Manava Dharmashastra 3.1.7

3.1.7

ata ṛgyajurbhyāmṛksāmabhyāṃ caikatra karmaṇi samāveśābhāvāttrivedyupadeśānupapatternātharvaṇasyeha grahaṇaṃ svādhyāyaśabdavācyatvāttadvadhyayanavidhestadviṣayatvamaviruddham | tadadhikam | ṣaṭtriṃśatsaṃkhyā pratyavamṛśyate | tato'rdhamaṣṭādaśavarṣāṇi | atrāpi vibhāgakalpanā ṣaḍvarṣāṇi | atrāpi pādikam | pādaścaturbhāgabhāginī saiva saṃkhyā | nava varṣāṇi | teṣāṃ caturtho bhāgaḥ | prativedaṃ trīṇi | "kathaṃ punarvibhirvarṣairvedaḥ śakyo grahītum" | bhavati kaścinmedhāvitamaḥ | apara āha | na grahaṇasvarūpaprayuktā dharmāḥ, kiṃ tarhi tadviṣayeṇa vidhinā prayujyante | tatrānivṛtte grahaṇe yadi kānicidahāni niyamānupālanamadhyayanakāle kriyate tāvatsampādyata eva śāstrārthaḥ | bhavetsvādhyāyavidhyarthaṃ tāvataivāṅgakalāpānuṣṭhānam | asamāptagrahaṇasya tadddrutanivṛttau vratasnātakavyapadeśaḥ | ataḥ kālaviśeṣavidhānaṃ yuktam | tribhirvarṣaiḥ vinā na vratasnātako bhavati | tadyadyapi "snānaṃ vedasamāptāviti" kecitsmaranti, tathāpi tadarthavratasamāptāvapi prayoga upacārādyukta eva | tadayuktam | satyapi vidhiprayukte yāvadadhyayanabhāvitaiva vratānāṃ yuktā | adhyayanasaṃyogena hi tāni codyante | yāvadadhyayanaṃ bhavitumarhanti | vacanādeva hi trisaṃvatsarī vratacaryā prāgapi grahaṇādyadye tatpṛthagvākyam | atha tu grahaṇāntikamevetyekaṃ vākyaṃ, tato nāstyagṛhīte vede vratanivṛttiḥ | evakāreṇaivameva pakṣamanumanyate | "yadi nāstyagṛhīte vede tannivṛttiḥ kathaṃ tarhi 'vratasnātako' 'vedasnātaka' iti bhedena vyapadeśaḥ" | caturthe vakṣyāmaḥ |

‘For half that period’—‘that period’ refers to ‘thirty six years;’ the ‘half’ of which is eighteen years. Here also the division of time would be six years for each Veda.

‘Or for a quarter;’—‘Quarter’ is the fourth part of the said number, i.e., nine years, that is, three years for each of the three Vedas.

“But how can the Veda be got up in three years.”

It is quite possible that a certain pupil may be exceptionally intelligent (and he could get up the Veda in three years).

Other people offer the following explanation:—The duties prescribed in the verse are not made conditional upon the character of the ‘learning they are conditioned by the injunction bearing upon the duties themselves. So that if, before the learning has been accomplished, the rules are duly observed for a few days during the course of learning, the purpose of the Injunction becomes duly fulfilled; as the observance of the details even to that extent would go to fulfil the conditions of the Injunction of Vedic Study. If one puts an end to his observances before he has got up the text, then he comes to be called a ‘Vratasnātaka’ ‘renouncer of observances.’ Thus, inasmuch as both these contingencies are possible, it is only right that a definite period of time should have been prescribed; and the meaning is that one does not become entitled tō the title of ‘Vratasnātaka’ unless he has put in three years’ work (at least). Though some Smṛtis lay down that ‘there is Final Bath only on the completion of Vedic Study,’ yet it is quite reasonable to apply the name ‘Bath’ (snāna) figuratively to the completion of the observances relative to Vedic Study.

This, however, is not right. Though the observances are objects of independent Injunctions, yet the right course to be adopted is that they should be kept up as long as the ‘study’ continues. In fact, the observances having been actually enjoined in connection with Study, they must continue throughout the study. If the first part of the present verse (consisting of the first three feet) were taken separately, then the words of the text themselves would make the observances abandoned after three years only, even before the ‘study’ has been finished. If, on the other hand, the whole verse—including the last quarter—is taken as a single sentence, then the observances cannot cease until the Veda has been wholly learnt. In fact, the particle ‘eva,’ ‘precisely,’ clearly indicates that this last view is the correct one.

“If there is no cessation of the observances until the Vedas have been learnt, how is it that three are two distinct titles (l) ‘Vratasnātaka’, ‘who has completed the observances.’ and (2) Vedasnātaka,’ ‘who has completed the Veda’?”

We shall explain this under Discourse IV.