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The Grihya Sutras, Part 2 (SBE30), by Hermann Oldenberg, [1892], at sacred-texts.com


PATALA 1, SECTION 6.

1. In the third year (he performs) the Kûdâkarman (i.e. the tonsure of the child's head).

2. In the fortnight (&c., as in the preceding section, Sûtra 2, down to): 'Hail! Good luck!' The boy sits down to the west of the fire, facing the east;

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3. 3 To the north (of the fire) his mother or a student (brahmakârin) holds a lump of bull's dung;

4. Therewith he (or she) receives the (cut-off) hair.

5. He then pours cold and warm water together.

6. 6 Having poured warm water into cold water he moistens the hair near the right ear with (the formula), 'May the waters moisten thee for life' (Taitt. Samh. I, 2, I, 1).

7. 7 With (the formula), 'Herb, protect him!' (Taitt. Samh., loc. cit.) he puts an herb, with its point upwards, into (the hair).

8. With (the formula), 'Axe, do no harm to him!' (Taitt. Samh., loc. cit.) he touches (that herb) with the razor.

9. With (the words), 'Heard by the gods, I shave that (hair)' (Taitt. Samh., loc. cit.) he shaves him.

10. In the same way (he moistens, &c.) the other (sides of his head) from left to right.

11. Behind with (the Mantra), 'The razor with which Savitri, the knowing one, has shaven (the beard) of king Soma and Varuna, with that, ye Brâhmanas, shave his (head); make that he be united with vigour, with wealth, with glory.'

On the left side with (the Mantra), '(The razor) with which Pûshan has shaven (the beard) of Brihaspati, of Agni, of Indra, for the sake of long life, with that I shave thy (head), N.N.!'

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Before with (the Mantra), 'That he may long live in joy, and may long see the sun.'

12. After the hair has been shaven, they arrange the locks (which are left over), according to custom or according to what family he belongs.

13. 13 A person who is kindly disposed towards him, gathers the (cut-off) hair and buries it in a cow-stable, or near an Udumbara tree, or in a clump of Darbha grass, with (the Mantra), 'Where Pûshan, Brihaspati, Savitri, Soma, Agni (dwell), they have in many ways searched where they should depose it, between heaven and earth, the waters and heaven.'

14. 14 He makes a gift to a Brâhmana according to his liberality.

15. To the barber (he gives) boiled rice with butter.

16. In the same way the Godânakarman (or the ceremony of shaving the beard) is performed in the sixteenth year.

17. He has him shaven including the top-lock.

18. Some declare that he leaves there the top-lock.

19. 19 Or he performs the Godâna sacred to Agni.

20. He gives a cow to his Guru.

End of the First Patala.


Footnotes

217:3 6, 3, 4. Some consider, according to Mâtridatta, these two Sûtras as one. He says (p. 149 of Dr. Kirste's edition), uttarata ity etadâdi pratigrihnâtîty etadantam vâ sûtram, dhârayams tenâsya kesân pratipathitavyam (read, pratigrihnâtîti pathitavyam).

217:6 As to dakshinam godânam unatti, comp. the note on Pâraskara II, 1, 9. Comp. also above, I, 3, 9, 12.

217:7 7 seq. See above, I, 3, 9, 13 seq.

218:13 Comp. I, 3, 9, 18.

218:14 Literally, according to his faith (yathâsraddham).

218:19 Agnigodâno vâ kumâro bhavati upasamâdhânâdi punyâhavâkanântam agnikâryam iva vâ bhavatîty arthah. Mâtridatta. Comp., however, the note on Âpastamba-Grihya VI, 16, 13.


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