WYAVASTHA-DARPANA. Զ Տ() “Aster the fifth year”. This regards a Brähmana seeking the fruit of holiness, resulting from the study of scripture. For, since the fifth year only is the principal season for the investiture of the characteristie thread, of one desir us of such holiness, as is shown by this text, “For a Brithm and desirous as holiness, resulting from the study of scripture, the fifth wear,” &c., the passage in question, has the same foundation.—But, for one not so desirou, - *after the eighth year, * the adopter, &e.'—f). Ch. Seet. II. § 30. II. And thus, on account of uniformity of import with the text of sashishtha—“Sprung from one following a different Shikhi, ( or branch of the Vedas, ) the given son even, when invested with the characteristic thread, under the family name of the man himself, according to the form prescribed hy his peculiar Shākhū, becomes participant of the duties of such Shikhá"— hy the compaund epithet ‘(huidilri, ( in the Quality eonveyed, by which ) the term (hudá is not included, rites voluntencing with that of investiture, for persons of a regenerated tribe would be suggested; but for Shulras marriage, and so forth, implied.—1). ('h. Sect. II, § 29. 545. The primary season for tonsure of a Brithmana, Ashatriyot, or sorshy boy is the first or third year of his age"; and such season for the Upanayana of a 13rdhmana is the eighth year, of a Kshatriya is the eleventh, and that of a | wishya is the twelfth, year of his age, reckoned from the respective dates of their conception.t w & ‘By the command of the Peda, the ceremony of tonsure should be legally performed by the first three classes in the first or third year after birth.*—In the eighth year from the eonception of a Brisonin, in the eleventh from that of a Kshatriya, and in the twelfth from that of a Poishyn, let the father invest the child with the mark of his class.--Should a Brihmin, (or his father for him, J he desirous of his advancement in sacred knowledge, a Kohatriya of extending his power, or a Puishya of engaging in mercantile business, the investiture inay be made in the fifth, sixth, or eighth years respectively.'t—Munu, Ch. II, v. 45–47. There are also secondary seasons for initiation in lopanayana, Thus Manu:-- “The ceremony of investiture hallowed by the yāyatri must not be delayed, in the ease of a pries, heyond
- Although in ti,” alvive text of Manu the primary season for tonsure is ordained to be the first or the third year from the late of a child s birth, yet if it be the custom of a family to perform the ceremony at a later seriol, the same is preferable, custom being the transcendant law and superseling the general paxiins of the law.---See ante, pp. 303, 805.
+ Sir William Maonaghto says:-"The period fixed, however, for the investiture of the three superior tribes are different. That of a Brahmin should take place when he is eight years of age, which may be construed optionally, as signifying eight years from the late of conception, or sron the date of birth. That of a Kshetrya at eleven years of age, and that of a Voishya at twelve” (Mason. H. L. vol. I, pp. 72, 73.)--These eight, cleven. and twelve years are, however, to be reckoned from the date of conception, as ordained in the text of Manu above quoted: it is trut those periods are some times calculated from the date of birth, but that is according to the family custom and not according to the law. . - } yسw g \ ú! ii. r : Aut}t it y
