History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c23.11

v2.c23.11

The word saṁskāra hardly ever occurs in the ancient Vedic literature, but the root '*kṛ*' with '*saṁ*' and the past passive participle '*saṁskṛta*' occur often enough. In Ṛg. V. 76. 2 the word saṁskṛta is applied to '*gharma*' (vessel) 'the two Aśvins do not harm the gharma that has been purified.' In Ṛg. VI. 28. 4 we have the word saṁskṛtatra' and Ṛg. VIII. 33. 9 has 'raṇāya saṁskṛtaḥ'. Śat.⁴⁴⁵ Br. I. 1. 4. 10 speaks of preparing (or purifying) offering (*havis*) for the gods. So in Śat. Br. III. 2. 1. 22 'therefore a woman approaches a man who stands in a well-trimmed (saṁskṛta) house.' Vide Vāj. S. IV. 34 for a similar use of saṁskṛta. In Chān. Up. IV. 16. 2, we⁴⁴⁶ read "of that sacrifice there are two ways, by mind, by speech; the Brahmā (priest) prepares (or polishes) one of them by his mind." The word saṁskāra is used several times in the sūtras of Jaimini (as in III. 1. 3, III. 2. 15 and 17, III. 8. 3, IX. 2. 9, 42, 44, IX. 3. 25, IX. 4. 33, IX. 4. 50 and 54, X. 1. 2 and 11 &c.). It generally means some purificatory act in a sacrifice e. g. in Jaimini III. 8. 3 the word is applied to the actions of shaving the head, washing the teeth and paring the nails on the part of the sacrificer in Jyotiṣṭoma; in IX. 3. 25 the word saṁskāra is applied to prokṣaṇa (sprinkling with water), in X. 2. 49 it is applied to the shaving of the head and face. In Jaimini⁴⁴⁷ VI. 1. 35 the word saṁskāra stands for upanayana. Śabara explains⁴⁴⁸ saṁskāra as that which being effected makes a certain thing or person fit for a certain purpose and the Tantravārtika says that saṁskāras are those actions and rites that impart fitness and it further says⁴⁴⁹ 'fitness is of two kinds; it arises by the removal of taints (sins) or by the generation of fresh qualities. Saṁskāras generate fresh qualities, while *tapas* brings about the removal of taints. He who performs such sacrifices as Jyotiṣṭoma and others has certain blemishes in him due to not doing in this life or a previous life duties laid down for him or doing what is forbidden. If they (blemishes) are not removed they obstruct the (acquisition of the) reward of the sacrifice even if it be entirely free from any defects whatever, as they (blemishes) produce (for the sacrificer) the experience of their own fruits that are opposed to the (fruit of the) sacrifice.' The Vīramitrodaya⁴⁵⁰ (on saṁskāra) defines '*saṁskāra*' as 'a peculiar excellence due to the performance of rites ordained (by the śāstra) which resides either in the soul or the body' and says that it is of two kinds, one kind making a person eligible for performing other actions (e. g. upanayana renders a person eligible for Vedic study), while another kind removes the evil taint that may have been generated (e. g. Jātakarma removes the taint due to seed and uterus). The word *saṁskāra* does not occur in most of the gṛhyasūtras (it occurs in Vaik.), but it occurs in the Dharmasūtras (vide Gaut. VIII. 8, Āp. Dh. I. 1. 1. 9, Vas. IV. 1).