Religious Duties of the Householderst forest-hermits and samnnydsin

1. Gf. Manu IV.92, Yajfiavalkya 1.115 who enjoins a Brahmana to get up from bed at the Brdhma muharta i.e. 4 ghafikas before the sunrise (Br. Vaivarta P.) SC. (I.p. 88) quotes Pitamaha who says that the last watch of the night is the Brahma muhurta.f

2. VV.4-7 contain rules regarding answering calls of nature. Detailed rules regarding this act are laid down in ancient Dh.S., Smftis etc. For example, Manu IV.45-52, Vayu P. 78. 59-64, VSmana P. 14.30-32. The detailed instructions regarding the direction in which to go to answer the call of nature, keeping the sacred thread on the ear, covering the ground with grass, etc. quoted in SC.I., pp. 88-90 tally with those in the NP.

3. VV. 8-19 give the details of cleaning those parts (the penis, anus, etc.) with lumps of earth and water. As SC.I., pp. 91-94 shows there have been some differences in details but as Devala rightly states, it is not the number of times (of cleaning with mud and water) that matters but cleansing should be carried on till one feels it is ail right.

ydval sddhviti manyeta taoac chaucam vidhiyate /

(quoted in SC. I. 93) vide V.16b also.

The present verse (No. 8 in NP.) is a quotation form Daks a Sm. V.3.

4. Quoted from Daksa Sm. V. 3.

5. Cf. Vasistha Dh. S. VI. 17.

f). Very elaborate rules for Acamana (sipping of water) are prescribed in digests like SC (I. P.95-103) NP. seems to follow VP.

7. VV.23-30 deal with brushing the teeth (Danta-dhavana) which is regarded as an integral yet independent part of Ahnika (daily routine of duties) and not a subordinate part (anga) of bath or Sandhyd — morning Prayer (Ahnika prakaia, p. 121). The practice is mentioned in old Vedic works like the Tait. S.II.5.1.7. Digests like SC.I., p. 104-107 give quotations from different Smftis and Puranas (including NP.) which show minor differences about the choice of trees' for twigs to be used as a brush aqd the length and thickness of the twigs to be so used. It shows the insistence of ancient law-givers on the impor­tance of brushing the teeth. NP., however, does not give the quotation of Narada Smrti:

sarve kanfakinah puoydh kfirioaS ca yaiasvinah /

As Daksa observes brushing the teeth should precede the morning bath.

8. This mantra i.e. prayer to the tree, the twig of which is used for brushing the teeth, is found in the GobhUo-Smrti and is quoted in the SC. and other digests on Dharma Sastra.

9. VV.31-36 describe a usual (mips) brief procedure of bathing, consisting of invocation of water (W.33-34) mdtjana, bath and citing Aghamarfava and offering Arghya to the sun (V.36) — a procedure recommended in Brah- mokta-Ydjflavalkya SamhitA If. 16-22 (Gurumandal Edt). which probably is quoted as yogi-yAjflavalkya by Apararka, p. 134.

10. Though the usual meaning of a-hata is given in the translation, it also means a cloth or a garment which is practically new — unwashed for many days (vide Pulastya quoted in SC.I.P.113).

11. The Sandhyd means a ‘Twilight prayer and is to be performed at dawn and dusk, though prayer at mid-day came to be known as madhydhna sandhyd. Originally sandhyA consisted of arghya (offering of water as worship to the Sun God) and japa of GAyatrf (Tait. At. II.2. also Atvaldyana Gr.S.llI. 7.3-6). We find elaborate sandhyopAsanA consisting of Aeamana, prApdyAma, mArjana (sprinkling oneself with water thrice), aghamar^etpa, arghya (offering water to the sun), japa of Gayatri, upasthAna (recitation of mantras with reference to the sun in the morning and Varuna in the evening). We perform Aeamana with three names of Vishnu, viz. Kefava, Narayana and Madhava thus От KeiavAya namah and repeat the remaining 21 names (uttering in all 24 names) of Vishnu, each preceded by От and followed by namah.

A comparison of the procedure of SandhyA as given in the N P. with the SandhyA of the Madhyandinas of Katyayana Sutra in Maharashtra shows a substantial agreement in the mantras, etc. But the sequence of constituents or procedure of SandhyA in the NP. differs to some extent from the present day Sandhyopasana of Madhyandinas (vide the Nitya-Brahma-Karma Samuccaya edt. by Shridhar Shastri Pathak, Poona, aaka 1851 (1929 A.D.) The diffe­rence may be due to the age and region of the NP.

Instead of giving literal translation of these verses it is necessary to explain technical terms in the SandhyA, the details of procedure regarding acts to be performed as Arghya, Aghamarfapa, etc. and the exact reference of the mantras to be recited during the Sandhya prayer along with the translation itself. Hence, the explanation of these terms, etc. is not repeated here.

12. Verses 55-57 give the description of the Gayatri to be invoked at the morn­ing, at the mid-day and in the evening. These verses are the elaboration of the similar couplets in the Sandhya of Madhyandina Brahman as. (vide Pathak's NBK Samuccaya, p. 8).

13. In plain words the mantra to be muttered is:

Orh bh йг-bhuvah svah — От tatsavitur varepyam, bhargo devasya dhimahi, dhiyo yo nah pracodayAt /

14. Sampvfa — enclosed in two prapavas, viz. orh bhwRibhuvah svah / orh tatsavitur etc. pracodayAt orh / Yogi-Tajflavalkya as quoted in SC I P.149.

The quarters and their guardian deities to whom respects are to be paid are as follows:

15. The East — Indra; the South-East — Agni, The South — Yama; the

South-West — Nir-rti; the West — Varuna; the North-West — the Wind god; the North — Kubera; the North-East — Is vara (God Shiva); the upper (Sky­wards) — god Brahma; the lower direction — god Vishnu; the remaining direc­tion — Ananta.

16. Verses 67-69, censure a shirker of Sandhya-prayers. SC.1.139 quotes KP., Gobhila and Dak^a, advising his (the shirker’s) ex-communication. Gobhila states that such a person is Shudra while alive and after death he becomes a dog (jfvamdno bhavec chUdro mrtah ivd cAbhijdyate).

17. Out of'Five great sacrifices (Paflca-mahd-yajflas) тапщуа-уа]Лл (feeding an unknown guest) is described in VV.70-74. The atithi is defined in verse 73.

18. From early Vedic times great importance was attached to the following daily observances, viz., Devayajfla (sacrifice of gods),pitryajfia (sacrifice — offering of water to ancestors by way of Tarpapa), bhiita-yajfia (offering at least a ball of food to living beings), manushya-yajtia (receiving and feeding at least one guest) and Brahma-yajfla (svadhydya or recitation of at least one mantra from the Veda). They are emphasized in Sat.Br. (XI.5-6.1), Tait.Ar. (II. 10), Grhya sutras and Smvtis (vide SC.I., pp. 208-211) and pp. 217-220 for the importance of receiving an atithi (unexpected guest).

19. VV.77-82 lay down rules (and indirectly confirm the social etiquettes) at the time of taking meals. SC.I., pp. 221-225 show that there was a sort of standardization about the rules or conventions to be observed at the time of taking meals.

20. VV.85-91, give an epitome of the life and rules of the forest-hermit.

21. Vide Manu VI. 22 a 24; YSjnavalkya III. 48.

22. Five yajnas — The five Maha-yajttas mentioned above: vide Manu VI. 5 a 7; Yajnavalkya III.46.

23. Vide Apastamba Dh.S. 11.9 and Manu VI.8.

24. Vide Manu VI.2 —. But this is a part of penance in general and not expiation for a particular sin.

25. VV.91-104 describe the stage of life known as sannyasa.

26. Although Manu recommends the recitation of Vedic texts referring to gods or Yajfias along with these metaphysical texts called the Vedanta (VI.83), NP. insists on the recitation of Vedantic or Upanisadic texts only, vide verse 103 below.

27. Though NP. gives nudity as an option to Sannyasins — an option accord­ing to 'some in Apastamba Dh.S.II. 9.21.11-12, Smrtis are lukeworm about it. Manu VI.52 prescribes the paring of nails and complete shaving of the head and beard.

CHAPTER TWENTYEIGHT

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