4. Haradatta gives two explanations of the word Brahmasadana, ' the seat of Brahman/ According to some, it is an architectural term, designating the centre of the house ; according to others, it denotes the place where, at the time of the burnt-oblations, the Brahman or superintending priest is seated, i.e. a spot to the south of the sacred fire.
5. Balis and water for the Manes are placed or poured into the palm of the hand and thrown out between the thumb and fore- finger. That part of the palm is, therefore, sometimes called ' the tirtha sacred to the Manes.' See Manu II, 39.
6. ' That is to say, the sacrificial cord shall not be suspended over the right shoulder, nor shall the Bali be thrown out between the thumb and forefinger.' — Haradatta.
7. In sprinkling around an offering to the gods, the sacrificer turns his right hand towards the oblation and pours out the water, beginning in the south and ending in the east. In sprinkling around an offering to the Manes, exactly the opposite order is to be followed.
11,2,4- the Duties of a Householder. Io9
8. At night only he shall offer (the Bali to the
goblins), throwing it into the air and reciting the last
(Mantra).
9. He who devoutly offers those (above-described
Balis and Homas), according to the rules, (obtains)
eternal bliss in heaven and prosperity.
10. And (after the Balis have been performed, a portion of the food) must first be given as alms.
11. He shall give food to his guests first,
12. And to infants, old or sick people, female (relations, and) pregnant women.
13. The master (of the house) and his wife shall
not refuse a man who asks for food at the time (when
the VaLrvadeva offering has been performed).
14. If there is no food, earth, water, grass, and
a kind word, indeed, never fail in the house of a
good man. Thus (say those who know the law).
8. At night, i. e. before the evening meal. The Mantra is, ' To those beings which, being servants of Vituda, roam about day and night, desiring a Bali-offering, I offer this Bali, desirous of pros- perity. May the Lord of prosperity grant me prosperity, svaha.' Haradatta adds, that according to another commentator, no other Bali but this is to be offered in the evening, and that some modify the Mantra for each occasion, offering the Bali in the morning to ' the Bhutas that roam about during the day/ and in the evening ' to the night-walkers.' Compare for the whole section Manu III, 90-92; Ya^w. I, 102-104.
10. Manu III, 94 seq.
11. Manu III, 115: Ya^T?. I, 105.
12. Manu III, 114 ; Ya^w. I, 105.
14. Manu III, 101; Y%«. I, 107. As read in the text, the first line of the verse has one syllable in excess. This irregularity would disappear if lrtn&, the Vedtc form of the nom. ace. plural, were read for tr/wdni, and it seems to me not improbable that trmani is a correction made by a Pandit who valued grammatical correctness higher than correctness of metre.
IIO APASTAMBA. 11,2,4.
15. Endless worlds are the portion (of those householders and wives) who act thus.
1 6. To a Brahmawa who has not studied the
Veda, a seat, water, and food must be given. But
(the giver) shall not rise (to do him honour).
1 7. But if (such a man) is worthy of a salutation (for other reasons), he shall rise to salute him.
1 8. Nor (shall a Brahmawa rise to receive) a Kshatriya or Vai^ya (though they may be learned).
19. If a 6udra conies as a guest (to a Brahmawa),
he shall give him some work to do. He may feed
him, after (that has been performed).
20: Or the slaves (of the Brahma^a householder)
shall fetch (rice) from the royal stores, and honour
the ^udra as a guest.
2 1. (A householder) must always wear his garment over (his left shoulder and under his right arm).
22. Or he may use a cord only, slung over his
left shoulder and passed under his right arm, instead
of the garment.
23. He shall sweep together (the crumbs) on the
place where he has eaten, and take them away.
He shall sprinkle water on that place, turning the
palm downwards, and remove the stains (of food
from the cooking- vessels with a stick), wash them
with water, and take their contents to a clean place
to the north (of the house, offering them") to Rudra.
In this manner his house will become prosperous.
16. Manu III, 99.
18. Manu III, 110-112; Ya^«. I, 107.
19. Manu loc. cit.
20. ' Hence it is known that the king ought to keep stores of rice and the like in every village, in order to show hospitality to .Sudra guests.' — Haradatta.
II, 2, 5- THE DUTIES OF A HOUSEHOLDER. 1 1 1
24. It is declared in the Smrttls that a Brah-
mawa alone should be chosen as teacher (or spiritual
guide).
25. In times of distress a Brahmawa may study under a Kshatriya or Vawya.
26. And (during his pupilship) he must walk behind (such a teacher).
27. Afterwards the Brahmawa shall take prece- dence before (his Kshatriya or Vai^-ya teacher).
PRASNA II, PATALA 2, KHA.VDA 5.
1. On the day on which, beginning the study of
the whole sacred science, the Upanishads (and the
rest, he performs the Upakarma in the morning),
he shall not study (at night).
2. And he shall not leave his teacher at once after having studied (the Veda and having returned home).
24. Manu II, 241, 242. From here down to II, 3, 6, 2, Apa- stamba again treats of the duties of students and teachers, a subject, which appears to have in his eyes a greater importance than any other. The rules given now apply chiefly to householders. It would seem that they have been inserted in this particular place, because the reception of a former teacher is to be described II, 3, 5, 4- 1 1, and that of a 'learned guest' II, 3, 6, 3 seq.
5. i. This rule refers to the Upakarma, to be performed yearly by householders. In our days, too, the custom is observed, and the whole Brahminical community change on this occasion their G'envfe or sacrificial cords in the month of 6"rava//a. The adherents of the various 6'akhas of the Vedas, however, perform the ceremony on different days. According to Haradatta, the Upanishads are named, in order to show that they are of the highest importance. See also *Satapatha-brahma«a X, 3, 5, 12.
2. Others consider that this Sutra refers to the annual Upakarma of the householder. In that case the translation would be, 'And after having performed the Upakarma/ &c. Probably Apastamba means to give a general rule, applicable both to householders and to students who have returned home.
112 APASTAMBA. IT, ?, 5.
3. If he is in a hurry to go, he shall perform the
daily recitation of the Veda in the presence of his
teacher, and then go at his pleasure. In this manner
good fortune will attend both of them.
4. If the (former) teacher visits him after he has
returned home, he shall go out to meet him, embrace
his (feet), and he shall not wash himself (after that
act), showing disgust. He then shall let him pass
first into the house, fetch (the materials necessary for
a hospitable reception), and honour him according to
the rule.
5. If (his former teacher is) present, he himself
shall use a seat, a bed, food, and garments inferior
to, and lower (than those offered to the teacher).
6. Standing (with his body bent), he shall place
his left hand (under the water-vessel, and bending
with his other hand its mouth downwards), he shall
offer to his teacher water for sipping.
7. And (he shall offer water for sipping in this
manner) to other guests also who possess all (good
qualities) together.
8. He shall imitate (his teacher) in rising, sitting, walking about, and smiling.
4. ' Though he may suspect that the teacher had been defiled by the touch of a ATaWala or the like, still he shall not show disgust nor wash himself/ — Haradatta. Regarding the rule of receiving guests, see below, II, 4, 8, 6 seq.
6. According to Haradatta, the repetition of the word aXaryam, ' the teacher,' in this Sutra, indicates that the rule holds good not only when the teacher comes as a guest to his former pupil, but on every occasion when he receives water for sipping.
7. 'He is called samudeta, "possessed of all (good 'qualities) together," who is endowed with (good) birth, disposition, behaviour, (great) learning, and a (venerable) age.' — Haradatta.
8. The word syat is to be understood from Suira 5.
II, 2, 5- THE DUTIES OF A HOUSEHOLDER. 1 I 3
9. In the presence (of his teacher) he shall not
void excrements, discharge wind, speak aloud, laugh,
spit, clean his teeth, blow his nose, frown, clap his
hands, nor snap his fingers.
10. Nor shall he tenderly embrace or address caressing words to his wife or children.
1 1. He shall not contradict his teacher,
1 2. Nor any of his betters.
13. (He shall not) blame or revile any creature.
14. (He shall not revile one branch of) sacred learning by (invidiously comparing it with) another.
15. If he is not well versed in a (branch of) sacred
learning (which he studied formerly), he shall again
go to the (same) teacher and master it, observing
the (same) rules as (during his first studentship).
1 6. The restrictions (to be kept) by the teacher
from the beginning of the course of teaching to its
end are, to avoid cutting the hair on the body, par-
taking of meat or of oblations to the Manes, and
connection (with a woman).
17. Or (he may have conjugal intercourse) with his wife at the proper season.
1 8. He shall be attentive in instructing his pupils in the sacred learning, in such a manner that they
13. Haradatta states that 'speaking evil' is forbidden here once more in order that it should be particularly avoided.
14. ' For example, he shall not say, " The Jtig-\cda. is sweet to the ear, the other Vedas grate on the ear," or " the Taitiidya-veda is a .Sakha consisting of leavings," or " the Brahmawa proclaimed by Ya£77avalkya is of modern origin." ' — Haradatta. The second sentence refers to the story that Ya^/avalkya vomited the Black Ya^ur-veda, and his fellow-students, becoming partridges, picked it up. Regarding the third sentence, see Varttika on Pawini IV, 3, 105, and Max Muller's History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, p. 363.
1 6. Weber, Ind. Stud. X, 42.
114 APASTAMBA. IT, 3, 6.
master it, and in observing the restrictions (imposed
upon householders during their teaching). He who
acts thus, gains heavenly bliss for himself, his
descendants and ancestors.
19. He who entirely avoids with mind, word,
nose, eye, and ear the sensual objects (such as are)
enjoyed by the touch, the organ, or the stomach,
gains immortality.
PRASNA II, PAPALA 3, KHAJVDA 6.
1. If he has any doubts regarding the caste and
conduct of a person who has come to him in order
to fulfil his duty (of learning the Veda), he shall
kindle a fire (with the ceremonies prescribed for
kindling the sacrificial fire) and ask him about his
caste and conduct.
2. If he declares himself to be (pf) good (family
and conduct, the teacher elect) shall say, ' Agni who
sees, Vayu who hears, Aditya who brings to light,
vouch for his goodness ; may it be well with this
person ! He is free from sin.' Then he shall
begin to teach him.
3. A guest comes to the house resembling a burning fire.
6. i. The person desirous to study addresses his teacher elect with the following Mantra : Bhagavan maitrewa ^akshusha" parya jivena manasanugrzM«a prasida m&m adhyapaya, ' venerable Sir, look on me with a friendly eye, receive me with a favourable mind, be kind and teach me.' The teacher elect then asks : Kiwgotro 'si saumya, kimjUara-A, ' friend, of what family art thou ? what is thy rale of conduct ? '
3. The object of this Sutra is to show the absolute necessity of feeding a guest. For, if offended, he might burn the house with the flames of his anger.
11,3,6. the Duties of a Householder. 115
4. He is called a.5rotriya who, observing the law
(of studentship), has learned one recension of the
Veda (which may be current in his family).
5. He is called a guest (who, being a vSrotriya),
approaches solely for the fulfilment of his religious
duties, and with no other object, a householder who
lives intent on the fulfilment of his duties.
6. The reward for honouring (such a guest) is immunity from misfortunes, and heavenly bliss.
7. He shall go to meet such (a guest), honour him
according to hi-s age (by the formulas of salutation
prescribed), and cause a seat to be given to him.
