History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c24.s1.98

v2.c24.s1.98

The Baudhāyana-sūtra quoted in the Saṁskāra-ratnamālā (p. 188) says that yarn spun by a brāhmaṇa or his maiden daughter is to be brought, then one is to measure first 96 aṅgulas of it with the syllable bhūḥ, then another 96 with bhuvaḥ and a third 96 with svaḥ, then the yarn so measured is to be kept on a leaf of palāśa and is to be sprinkled with water to the accompaniment of the three mantras 'āpo hi ṣṭhā' (Ṛg. X. 9. 1-3), with the four verses 'Hiraṇyavarṇāḥ' (Tai. S. V. 6. 1 and Atharva I. 33. 1-4) and with the *anuvāka* beginning with 'pavamānaḥ suvarjanaḥ' (Tai. Br. I. 4. 8) and with the Gāyatrī, then the yarn is to be taken in the left hand and there is to be a clapping of the two hands thrice, the yarn is to be twisted with the three verses 'bhūragnim ca' (Tai. Br. III. 10. 2) and then the knot is to be tied with the formula 'Bhūrbhuvaḥ svaścandramasaṁ ca' (Tai. Br. III. 10. 2) and the nine deities 'oṁkāra, Agni (quoted above in note 685)' have to be invoked on the nine strands, then the upavīta is to be taken with the mantra 'devasya tvā' and then it is to be shown to the sun with the verse 'ud vayam tamasaspari' (Rg. I. 50. 10) and then the yajñopavīta is to be put on with the verse 'yajñopavītaṁ &c.' Then there is to be a *japa* of the *gāyatrī* verse and then ācamana. For a brief statement of the mode of putting on a fresh sacred thread vide note below.⁷⁰²