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History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c41: Chapter XXIII. Upākarma or Upākaraṇa and Utsarjana or Utsarga

History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c41

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Chapter XXIII. Upākarma or Upākaraṇa and Utsarjana or Utsarga

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*Upākarma* or *Upākaraṇa* means 'opening, starting or beginning' (*upakrama* as the Mit. on Yāj. I. 142 says) and Utsarjana or Utsarga (in Āśv. gṛ. III. 5. 13) means 'the cessation of Vedic studies for a certain period in the year.' Āp. gṛ. VIII. 1 and Āp. Dh. S. I. 3. 11. 2 employ the word '*samāpana*' for utsarjana. In former times these two rites were performed on different dates and in different months, but with the decline of vedic studies in medieval times they came to be performed one after another on the same day. In several sūtras the first of these two is spoken of as adhyāyopākaraṇa (as in Āśv. gṛ. III. 5. 1.) or adhyāyopākarma (in Pār. gṛ. II. 10, Vas. Dh. S. 13. 1). In this case adhyāya means 'study of the Veda' or it may mean Veda itself because it is studied (pre-eminently). Therefore the rite which signalises the opening of the session for Vedic study in the year is itself called upākarma.¹⁹²² In Gaut. 16. 1 the rite of *upākarma* is called *vārṣika* either because it took place in *varṣā* (the rainy season) or because it took place once a year (from *varṣa*, a year). The Āśv. gṛ. III. 5. 19 also states that this rite is called *vārṣika*.

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¹⁹²² अध्ययनमध्यायस्तस्योपाकरणं प्रारम्भो येन कर्मणा तदध्यायोपाकरणम् नारायण on आश्व. गृ. III. 5. 1; 'अधीयन्ते इत्यध्याया वेदास्तेषामुपाम उपक्रममोषधीनां प्रादुर्भावे' मिता. on या. I. 142.

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The time for upākarma is variously stated in the sūtras. The Āśv. gṛ. III. 5. 2-3 states 'when the herbs appear, when the moon is in conjunction with the constellation of Śravaṇa, in the month of Śrāvaṇa or on the 5th (tithi) of Śrāvaṇa when the moon is in the Hasta nakṣatra.'¹⁹²³ The Pār. gṛ. II. 10 says 'when the herbs appear, when the moon is in conjunction with Śravaṇa on the full moon day in the month of Śrāvaṇa or on the fifth of the month of Śrāvaṇa when the moon is in Hasta.' Gaut. 16. 1 and Vas. Dh. S. 13. 1 require that it should be performed on the full moon day of Śrāvaṇa or Bhādrapada. The Khādira gṛ. (III. 2. 14-15) and Gobhila III. 3. 1 and 13 ordain that Upākarma should be performed on the full moon day of Bhādrapada or under the constellation of Hasta in that month or according to some on the full moon day of Śrāvaṇa. The Baud. gṛ. III. 1. 2 prescribes that Upākarma may be done on the full moon day of Śrāvaṇa or Āṣāḍha. The Hir. gṛ. (II. 18. 2, S. B. E. vol. 30 p. 241) says 'during the fortnight (at the end of which) the full moon of Śrāvaṇa occurs, when the herbs have sprouted forth, the ceremony for the opening of the annual Veda study (should be performed) under the Hasta constellation or on the full moon day'. The Āp. Dh. S. I. 3. 9. 1 speaks only of the full moon day of Śrāvaṇa as the time for the performance of the Upākarma rite. Manu. IV. 95 prescribes the full moon of Śrāvaṇa or Bhādrapada as the time for upākarma. Yāj. I.

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142 provides three times viz. on the full moon day of Śrāvaṇa or on a day (in Śrāvaṇa) when the moon is in conjunction with the Śravaṇa nakṣatra or on the 5th tithi of Śrāvaṇa if the moon is in conjunction with Hasta. The Kūrmapurāṇa (Uttarārdha 14. 60-61) holds that Upākarma should be performed on the full moon day of either Śrāvaṇa, Āṣāḍha or Bhādrapada. In this rather bewildering variety of opinions commentators like the Mit. prescribed that one should follow one's gṛhyasūtra.¹⁹²⁴ This means (as stated by Medhātithi on Manu IV. 95) that the full moon of Bhādrapada being mentioned by Gobhila gṛ. and Khādira gṛ. Chandogas (students of the Sāmaveda) should perform upākarma on that day; but as Āp. Dh. S. speaks only of the full moon of Srāvaṇa, the followers of the Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda should perform upākarma only that day. When there is no rain and so no herbs appear in Śrāvaṇa or when that day is inauspicious owing to an eclipse or the like, Upākarma may be performed on the full moon day of Bhādrapada by those whose gṛhya sūtra allows the option of two months or on the fifth of the bright half of Śrāvaṇa. But if both days of the full moon in the two months are inauspicious, then Upākarma should be performed on the full moon of Śrāvaṇa. As the Baud. gṛ. refers to the full moon of Āṣāḍha, the followers of the Black Yājurveda may perform upākarma on Āṣāḍha full moon, if the full moon of Śrāvaṇa is not available.

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But the students of the Ṛgveda cannot do so, since no sūtra of the Ṛgveda speaks of Āṣāḍha as an optional month. Ṛgvedins have to prefer Śravaṇa nakṣatra (so that they may perform upākarma on the 14th or 15th of the bright half of Śrāvaṇa); the followers of the Yajurveda (Śukla) must perform it on the full moon day of Śrāvaṇa when the moon is in Śravaṇa nakṣatra, but if the moon is not so, then they have to prefer the full moon day. The students of the Taittirīya śākhā also have to follow this last course. The followers of the Sāmaveda should prefer Hasta. Vide Sam. Pr. pp. 497-498, Sm. M. pp. 32-33, Nirṇ. pp. 114-120. Some interpreted Yāj. I. 142 in such a way as to yield four times for upākarma, viz. the full moon of Śrāvaṇa, the day in Śrāvaṇa on which the moon is in conjunction with Śravaṇa nakṣatra (this may sometimes be the 14th tithi of the bright half), or on the 15th of the bright half of Śrāvaṇa or on that day in Śrāvaṇa when the moon is in Hasta. Why so much importance was attached to the month of Śrāvaṇa and to the constellation of Śravaṇa as the season for starting Veda study is obscure. It is possible that that month was originally chosen as owing to showers of rain it is pleasantly cool, there is more leisure and staying inside the house in that month for brāhmaṇas than in other months of the year and then Nature is at its best.

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The month of Śrāvaṇa being fixed upon, the best day therein would be the full moon (Soma in another sense being the king of brāhmaṇas). If any other day in Śrāvaṇa was to be chosen then the day on which the moon was in Hasta would be the best, which would ordinarily be the 5th of the bright half (of Śrāvaṇa). As the Paurṇamāsī of that month was called Śrāvaṇī owing to the moon's conjunction with the Śravaṇa nakṣatra (which conjunction usually takes place on that day) the Śravaṇa nakṣatra came to be associated with the starting of the annual session of Vedic studies. But that the Śravaṇa nakṣatra by itself had no direct connection with upākarma is clear from the fact that several sūtras do not mention it at all. The Gobhila and Khādira gṛ. do not accept the full moon day of Śrāvaṇa (but of Bhādrapada and the Hasta nakṣatra) as the proper time for upākarma.

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¹⁹²³ ओषधीनां प्रादुर्भावे श्रवणेन श्रावणस्य । पञ्चम्यां हस्तेन वा । आश्व. गृ. III. 5. 1-2; ओषधीनां प्रादुर्भावे श्रवणेन श्रावण्यां पौर्णमास्यां श्रावणस्य पञ्चमीं हस्तेन वा । पार. गृ. II. 10; प्रौष्ठपदीं हस्तेनाध्यायान्युपाकुर्युः । श्रावणीमित्येके । खादिरगृ. III. 2. 14-15; प्रौष्ठपदीं हस्तेनोपाकरणम् । ...श्रवणामेक उपाकृत्यैतेमा सावित्रीकालं काङ्क्षन्ते । गोभिलगृ. III. 3. 1 and 13; अथातः स्वाध्यायोपाकर्म श्रावण्यां पौर्णमास्यां प्रौष्ठपद्यां वा । वसिष्ठ 13. 1; हुताङ्कुकृतिरुपाकर्म। श्रावण्यां पौर्णमास्यां क्रियेतापि वा आषाढ्याम् । बौ. गृ. III. 1. 1-2; श्रावणपक्षे ओषधीषु जातासु हस्तेन पौर्णमास्यां वाऽध्यायोपाकर्म। हिरण्य. गृ. II. 18. 2.

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¹⁹²⁴ अत्र स्वस्वगृह्यानुसारेण व्यवस्थेति साधारणनिर्णयः। तत्रापि ऋक्शाखिनां श्रवणे अपि। यजुःशाखिनां पौर्णमास्याम्। तत्रापि तैत्तिरीयाणामौदयिके पर्वणि इतरेषां तु पूर्वविद्धे पर्वणि सामगानां तु हस्ते। अयं च निर्णयः श्रवणादिमाहात्म्यनिर्देशाद्गम्यते। असति ग्रहसंक्रान्त्यादिरूपप्रतिबन्धे श्रावणे भास्येव। मदनपारिजात p. 85.

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Oldenberg in his note on Śāṅ. gṛ. IV. 5. 2 ‘when the herbs appear, under the nakṣatra Hasta or Śravaṇa’ (S. B. E. vol. 29, p. 112) remarks ‘the nakṣatra Śravaṇa is evidently considered as particularly fit for this occasion because of its name containing an allusion to *śruti*’. But this conjecture has no plausibility. Hardly any ancient writer makes the suggestion that Śravaṇa and Śruti are brought together on account of the root ‘śru’. The presiding deity of Hasta is Savitṛ. Owing to the supreme importance given to the Gāyatrī verse (of which Savitṛ is the deity) and to the fact that Veda study begins with the recitation of the Gāyatrī, the nakṣatra Hasta would be closely connected with the starting of Veda study. As a matter of fact the Śāṅ. gṛ. IV. 5. 2 mentions Hasta first and then Śravaṇa; the Hira. gṛ. does not name the Śravaṇa nakṣatra at all, but names Hasta in this connection; while the Āśv. gṛ., Pār. gṛ. and several others mention both Śravaṇa and Hasta.

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Upākarma is to be done in the morning. If for part of the day, the moon is in conjunction with Uttarāṣāḍhā and then with Śravaṇa that day is not to be chosen for upākarma, but the next day is to be chosen on which the moon is in conjunction with Śravaṇa and Dhaniṣṭhā. Later writers introduced further complications about the zodiacal sign (*rāśi*) in which the Sun would be at the time. Garga required that upākarma must be performed during the days when the Sun was in the sign of Leo by the followers of the Sāmaveda and by those who are to the north of the Narmadā river. There is no upākarma in the intercalary month of Śrāvaṇa and Bhādrapada except for the followers of the Sāmaveda who must perform it in the intercalary month. When upākarma is to be done for the first time after a boy’s upanayana, the planets Jupiter and Venus must not be in the position of *asta* (i. e. invisibility owing to their being too near the sun).

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Upākarma is to be done by brahmacārins, by householders and also by vānaprasthas (forest hermits). The teacher does it in the company of his pupils whether they be brahmacārins or not and performs the homa in his own gṛhya fire, as the Pār. gṛ. II. 10 says. Karka the com. of Pār. gṛ. states that if the ācārya has no pupils then he has no *adhikāra* (right or eligibility) to perform the upākarma in the gṛhya fire, while Harihara says that the practice of performing upākarma in the ordinary domestic fire in the company of a Veda student is based on no authority, but is a mere usage.¹⁹²⁵

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¹⁹²⁵ सर्वेऽनुपठेयुः। ... ... स यावन्तं गणमिच्छेत्तावतस्तिलानाकर्षफलकेन जुहुयात्। पार. गृ. II. 10; श्रवणे स्यादुपाकर्म हस्ते वा श्रावणस्य तु। नो चेद्भाद्रपदे वापि कुर्याच्छिष्यैर्गुरुः सह ॥ लध्वाश्व. 12. 1; इदं च शिष्यानध्यापयत आवसथ्येऽग्नौ, अनध्यापयतो नाधिकार इति कर्कः। निर्णय. p. 119; अतो अध्यापयतो निरग्नेः साग्नेरपि अनध्यापयतो नाधिकारः। यत्तु लोके ब्रह्मचारिणं पुरस्कृत्य उपाकर्म प्रवर्तते लौकिकाग्नौ तस्याचारं विहाय न मूलं दृश्यते। हरिहर on पार. गृ. II. 10.

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The procedure of upākarma is set out as follows¹⁹²⁶ in the Āśv. gṛ. (III. 5. 4-12): 'having sacrificed the two *ājyabhāgas*¹⁹²⁷ (portions of clarified butter), he should offer oblations of *ājya* to the following deities, viz. Sāvitrī, Brahmā, Śraddhā, Medhā, Prajñā, Dhāraṇā (memory), Sadasaspati, Anumati, Chandases (metres) and Ṛṣis (sages). Then he sacrifices saktu (barley flour) mixed with curds to the accompaniment of the following mantras; the one verse 'I praise Agni, the purohita' (Ṛg. I. 1. 1),¹⁹²⁸ and 'the Kuṣumbhaka has said it' (Ṛg. I. 191. 16), 'O bird, when crying announce welfare to us' (Ṛg. II. 43. 3), 'Sung by Jamadagni' (Ṛg. III. 62. 18), 'In thy abode the whole world rests' (Ṛg. IV. 58. 11), 'you (Maruts) that deserve sacrifice, come to our sacrifice' (Ṛg. V. 87. 9), 'whosoever whether ours or a stranger (Ṛg. VI. 75. 19), 'look towards us, look in various directions' (Ṛg. VII. 104. 25), 'Come here, O Agni, the friend of the Maruts' (Ṛg. VIII. 103. 14), 'O king, the oblation that is cooked for thee' (Ṛg. IX. 114. 4),—each time two verses; the one verse 'one is our intention' (Ṛg. X. 191. 4); the one verse 'we choose that blessing and boon.' When he is about to study the Veda he should, while the pupils (i. e. those who are to be taught the Veda) join him (lit. take hold of him), sacrifice to those deities,¹⁹²⁹ then offer an oblation to Agni Sviṣṭakṛt and partake of the barley mixed with curds and then follows cleaning.¹⁹³⁰ Sitting down to the west of the fire on darbha grass, the ends of which are turned towards the east, he should dip darbha blades into a water pot, he (the ācārya) should join his hands in the brahmāñjali¹⁹³¹ form and then recite (together with his pupils, if any) the following: the three vyāhṛtis preceded by *om*, these and the Sāvitrī verse (Ṛg. III. 62. 10) he should repeat thrice and then the beginning of the Ṛgveda (either one hymn or an anuvāka).

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¹⁹²⁶ Vide Appendix for the text.

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¹⁹²⁷ The ājyabhāgas have been explained at Āśv. gṛ. I. 10. 13–15. Vide *f. n.* 483 above.

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¹⁹²⁸ It will be noticed that the first and the last verses of each of the ten *maṇḍalas* of the Ṛgveda are repeated in making these oblations of barley mixed with curds. The verse 'tacchamyor-āvṛṇīmahe' is the last verse of the Bāṣkala recension of the Ṛgveda. Those who studied the Bāṣkala *śākhā* were to recite this last verse instead of Ṛg. I. 191. 4. Both Nārāyaṇa and Haradatta point this out and the former remarks 'शाकलसमाम्नायस्य बाष्कलसमाम्नायस्य चेदमेव सूत्रं गुह्यं चेत्यध्येतृप्रसिद्धम्।'. The Bāṣkalaśākhā contained 8 hymns more than the Śākalaśākhā.

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¹⁹²⁹ 'Those deities'—Nārāyaṇa explains that these words refer to the deities (Sāvitrī and others) enumerated above and the 20 deities of the 20 verses (at the beginning and end of the ten *maṇḍalas* of the Ṛgveda).

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¹⁹³⁰ 'Cleaning' (mārjana) is explained in Āśv. Śr. I. 8. 2. नारायण quotes 'परिस्तर णैरञ्जलिमन्तर्धायोप आसेचयते तन्मार्जनम्' (आश्व. श्रौ. I. 8. 2)—when he holds between his joined hands the kuśa grass spread round the fire altar and has water sprinkled over himself, that is mārjana.

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¹⁹³¹ 'Brahmāñjali'—is defined by Manu II. 71 as संहत्य हस्ताबध्येयं स हि ब्रह्माञ्जलिः स्मृतः—(i. e. joining the hands together, so that they look like a bud.)

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In the other gṛhya sūtras there is a good deal of divergence as to the mantras, the deities and the materials offered as oblations. Pār. gṛ. II. 10 says that the two ājya portions are offered and then oblations of ājya are to be made to the earth and fire if the Ṛgveda is to be studied, to the Airy region and to Vāyu if the Yajurveda, to the Heaven and the Sun if the Sāmaveda, to the quarters and the moon if the Atharvaveda and oblations are also offered to Brahmā, to the Chandases (metres) in all cases, and to Prajāpati, to the gods, to the Ṛṣis, to Śraddhā, to Medhā, to Sadasaspati, to Anumati. Then Pār. gṛ. (II. 10) proceeds "with the verse 'Sadaspatim' (Vāj. S. 32. 13=Ṛg. I. 18. 6) the teacher three times sacrifices fried grains. All (pupils) should repeat the verse after him. After each oblation they should each time put on the fire three pieces of udumbara wood that are fresh branches with leaves, anointed with ghee, reciting the Sāvitrī. And the pupils should put on samidhs in the manner stated above (Pār. gṛ. II. 4). With the verse 'Śaṁ no bhavantu' (Vāj. S. 9. 16) they should gulp down the fried grains without chewing them under the teeth. With the verse 'dadhikrāvṇo' (Vāj. S. 23. 32) they should eat curds. Whatever number of pupils he wishes to obtain so many sesame grains should the ācārya sacrifice by means of a dice board¹⁹³² with the Sāvitrī or with the *anuvāka* (Vāj. S. 17. 80-86). After they (the pupils) have eaten (the remainder) the teacher should pronounce the word *om* and then repeat the Sāvitrī three times and the beginnings of the adhyāyas to the students who are seated facing the east. All repeat "may it be ours in common; may it bless us in common; may this Brahman be powerful with us together. Indra knows that through which and in which no hatred may spring up among us."

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¹⁹³² जयराम and हरिहर explain आकर्षफलकेन as 'औदुम्बरेण बाहुमात्रेण सर्पाकृतिना'.

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The Āp. gṛ. (VIII. 1-2) is very brief and states that at the opening and concluding rites of Vedic study that Ṛṣi who is indicated as the Ṛṣi of the Kāṇḍa (section of the Tai. S.) to be studied is the deity to whom the rite belongs and in the second place Sadasaspati is the deity. Sudarśanācārya explains¹⁹³³ these two sūtras at great length. Briefly what he means is: the commencement (*upākarma*) of the study of the whole Veda (Black Yajurveda) is to be done on the full moon day of Śrāvaṇa, tarpaṇa is to be done for nine Ṛṣis and nine oblations of *ājya* are to be offered to these nine, the ninth being offered with the verse 'sadasaspatim' (Ṛg. I. 18. 6 = Āp. M. P. I. 9. 8). But when a Kāṇḍa is to be begun that is another upākarma and a homa is to be performed in respect of it also.

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¹⁹³³ The तर्पण of nine Ṛṣis according to सुदर्शनाचार्य in the अध्यायोपाकरण would be प्रजापतिं काण्डऋषिं तर्पयामि । सोमं काण्डऋषिं तर्पयामि । अग्निं... तर्पयामि । विश्वान्देवान्काण्डऋषींस्तर्पयामि । संहितीर्देवता उपनिषदस्तर्पयामि । याज्ञिकीर्देवता उपनिषदस्तर्पयामि । वारुणीर्देवता उपनिषदस्तर्पयामि । ब्रह्माणं स्वयंभुवं तर्पयामि । सदसस्पतिं तर्पयामि । and the nine āhutis will be offered to these as प्रजापतये काण्डऋषये स्वाहा । सोमाय... स्वाहा । अग्नये... स्वाहा । विश्वेभ्यो देवेभ्यः काण्डऋषिभ्यः स्वाहा । संहितीभ्यो देवताभ्य उपनिषद्भ्यः स्वाहा । याज्ञिकीभ्यो... स्वाहा । वारुणीभ्यो... स्वाहा । ब्रह्मणे स्वयंभुवे स्वाहा । सदसस्पतये स्वाहा ।. प्रजापति, सोम, अग्नि and विश्वेदेवाः are the principal देवताs and the other four are subordinate; so in काण्डोपाकरण oblations are offered to the first four, then to the devatā of the particular kāṇḍa begun (either सांहिती or याज्ञिकी or वारुणी or ब्रह्मा) and lastly to Sadasaspati. In उपाकरण, सदसस्पति takes the place of स्विष्टकृत् according to Sudarśana.

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Gradually many accretions were made to the simple upākarma rite given in the Āśv. gṛ. and other gṛhya sūtras. In modern times upākarma is a most elaborate matter. That of Ṛgvedins may be briefly described here: After ācamana, prāṇāyāma and reference to time and place, a saṅkalpa is made as stated¹⁹³⁴ below, then follow worship of Gaṇapati, the preparation of the altar and fire (as described before for *homa* in general); then nine āhutis of clarified butter are made to the nine deities Sāvitrī (as in Āśv. gṛ. above), then offerings of barley flour mixed with curds are made to twenty deities with the first¹⁹³⁵ and last verses of each of the ten maṇḍalas of the Ṛgveda viz. to Agni, Aptṛṇasūrya (plural), Agni, Śakunta, Agni, Mitrāvaruṇa (dual), Agni, Āpaḥ (waters), Agni, Maruts, Agni, Viśve Devas, Agni, Indrāsoma (dual), Indra, Agnāmarutaḥ, Pavamānasoma, Pavamānasoma, Agni, Saṁjñāna. Then the remains of barley and curds are offered to Agni Sviṣṭakṛt. Then the persons engaged in upākarma should partake of the remains of barley mixed with curds after repeating the verse ‘dadhikrāvṇo’ (Ṛg. IV. 39. 6). Then ācamana and mārjana are performed, then homa of a yajñopavīta in fire, then giving of yajñopavīta and dakṣiṇās to brāhmaṇas and wearing new yajñopavīta oneself (which consists in its abhimantraṇa with the three verses ‘āpo hi ṣṭhā’ Ṛg. X. 9. 1-3 and several mantras beginning with ‘hiraṇyavarṇāḥ’, Tai. S. V. 6. 1. 1-2 and Tai. Br. I. 4. 8), after symbolical nyāsa (deposit) of oṁkāra, Agni, Nāgas, Soma, Pitṛs, Prajāpati, Vāyu, Sūrya and Viśve Devas on the nine tantus (strands) of the yajñopavīta, then *japa* of ten Gāyatrī verses for each of the yajñopavītas intended to be worn, then presenting the yajñopavīta to the Sun with the three verses ‘udyan-nadya’ (Ṛg. I. 50. 11-13), clapping the hands thrice, then repeating the mantra ‘yajñopavītam paramam &c.’ (vide *f. n.* 662 above) and then putting on the yajñopavīta, then ācamana, casting away the old yajñopavīta in water, prāṇāyāma, then repeating three verses ‘pṛthvī tvayā &c.’, then repeating the words ‘Vidyudasi vidya me pāpmānam-ṛtāt-satyam-upaimi’ (Tai. Br. III. 10. 9), then placing one's folded hands with darbha blades between on one's right knee, to repeat and make others repeat 'om', vyāhṛtis and Gāyatrī thrice, then brahmayajña and then saying '*upākṛtā vai vedāḥ*' (the study of the Vedas has been begun), then the ācārya finishes the rest of the rite such as prāyaścitta, then all resolve to feed brāhmaṇas and give dakṣiṇā according to ability. The ācārya takes leave of the fire, bows to Viṣṇu and sips water twice.

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¹⁹³⁴ ममाऽध्याप्यानां चाधीतानाम ध्येयमाणानां च छन्दसां यातयामतानिरासेनाप्यायनद्वारा श्रीपरमेश्वरप्रीत्यर्थमेभिर्ब्राह्मणैः सहोपाकर्माख्यं कर्म करिष्ये। In modern उत्सर्जन there is a similar सङ्कल्प (omitting अध्येष्यमाणानां) ‘ममा ...... तानां छन्द आदीनां ...... ब्राह्मणैः सहान्तोत्सर्जनाख्यं कर्म करिष्ये’.

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¹⁹³⁵ The method of offering these oblations is first to mention the sage, the deity and metre of the verse and then to state the purpose of its employment in the rite, then to repeat the whole verse preceded by *om* and followed by *svāhā* and then to put the oblation on to fire, e.g. अग्निमीळे वैश्वामित्रो मधुच्छन्दा अग्निर्गायत्री। उपाकर्मप्रधानद्विपत्सुकुहोमे विनियोगः। ओं अग्निमीळे पुरोहितं यज्ञस्य देवमृत्विजम्। होतारं रत्नधातमम्। स्वाहा। अग्नय इदं न मम।

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The gṛhyasūtras prescribe a holiday (*anadhyāya*) after the performance of upākarma, though the duration varies. Pār. gṛ. II. 10 prescribes that he should not study the Veda for three days and nights and should not clip his nails or shave for that period and points out that some said that he should not clip nails or hair till the date of utsarjana (i. e. for 5 months and a half). Śāṅ. gṛ. IV. 5. 17 (= Manu IV. 119) prescribes an *anadhyāya* (holiday) for three nights on upākarma and utsarga. Gobhila *gṛ.* (III. 3. 9 and 11) says that there is no study on the upākarma day performed on Hasta nakṣatra and that according to some teachers for three days before it and after it. The Bhār. gṛ. III. 8 enjoins that after upākarma there should be a holiday of three days or one day and for one month thereafter one should not study the Veda in the evening (i. e. the first watch after sunset).

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*Utsarjana*:—About the time of *utsarjana* also there was divergence of view. The Baud. gṛ. (I. 5. 163) prescribes that it may be performed on the full moon day of Pauṣa or Māgha. Āśv. gṛ. (III. 5. 14) requires Veda study after upākarma for six months and so if the upākarma was performed on the new moon of Śrāvaṇa the utsarjana according to it would be on the full moon of Māgha (vide III. 5. 20 also). The Pār. gṛ. II. 11 states that after having studied the Veda for five months and a half or for six months and a half they (teacher and pupils) should perform utsarga (i. e. the rite of closing the course of Vedic study). These periods are only approximate, since Pār. gṛ. II. 12 further on says that utsarjana should be performed in the month of Pauṣa when the moon is in the Rohiṇī nakṣatra (i. e. about the eleventh of the bright half) or in middle Aṣṭakā (i. e. 8th of the dark half of Pauṣa). The Gobhila gṛ. III. 3. 14 says that utsarga is performed on the full moon of Taiṣa (i. e. Pauṣa), while the Khādira gṛ. III. 2. 24 says that having studied the Veda for four months and a half they close the session on the full moon day of Pauṣa. The Śāṅ. gṛ. IV. 6. 1 holds that utsarjana should be performed on the first day of the bright half of Māgha; Yāj. I. 143 follows Pār. gṛ. II. 12 by saying that utsarga takes place in Pauṣa on the Rohiṇī nakṣatra or on the 8th of the dark half, while Manu (IV. 95-96) says that after studying Veda for four months and a half from upākarma, utsarga should take place when the moon is in the Puṣya nakṣatra thereafter or on the first day of the bright half of Māgha. The Mānava gṛ. I. 4. 7 says that Veda study is stopped 4½ or 5 or 5½ months after upākarma. These several periods (4½ months, or 5½ months or 6½ months) and the various dates of utsarga in Pauṣa or Māgha were due to the fact that upākarma may take place on the full moon day of S'rāvaṇa or ·Bhādrapada (or even Āṣāḍha) or on the 5th of the bright half of S'rāvaṇa or on Hasta in Bhādrapada or S'rāvaṇa.

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The Āśv. gṛ. III. 5. 13 extends the procedure of upākarma to utsarga and adds (III. 5. 20-22) that offerings of boiled rice are made to the same deities instead of clarified butter, then they take a bath and perform tarpaṇa of those very deities and of ācāryas, ṛṣis and pitṛs (as in brahmayajña). Nārāyaṇa states that in utsarjana there is no eating (of barley¹⁹³⁶ with curds) as there is in upākarma nor mārjana. Pār. gṛ. II. 12 gives the procedure of utsarjana as follows: "They (teacher and pupils) should go to the brink of water (a river &c.) and offer oblations of water (i. e. tarpaṇa) to the gods, to the metres, to the Vedas, ṛṣis, the ancient teachers, the Gandharvas, the other teachers, the year with its divisions, the Pitṛs, ācāryas, their (deceased) relatives. After having rapidly recited the Sāvitrī four times, they should utter loudly 'we have stopped (Vedic study).' There is anadhyāya in utsarjana for the same period as on upākarma and they should then continue the repetition (of the Veda) as before". The Gobhila gṛ. III. 3. 15 says about utsarjana 'they go out of the village turning their faces to the east or north, they should approach water that is deeper than their waist, should bathe therein and should offer tarpaṇa to the vedas, ṛṣis and ācāryas.' A holiday was observed on the day of utsarjana for a day and half (pakṣiṇī) or three days after it (Manu IV. 97, Yāj. I. 144).

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¹⁹³⁶ तथोत्सर्गे। षण्मासानधीयीत। ...... मध्यमायामष्टकायामेताभ्यो देवताभ्योऽन्नेन हुत्वाऽपोऽभ्यवयन्ति एता एव देवतास्तर्पयन्ति। आचार्यानृषीन् पितॄंश्च। एतदुत्सर्जनम्। आश्व· गृ. III. 5. 13-14, 20-23; पौषस्य रोहिण्यां मध्यमायां वाऽष्टकायामध्यायानुत्सृजेरन्नुदकान्तं गत्वाऽग्निंर्देवांश्छन्दांसि वेदानृषीन् पुराणाचार्यान् गन्धर्बानितराचार्यान् संवत्सरं च सावयवं पितॄनाचार्यान् स्वांश्च तर्पयेयुः सावित्रीं चतुरुद्धृत्य विरताः स्म इति प्रब्रूयुः क्षपणं प्रवचन च पूर्ववत्। पार. गृ. II. 12.

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To give up Veda study for several months altogether was probably found undesirable. Therefore Manu IV. 98, Vas. Dh. S. 13. 6–7, Auśanasa (p. 515) and others prescribe that after utsarjana the Vedas should be studied till the next upākarma during the bright fortnights of the remaining months and the Vedāṅgas at one's will or in the dark fortnights. The Gobhila smṛti III. 134 says that after Dakṣiṇāyana (sun's passage in the southern celestial hemisphere) for six months one should not study the Upaniṣads and Rahasya texts. It appears that gradually the rite of utsarga in Pauṣa or Māgha came to be discontinued. Aṣṭāvakra¹⁹³⁷ on Mānavagṛhya I. 5. 1 deplores that in his day hardly any one was found to celebrate utsarga on the day specified by the sūtrakāra, that he was powerless to do anything or to upbraid any one but that he would only describe what the śāstra prescribed. Similarly the Smṛtyarthasāra, after describing the procedure of utsarjana, remarks (p. 11) 'after studying the Veda for a year utsarjana may be performed on the day of upākarma or may not be so performed'. Gobhila-Smṛti (III. 128–129, quoted in Sm. C. I p. 55) says 'when *dvijas* perform every year upākarma together with utsarjana according to the prescribed procedure, that results in the growth of the Vedas (Vedic study). Whatever act is performed even in sport by brāhmaṇas whose vedas have not grown stale, that act becomes successful.' Vide Śāṅ. gṛ. IV. 5. 16 to the same effect. It is on account of this idea that in the *saṅkalpa* the expression 'yātayāmatānirāsena' (by removing staleness) occurs. In modern times utsarjana is performed on the same day as upākarma, but precedes the latter. These two together being generally performed in Śrāvaṇa either on the full moon or on Śravaṇa nakṣatra or on the 5th of the bright half of Śrāvaṇa are designated by the word Śrāvaṇī.

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¹⁹³⁷ यदा तु तस्मिन्काले न केचनोत्सर्गमनुतिष्ठन्तो दृश्यन्ते तदा किं कुर्मः कमुपालभेमहि । शास्त्रार्थस्तावद्यथास्माभिर्वर्णितः । अष्टावक्र on मानवगृह्य I. 5. 1; '...सह शिष्यैर्ग्रामाद्वाहर्जिलाम्त उत्सर्जनं कार्यं तर्पणं च । वर्षं चाधीत्योपाकर्मदिन उत्सर्जनं कार्यं न वा । तर्पणं कार्यमेव । स्मृत्यर्थसार p. 11.

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The modern utsarjana of Ṛgvedins may be briefly described here: after ācamana, putting on a pavitra (a loop or ring) of darbhas (on the finger called anāmikā), prāṇāyāma, mentioning the time and place, a saṅkalpa (as set out above) is made; then pañcagavya is taken in by all; then the worship of Gaṇapati, then preparation of an altar for utsarjana homa is made, fire is invited with the verses 'juṣṭo damūnā' (Ṛg. V. 4. 5) and 'ehyagna' (Ṛg. I.

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76. 2), then the fire called *balavardhana* is established on the sthaṇḍila, then contemplation of fire with the verse ‘catvāri śṛṅgā’ (Rg. IV. 58. 3) and several paurāṇika verses; then two samidhs are placed over the fire, then oblations of clarified butter are offered to the deities, Sāvitrī &c. (specified in upākarma above) and of boiled rice to 20 deities, Agni &c. (vide p. 814 above), then the rest is offered to Agni Sviṣṭakṛt, then ācamana, prāṇāyāma, then brahmayajña is performed, then he should say ‘vṛṣṭir-asi vṛśca me pāpmānam-ṛtāt-satyam-upāgām’ (Tai. Br. III. 10. 9); then all should say ‘utsṛṣṭā vai vedāḥ’ (the study of veda has been stopped); then clarified butter is offered into fire by way of prāyaścitta with the verses ‘ayāścāgne’ (Ap. M. P. I. 5. 18), ‘ato devā’ (Rg. I. 22. 16), ‘idam viṣṇur’ (Rg. I. 22. 17); then offering to Agni, Vāyu, Sūrya, Prajāpati respectively with the vyāhṛtis separately and together, then offering with the verses ‘anājñātam’ (Tai. Br. III. 7. 11), ‘puruṣa-sammito’ (Tai. Br. III. 7. 11), ‘yat-pākatrā’ (Rg. X. 2. 5), ‘yad vo devā’ (Tai. Br. III. 7. 11); then follows sarvaprāyaścitta with om and the vyāhṛtis; then mārjana (purification) with the verses ‘āpo asmān mātaraḥ’ (Rg. X. 17. 10), ‘idamāpaḥ pravahata’ (Rg. I. 23. 22), ‘sumitrā na āpa’ (Tai. S. I. 4. 45. 2-3); then he should think of the Ganges and other holy rivers; then he should honour Agni with the four verses ‘Agne tvam no’ (Rg. V. 24. 1-4) and offer the upacāras of sandal-wood paste, flowers &c.; then he should take holy ashes from the homa fire with the mantra ‘mānastoke’ (Rg. I. 114. 8) and apply the ashes to his forehead, throat, navel, right and left arms and head; then pray Agni to bestow śraddhā (faith), medhā (intelligence) &c. and then wind up the utsarjana with the words quoted below.¹⁹⁸⁹

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¹⁹⁸⁹ अनेन उत्सर्जनहोमाख्येन कर्मणा भगवान् श्रीपरमेश्वरः प्रीयतां न मम। ओं तत्सद् ब्रह्मार्पणमस्तु।

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