Talk:Vēdavrataṃ
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History of Dharmaśāstra[edit]
Chapter VII[edit]
Effort was directed towards the conservation of the ancient literature rather than to the creation of fresh literature. In these respects, it was similar to the Grammar Schools of England and to the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge as they were till about the middle of the 19th century. The defects of the Indian system were that it was too literary, there was too much memorizing, boys under it had hardly any instruction in useful manual arts and crafts, the studies were not brought in contact with practical life. The discipline was rigorous and joyless. Many of these defects were due to the exigencies of the caste system which assigned particular vocations to particular castes. We cannot and should not compare the system with the systems of education prevalent in the 20th century, when several subjects such as literature, music and the fine arts, handicrafts, mathematics, science, history, and geography are taught in the schools to all boys and when it has been recognized that education is a prime concern of the State.[^1^]
The four Veda-vratas[edit]
Among the samskāras enumerated by Gautame, there are four Veda-vratas (Gant. VIII. 15). These four are also included in the 16 samskāras by several śiśtis. Their names and procedures differ considerably in the several gṛhyasūtras. Some gṛhyasūtras like Pār. do not describe them. A brief reference will be made to them here. The Āśv. gr. I. 22. 20 300 says in general words that in the vratas, all the ceremonies beginning from shaving the head up to paridāna (i.e., Āśv. gr. I. 19.8 to 1. 20.7) that are performed at the upanayana are repeated each time with each vrata. And the four vratas according to the Asvalāyana smrti (in verse) were Mahānāmnivrata, Mahāvrata (Ait. Ār. I.and V), Upaniṣad vrata, and Godāna. Each vrata is to be performed for a year, Vide Laghu Aśvalāyana 11th section (Anan, Ed). The śān. gr. (II. 11-12) describes, after the student is instructed in the sacred Gāyatri, four vrata (observances) called Sukriya (which precedes the study of the main part of the Ṛgveda), the Sākvara, Vrātiks, and Aupaniṣada vratas (which three precede the study of the different sections of the Aitareya Āraṇyaka). The observance of the first of these (viz. Sukriya) lasted for three days or twelve days or one year or as long as the teacher liked, and the observances of the other three were to be kept for one year each (San. gr. II, 11. 10-12, S. B. E. vol. 29, 900, a gārgya, etc., ādityā dayyete).[^2^]
The Veda-vratas
At the beginning of each of these three vratas, there is a separate upanayana, followed by a ceremony called
Uddik sanikā (giving up the preparatory observances), and then the vrata is to be performed for one year. The Āraṇyaka is to be studied in the forest out of the village. Manu II. 174 prescribes that at the time of the beginning of each of these vratas, the student had to put on a new deer skin, a new yajñopavita, and a new girdle. The Gobhila gṛhya III. 1. 26-31 (which is connected with the Sāmaveda) mentions the vratas as Godānika, Vrātika, Aditya, Aupaniṣada, Jyeṣṭha-sāmika, each lasting for one year. It adds that some do not observe the Aditya-vrata. The Godāna vrata is connected by the Gobhilya with the samskāra of godāna (to be described below) and it prescribes certain observances for it such as removing all hair on the head, chin, and lips; avoiding falsehood, anger, sexual intercourse, perfumes, dancing and singing, collyrium, honey, and meat; not wearing shoes in the village. It also prescribes that wearing the girdle, begging for food, carrying a staff, daily bath, offering a fuel-stick, and clasping the teacher's feet in the morning are common to all vratas. The Godānika enabled the student to study the Pūrvārcika of the Sāmaveda (i.e., the collection of verses sacred to Agni, Indra, and Soma Pavanāna). The Vrātika was introductory to the study of the Āraṇyaka (excluding Sukriya sections); the Aditya vrata to the study of the Sukriya sections; the Aupaniṣada-vrata to the study of the Upaniṣad-brāhmaṇa; the Jyeṣṭha-sāmika to the study of the Ājya-dobas. The Kh. gr. II. 5. 17 ff. speaks of the same vratas as Gobhila. Those who observe the Aditya-vrata wore one garment, did not allow anything to come between them and the sun (except trees and the roofs of houses), and did not descend into water more than knee-deep. The Sākvara-vrata was kept for one year or for three or six or nine. Those who observe this vrata study the Sākvari or Mahāpāmnī verses. Vārtikā"i on Pāṇini V.1.94. (studasya brahmacāryam) mentions the Mahānāmnis and teaches the derivation of Mahānāmnikam (as the period of brahmacarya devoted to the vrata of the Mahānāmnis). There were certain peculiar observances for this, such as bathing thrice a day (Gobhila III. 2. 7-46, Kh. gr. II. 5. 23 ff.), wearing dark clothes, partaking of dark food, standing by day, sitting by night, not seeking shelter when it is raining, not crossing a river without bathing in it (the virtue of the Mahānāmnis is centered in water). After the student has kept his vow for one-third
of the prescribed time, the teacher is to test him as to his fitness for receiving further instruction (San. gr. II. 11. 13, Kh. gr. II. 5. 22). The last was said to be his final upanayana, but it is more properly described as the beginning of his higher studies. The ceremonies at the beginning of these vratas are said to be upanayanas (Sāyaṇa's commentary on R. V. I. 31. 12), and the Upaniṣads (e.g., Śvet. Up. VI. 23, Maitr. Up. VI. 20) say that knowledge comes after upanayana, though it is also said to come after a study of the Āraṇyaka, and it is considered to be completed after the study of the brāhmaṇa and the upanishad is finished. It is difficult to decide what the word upanayana means here.[^2^]
The Mahānāmnis[edit]
The Mahānāmnis were taught as a part of the Vrātika vrata (Gobhila grhya III. 1. 26-31) by the Gobhilyas. The Sāṅkhāyana-āraṇyaka II. 8. 4 describes certain ceremonies to be performed on the conclusion of the vrata, called utkṣepaṇiṣṭhiyaṇa, pravargya. and sautramani, all of which the Sūtra (in § 6) says are intended for all vratas (and not for the Mahānāmnis only). These ceremonies are known in other works as the parimaraṇa and the paścāttapaṇa of the Mahānāmnis, and the sāvayātṛdaya of the Sakvari vrata. It is mentioned in the Ait. brāh. VIII. 15. 25, that the Mahānāmnis were given a cooked food-offering. The Taittirīya-āraṇyaka IV. 9 says that one who has finished his studies in the Mahānāmnis is qualified for the study of the brāhmaṇa, and if he neglects to study it, he becomes 'like a eunuch'. The Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa II. 8. 9. 2 mentions the first upanayana in the case of the vrātika. Sūtra IX. 16 states that the Mahānāmnis should be observed by one who desires to study the pravargya. The Mahānāmnis is mentioned in the dāna-kāṇḍa of the Nāradīya-purāṇa (37. 97) and is described as a vrata (Nārada-pur. 38. 80 ff.). It is the subject of a discussion by Yājñavalkya (I. 48-53), where he says that the vrātika and the Mahānāmnis should be kept up to the age of 24, the rest up to the age of 36.[^3^][^4^][^5^]
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References: [^1^]: Reference