Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c12.s6.10

c12.s6.10

Hiraṇyakeśin [i, 2, 8, 16] lays down that at the beginning and on the completion of the study of a Kāṇḍa (i.e. of the Black Yajur Veda which is divided into books called Kāṇḍas), there is to be performed a special ceremony or a sacrifice for which a verse is prescribed, in which the student prays for the gift of insight. Āpastamba [i, 3, 11, 6-7] also refers to the ceremony for beginning a Kāṇḍa and also to ceremonies prescribed on beginning or ending the recitation of one entire Veda. He further lays down the rule that when the student studies the index of the Anuvākas of a Kāṇḍa (i.e. completes the study of the Kāṇḍa), he shall not study that Kāṇḍa on that day nor in that night. In another place [i, 4, 13, 10], he enjoins that without a vow of obedience a pupil shall not study nor a teacher teach a difficult new book with the exception of the texts called *Triḥ-Śrāvaṇa* and *Triḥsahavachana*; but he quotes the contrary opinion of Hārīta who does not allow that exemption but insists on a vow of obedience for the study of the whole Veda. This shows also that the Aṅgas or works explanatory of the Veda need not be studied under a vow of obedience.