśabdavācyatvābhāvādevaṃ vyākhyāyate-pādāgrādārabhya yāvallalāṭāntaṃ prāptaḥ | evaṃ viśo vaiśyasya nāsāntaga iti |

For the Brāhmaṇa the staff should be made in size reaching up to the end of his hair, for the Kṣatriya it should reach up to the forehead, and for the Vaiśya to the nose;—(46)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
The term ‘staff’ denotes the particular shape (of the wood carried);—a long piece of wood of a well-defined size is called ‘staff.’

The question arising as to what its length should be, the Text answers it. That which reaches up to the end of the hair is called ‘Keśāntika,’ i.e., reaching up to the head; i.e., in size it should reach from the tip of the foot up to the head. Or, the compound ‘Keśānta.’ may be expounded as ‘that of which the hair forms the end,’ the ka coming in as an additional affix at the end of the compound.

‘In size,’—the staff—‘should be made’ of the said size,—‘for the Brāhmaṇa,’—i.e., by the Teacher.

‘Reaching to the forehead’—i.e., of the size reaching up to the forehead. The ‘forehead’ itself is only four inches in width; and as a piece of wood of that size could never be spoken of as ‘staff,’ we have to explain the term ‘lalāṭasamnitaḥ’ (which, as it stands, means ‘of the size of the forehead’) as meaning ‘that which reaches from the tip of the foot up to the forehead.’

Similarly for the Vaiśya, it should reach up to the tip of the nose.—(46)

This verse is quoted in Smṛtitattva (p. 930), which adds that in the event of the specified wood not being available any one of the woods recommended for the three castes may be used for any one of these three;—in Madanapārijāta (p. 22);—in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 436), which last explains ‘Keśāntikaḥ’ as ‘Mūrdhāpramāṇaḥ’;—in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 448);—in Aparārka (p. 57);—in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Saṃskāra, p.43b);—and in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 78), which explains ‘Keśāntikaḥ’ as reaching up to the head.

Comparative notes by various authors
Gautama-Dharmasūtra, 1.27.—‘They are of the size reaching up to the head, the forehead and the nose-tip.’

Baudhāyana-Dharmasūtra.—‘The staves are of a sacrificial wood, reaching up to the head, the forehead and the nose-ṭip.’

Vaśiṣṭha-Smṛti, 11.46.—‘For the Brāhmaṇa, it should reach up to the hair; for the Kṣatriya, up to the forehead; for the Vaiśya, up to tho nose.’

Āśvalāyana-Gṛhyasūtra, 19.13.—‘For the Brāhmaṇa, reaching up to the hair; for the Kṣatriya, reaching up to the forehead; for the Vaiśya, reaching up to ṭhe Breath (Nose-tip).’

Pāraskara-Gṛhyasūtra (Vīramitrodaya-Saṃskāra, p. 436).—‘The staff of the Brāhmaṇa should reach to his hair; of the Kṣatriya, to his forehead; of the Vaiśya, to the Breath.’

Vyāsa (Do.).—‘Reaching up to the head, the forehead and the nose-tip.’

Śaṅkha (Do., p. 437).—‘They have been described as ranging between the Hair and the Forehead.’

Viṣṇu (Vīra-Saṃskara, p. 437).—‘They should reach the Hair, the Forehead and the Nose.’

Śaṅkha-Likhita (Do.).—‘They should reach the Hair, the Forehead and the Mouth.