Manava Dharmashastra 2.71

2.71

brahmaśabdo'yamanekārtho'pyadhyayanādhikārādatra vedavacanaḥ pratīyate | tasyārambhe | nimittasaptamyeṣā | adhyayanādhikārādeva ca tadviṣayā'dhyayanakriyā, tasyāyamārambhaḥ, prathamāvṛttiḥ puruṣasya | tatredaṃ pādagrahaṇam | vedasya tu yānyādyākṣarāṇi 'agnimīḷe' 'iṣetvā' 'agnaāyāhi' iti na so'trārambha ucyate | nahi tasya nimittabhāvaḥ sambhāvitaḥ, nityatvāt | kādācitkaṃ hi nimittaṃ bhavati | tenaitaduktaṃ bhavati--vedādhyayanamāripsamāno guroḥ pādasaṅgrahaṇaṃ kuryātkṛtvā tataḥ svādhyāyākṣarāṇyuccārayenna punaḥ pravṛttādhyayanakriyaḥ pādau gṛhṇīyāt |
"nanu cādyakriyākṣaṇa ārambhaḥ, sa ca nimittam | vidyamānasya ca nimittatvaṃ yuktaṃ jīvanasyeva | atra gehadāhādyatītamapi nimittaṃ tatra tathaiva śravaṇam | tasmātsahaprayoga evādhyayanapādopasaṅgrahaṇayoryuktaḥ" |
ucyate | adhyāpanādhyavasāya 'ārambha' ucyate, nādyaḥ kriyākṣaṇaḥ | yadaiva gururadhīṣvetyāha tadaivādhyavasyati māṇavakaḥ | atastadanantaraṃ pādopagrahaḥ | upakārapravṛttasya gureścittaprasādanametat | yathā loke kaścidupakārapravṛttaṃ sabhājayati vācā 'nanu tvayā vayamasmātpāpānmocitā' iti | anakṣarā ceyamadhyeṣaṇā 'upasanno'smyadhyayanāyeti' | na hi gururūparodho'dhyāpayeti | kevalamupasadanamasya karttavyaṃ sambodhanārthamavasaro'dhyayanasyeti | ataḥ kṛtopasadanasya vedākṣaroccāraṇam | api ca saṃhatya hastābadhyetavyamityucyate | tatrādhīyānaḥ pādopasaṅgrahaṇavidhimatikrāmet | avasānaṃ samāptiradhyayanāduparamaḥ | yadyapi brahmaśabda ārambhe guṇabhūtastathāpyavasānasya sāpekṣatvātsaṃnihitatvādbrahmapadenaiva sambandhaḥ pratīyate, anyasyāśrutatvāt | sadāgrahaṇamanvahaṃ bhāviprayogārambhāvasānayoreṣa vidhiryathā syāditarathā ya eva vratādeśānantaro mukhyaprārambhaḥ tatraiva syāt | yathā'nvārambhaṇīyā darśapūrṇamāsārambhe coditā ya evādhānāntarabhāvī darśapūrṇamāsaprayogārambhaḥ tatraiva bhavati, na māsikaprayogārambhe | prātarārabhya yāvadāhnikaṃ na nivṛttaṃ prapāṭhakadvayamātraparimāṇaṃ, tāvadekaiva sā'dhyayanakriyeti | antarā kathañcidvicchede'pi punaḥ pravṛttau nārambhaśabdavācyatā'stīti, na punaḥ pādopasadanaṃ kriyate | smṛtyantare ca paṭhyate "pādopagrahaṇaṃ guroḥ prātaranvahamiti" | saṃhatya-saṃlagnau saṃśliṣṭau parasparaṃ kṛtvā'dhyeyam | kacchapa iva yaḥ saṃniveśo hastayoḥ prasiddhastathā kartavyaḥ | sa hi brahmāñjaliḥ | padārthakathanametat |

At the beginning and at the end op the (study of) the Veda, the feet of the Teacher should always be clasped; and the veda should me studied with joined palms; this is what has been called the ‘Brahmāñjali.’—(71)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
Though the term ‘brahma’ has many meanings, yet, in view of the fact of the present context bearing on ‘study,’ it is taken here as standing for the Veda.

‘At the beginning of the Veda’;—the Locative ending denotes occasion; and since the context bears upon ‘study,’ the beginning meant is that of the action of study; and the ‘beginning’ stands for the very first recitation by the person concerned. And it is at this first recitation that the Teacher’s feet are to be clasped. The term ‘beginning’ here cannot stand for the first letters of the Vedas—‘agnimīle’ (Ṛgveda), ‘ikhe tvorje’ (Yajurveda), ‘agna āyāhi’ (Sāmaveda); because these opening words could never form the occasion (for the clasping of the feet); for the simple reason that (being parts of the eternal Veda) they are ever present; while it is only what is itself occasional (occurring only at certain times) that can be the occasion for anything. Hence what is meant is that—‘when one is going to begin the study of the Veda, he should clasp the Teacher’s feet, and having done that he should recite the words of the Veda and it does not mean that he should clasp the Teacher’s feet every time that he may study the Veda.

“The first moment of the act is what is called its ‘beginning’; and it is this beginning that is spoken of as the occasion. Now it is only what is existent that can form the occasion for anything; e.g., when living existence is regarded as the occasion for the performance of Agnihotra, it is the existence that is present. It is true that in some cases, the burning of the house and such other past events also are spoken of as the occasion for certain acts; but in these cases we accept them as such because that is what is actually prescribed. In the present instance however, the ‘beginning of study’ and ‘clasping of the feet’ should be regarded as simultaneous.”

Our answer to the above is as follows:—What is called ‘beginning’ here is the making up of one’s mind to study, and not the first moment of the act. The Boy makes up his mind to study as soon as the Teacher addresses to him the words ‘now read’; so that it is after this that the feet are to be clasped. This is intended to be the propitiation of the Teacher who is going to bestow a favour. Just as in the ordinary world, when a person is going to bestow a favour upon another, the latte? welcomes him with the words—‘it is through you that I have been saved from this sin.’

This clasping of the feet is meant to embody the speechless request—‘we are ready to proceed with our study’; for the Teacher is never to be directed with the words ‘now teach us.’ All that is to be done is that the Boy should approach him (and clasp his feet), with a view to remind him that it is time for study, and it is only after this approaching has been done, that the words of the Veda should begin to he recited.