History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c24.30

v2.c24.30

We shall now turn to upanayana as described in the sūtras and smṛtis. The following matters fall to be treated under Upanayana: The proper age for upanayana, the auspicious seasons for it; the skin, the garments, the girdle and the staff for the brahmacārins of different varṇas; the yajñopavīta; the preliminaries of upanayana, such as homa, taking of curds by the boy, añjalipūraṇa, aśmārohaṇa; the principal rites of upanayana viz. taking of the student's hand by the teacher, touching the chest of the student expressive of acceptance as pupil, handing the boy to Savitṛ and other gods (paridāna), instruction in the duties of the student (such as putting fuel on fire, begging &c.), instruction in the famous Sāvitrī mantra; *medhājanana*; study of the Vedas and daily recitation of Vedic texts; special *vratas* of the brahmacārī; *Patitasāvitrīka* (those whose upanayana has not been performed at all) and rules about them. These matters will now be dealt with in order. It should be remembered that all these matters are not dwelt upon by all the smṛtis nor are they treated of in the same order. Further the Vedic mantras often differ in the different sūtras.