History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c24.s1.130

v2.c24.s1.130

The observances that last throughout the period of student-hood are first seen in the passage of the Śat. Br. (quoted above in note 625). The same are laid down in Āśv. gṛ. I. 22. 2 (quoted on p. 283 above), Pār. gṛ. II. 3, Āp. Mantrapāṭha (II. 6. 14), Kāṭhaka gṛ. (41. 17) and other texts. These are principally ācamana, guruśuśrūṣā, vāksaṁyama (silence), samidādhāna. When the teacher says in the upanayana ‘drink water, do work &c’, the student is to reply with the word ‘yes’ (‘bāḍham’ or om). But the sūtras and smṛtis lay down many rules about these and other observances; vide Gaut. II. 10-40, Śāṅ. gṛ. II. 6. 8, Gobhila gṛ. III. 1.27, Khādira gṛ. II. 5. 10-16, Hir. gṛ. 8.1-7, Āp. Dh. S. I. 1. 3. 11–I. 2. 7. 30, Baud. Dh. S. I. 2, Manu II. 49–249, Yāj. I. 16-32 &c. The rules centre principally round agniparicaryā (worshipping fire), bhikṣā (begging for food), saṁdhyopāsana, study of Veda and its methods and duration, avoidance of certain foods and drinks and other matters like singing &c., guruśuśrūṣā (including honouring him and his family and other elders), and the special *vratas* of the brahmacārī. These principal topics will be dealt with in some detail now. Before doing so some other matters will have to be briefly disposed off.