History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c24.s1.538

v2.c24.s1.538

In the Vedic Literature both words are used. In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad⁹⁷¹ IV. 10. 1 we read that Upakosala Kāmalāyana became a student of Satyakāma Jābāla and tended his teacher's fires for twelve years; the teacher while making his other pupils return (to their parental home) did not make Upakosala return. Here it is clear that the Upaniṣad knew the term 'samāvartana'. Similarly in Chāndogya VIII. 15 it is stated that 'having studied the Veda according to the rules in the time that was left after doing work for the teacher and having returned from the teacher's house to his own family'. On the other hand the Śat. Br. (XI. 3. 3. 7) says 'that one⁹⁷⁸ should not beg after taking the ceremonial bath'. The Śat. Br. (XII. 1. 1. 10) distinguishes⁹⁷³ a snātaka from a brahmacārin (S. B. E. vol. 44 p. 137). Similarly the Āp. Dh. S. II. 6. 14. 13 quotes a Brāhmaṇa passage 'therefore the face of the snātaka is as if resplendent with fire'. The Ait. Ār. V.⁹⁷⁴ 3. 3. remarks that 'one who has not studied this (mahāvrata) does not become a (true) snātaka, even though he may have learnt a good deal else.' The Āśv. gṛ. III. 9. 8 summarises a Brāhmaṇa passage to the effect that a snātaka is indeed a great being.