Manava Dharmashastra 2.48

2.48

prāvṛteṣu carmasu mekhalābandhanaṃ kartavyam | ābadhya mekhalāmupanayanaṃ kartavyam | kṛte copavīte daṇḍagrahaṇam | daṇḍaṃ gṛhītvā bhāskara āditya upastheyaḥ | abhimukhaṃ sthitvā ''dityadaivatairmantrairupasthānamādityasya kartavyam | gṛhyānmantrāvagamaḥ | anyā cetikartavyatā tata eva | yatsarvasādhāraṇaṃ tadihocyate | pradakṣiṇaṃ parītya sarvato gatvā'gnim | caretkuryāt | bhaikṣaṃ bhikṣāṇāṃ samūho bhaikṣam | taccaredyāceta | yathāvidhīti vakṣyamāṇavidhyanuvādaḥ | bhikṣāśabdena svalpaparimāṇaṃ bhaktādyucyate |

Taking up the staff of his liking, having worshipped the sun and walked round the fire to his right, he should beg for alms according to the prescribed rule.—(48)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
After the skins have been put on, the tying of the girdle should be done; and after having tied the girdle, the Initiation should be performed; the staff is taken up after the ‘sacred thread’ ceremony has been performed. After the staff has been taken up, the Sun should be worshipped; i.e., one should stand facing the sun and worship Him with those Mantras of which the sun is the presiding deity; what are the particular Mantras to be employed can be ascertained from the Gṛhyasūtras; as also the other details of procedure.

The present verse describes only what is common to all persons.

‘Having walked round the fire to his right,’—having passed all round it.

‘Gharet’—(lit.) should accomplish;—‘alms’ is a collective term, stauding for collection of fool;—this he ‘should beg.’

‘According to prescribed rule’—refers to the rules going to be laid down below. The term ‘bhikṣū’ (food) stands for small quantities of cooked rice, etc.—(18)

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 451), where it is explained that the Sun is to be worshiped as the sum total of the connotation of the Gāyatrī-mantra;—and that one is to realise that he is one with that deity. According to this authority the ‘parītyāgnim’means, not that the boy is to ‘walk round the fire’ (as explained by Kullūka and Medhātithi), but that he should tend the fire; and it proceeds to point out that the ‘tending of the fire’ is to be done according to what has been laid down by Manu himself under 2. 186.

It is difficult to see how this writer would construe the adverb ‘pradakṣiṇam.’

This verse is quoted in Smṛtitattva (p. 935) in support of the view that the particle ‘atha’ in the Gṛhya-sūtra: ‘aiha bhaikṣyañcarati’ stands for the Upasthāna of the Sun and ‘pradakṣiṇa’ of the Fire;—in Madanapārijāta (p. 32); the latter explaining ‘īpsitam’ by ‘as prescribed for each individual, and not any other’, adds that the Sun is to be worshipped with mantras sacred to that deity. It accepts Medhātithi’s explanation of the phrase ‘parityāgnim’; and points out that the three acts mentioned here all form part of the procedure of ‘begging.’

It is quoted also in Vīramitrodaya (Saṃskāra, p. 481), according to which also, ‘īpsitam’ means ‘what is prescribed for each particular caste’;—and the phrase ‘bhāskaram upasthāya’ (though it quotes the latter term as ‘abhi-vādya’) as ‘facing the sun’ (which is the explanation, it adds, suggested by Kalpataru);—and ‘Yathāvidhi’ as ‘according to the rule laid down in the next verse.’ It adds that all the three acts are subsidiary to the act of begging.

It is quoted in Aparārka (p. 60);—in Saṃskāramayūkha (p. 60);—in Smṛticandrikā (Saṃskāra, p. 108), which explains ‘Yathāvidhi’ as ‘according to the ordinances—and in Vīramitrodaya (Vyāvahāra, p. 124 a).

Comparative notes by various authors
Gautama-Dharmasūtra, 2.12.—‘Fire-kindling and alms-begging.’

Āpastamba-Dharmasūtra, 1.3.25.—‘Morning and evening, he should beg alms, from proper persons.’

Āśvalāyana-Gṛhyasūtra, 22.5.—‘He should beg alms, morning and evening.’

Pāraskara-Gṛhyasūtra, 2.6.1.—‘Alms-begging.’

Gobhila-Gṛhyasūtra, 2.10.42.—‘After this he goes about begging alms.’