History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c24.11

v2.c24.11

In the other Vedas and in the Brāhmaṇa literature there i ample material to show what the characteristic features o *upanayana* and brahmacarya were. The whole of Atharvaved XI. 7 (26 verses) is a hymn containing hyperbolical laudatio of the brahmacārī (Vedic student) and brahmacarya. Th very first verse⁶²² may be cited as a sample ‘The brahmacār incessantly covering (the world by his glory) roams in the tw worlds; the gods have the same thoughts (of grace and favour about him; he fills his teacher by his austerities’. Verse 3 say ‘the teacher leading (the boy) near him makes the brahmacār like unto a foetus’ (here the word ‘upanayamānaḥ’ occurs) Verse 4 states that the heaven and the earth are the ‘samidh (the fuel stick) of the brahmacārī and that the brahmacārī by hi *mekhalā* (girdle), by his samidh and by his life of hard work fill the world with austerities. Verse 6 tells us that the brahmacār wears the skin of a black antelope and has a long beard; verse 1 says that the brahmacārī offers samidh into fire (or if fire is no available) to the sun, to the moon, to the wind or into waters. Thi hymn thus brings out most of the characteristic features of th brahmacārī and of upanayana (viz. deerskin, mekhalā, offerin of samidh, begging and a life of hard work and restraint). From the reference to the beard and from the words ‘this man (ayam puruṣaḥ)’ occurring in the Atharvaveda VIII. 1. 1 and elsewher it appears probable that upanayana was performed rather late in those ancient days than in the days of the sūtras.