History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c93.304

v7.c93.304

The 4th part of Vedic texts bearing on Dharma is 'Nāmadheya' (proper names of sacrifices). There are such texts as 'one should sacrifice with the *udbhid*' (Tāṇḍya Br. 19. 7. 2-3), 'one desirous of possessing cattle should sacrifice with *citrā*'²⁰²¹ (Tai. S. II. 4. 6. 1) The question is whether in these passages what is laid down is some substance to be offered in some rite (as in 'dadhnā juhoti) or whether they are names of sacrifices. No substance is well-known as 'udbhid' (as *dadhi* is a well-known substance). Citrā means a female animal of variegated colour. If it is gunavidhi (in the case of 'citrayā yajeta'), there would be the fault of Vākyabheda (one sentence broken up as laying down two vidhis) i e. the injunction would be that a female *paśu* was to be sacrificed (not a male) and further injunction that its colour should be variegated. Therefore, Udbhid, Citrā, Balabhid, Abhijit, Viśvajit (Kauṣītaki Br. 25. 14) and Agnihotra (P. M. S 1 4 4), Vājapeya (P. M S I. 4 6-8), Vaiśvadeva (P. M. S I 4 13-16) are names of rites and are not substances. Similarly, in 'śyenenābhicaran yajeta' (one practising black magic for bringing about the death of an enemy may perform a yāga called śyena). Here 'śyena' is the name of a yāga, because the yāga swoops down upon the enemy and seizes him just as a falcon swoops down upon its victim and catches it (Saḍviṁśa Br. III 8. 1. 3). The point to be noted is that these names serve the purpose of²⁰²² particularising the meaning of what is enjoined. The Vedic text 'svādhyāyo'dhyetavyaḥ' enjoins the study of the Veda consisting of all parts including nāmadheyas of sacrifices and we directly see that in such Vedic vidhis as 'Citrayā yajeta paśukāmaḥ' the name citrā is a part of the vidhi. Therefore, nāmadheya also is a puruṣārtha and is authoritative like other parts of the Veda (vide Śāstradīpikā on Jai. I. 4. 1) In the sentences mentioned above *yāga* is enjoined with the fruit as the object, since it is not otherwise established. Since it is not intended to lay down a general injunction to sacrifice, a specific variety of sacrifice has to be enjoined. When one wants to know the specific variety enjoined, from the word 'udbhid' it is known that it is the sacrifice called udbhid Dharmaśāstra writers apply this maxim called 'Udbhid-nyāya' to 'Upanayana' which literally means 'taking (a boy) near an ācārya' (teacher of the Veda)'. The Saṁskāraprakāśa says so²⁰²³