The Jaiminigrhyasutra Belonging to the Samaveda

by W. Caland (Ed.)(Tr.)

The Grhya sutras contain rules for customs, ceremonies and sacrifices through which the life of an Indian attains purification. They record a number of popular customs and manners connected with conception, birth, name-giving, first-outing, first-eating by the child. They include rules for tonsure, initiation, completion of studies, customs of courting, engagement, wedding etc. They are important for the Student of Comparative History inasmuch as they contain parallels in the manners and customs of Indo-European folks. 

This Grhya-sutra belongs to the Jaimini School of Samaveda. It is divided into 2 parts. Part I opens with details of regular sacrifices in which cooked food is offered to the deities. The work proceeds with the description of a ceremony to secure the Birth of a male child, description of the Nandimukha Sraddha preceding every sacrament, of parting the hair, ceremony for the new-born child, ceremony of giving name, the first feeding of the babe with Solid food, the tonsure of child's head, initiation of the student to the study, twilight devotion, opening of the Annual course of study, ending of the term of study, observance of vows, his return home after finishing the course of study, ceremony of marriage, evening and morning sacrifices and the sacrifice of first fruits.

Part II opens with the rite of Sraddha and proceeds with the description of astakas, funeral ceremonies, libations of water, and the collection of bones. It is followed by the detailed Account of rites of the house, allaying of prodigies, and recitation of the Veda during a fast. It ends with the appeasing of planets malefic to the householder.

Contents

English Translation

Part I:
1-4. General outline of Grhya-sacrifices
5. The Ceremony to Secure the Birth of a Male Child
6. The Sraddha Preceding Every Sacrament
7. The Parting of the Hair
8. The Ceremony of the New Born Child
9. The Giving of the Name
10. The First Feeding with Solid Food
11. The Tonsure of the Child's Head
12. The Initiation of the Student
13. The Twilight Devotion
14. The Opening of the Annual Course of Study
15. The Ending of the Term of Study
16-18. The Observances
19. The Bath Taken at the End of Studentship
20-22. The Wedding
23. The Regular Evening and Morning Sacrifices
24. The Sacrifice of the First Fruits

Part II:
1-2. The Sraddha
3. The Astakas
4-5. The Funeral Ceremonies
6. The Rite of the House
7. The Allaying of Prodigies
8. The Recitation of the Veda During a Fast
9. The Appeasing of the Planets