Essay name: Studies in the Upapuranas
Author: R. C. Hazra
This book studies the Upapuranas: a vast category of (often Sanskrit) literature representing significant historical, religious, and cultural insights of the ancient Indian civilization. These texts provide rich information, especially on Hinduism covering theology, mythology, rituals, and dynastic genealogies.
Page 347 of: Studies in the Upapuranas
347 (of 417)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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.330 156 STUDIES IN THE UPAPUR膧NAS
householder's wearing of two sacrificial threads with an upper
garment, two golden ear-ornaments (called ku峁囜笉ala), a turban
(usn墨峁), and footwears of wood and leather (p盲duke capy upa-
nahau); 157 prohibition to a householder against wearing a single piece
of cloth and keeping his hair loose during worship, acamana, bath,
etc. (24. 25), against riding camels or cars drawn by these animals
(24. 26), against touching the shade of a lamp, a beadstead, and
one's body, and also a piece of cloth used for tying the hair, and
dusts of goats and cats,
188 and against passing by a cow, a horse, an
assembly, a crossway and a temple by keeping them to the left; 15
covering the earth with grass and carrying in hand a piece of wood
at the time of passing stool or making water (25.4); and so on.
As to the position of certain members of the Hindu society the
B峁沨ann膩rad墨ya-p. gives us interesting information. According to this
work the following persons were looked down upon for their pro-
fession: a Nak峁tra-pathaka (also called Nak峁tra-p膩峁環a-jivin), i.e.
one studying the stars; a Devalaka (temple-priest); a Gr膩ma-y膩jaka
(one serving as a priest for a village); a Loka-yajaka (public priest);
a Bhi峁k or Bhi峁k-艣盲stropaj墨vin (physician); a Gayaka (singer); and a
K膩vya-kart峁� (composer of poems).
About these persons the
B峁沨ann膩rad墨ya-p. makes the following statements: A gift made to a
Nak峁tra-pathaka becomes futile (12.6), and he does not deserve
salutation (23.38) or invitation in a Sraddha ceremony (26.11);
taking of food offered by a Devalaka is equal to the drinking of wine
(14.38); a Gr膩ma-y膩jaka does not deserve salutation (23.37) or
invitation in a Sraddha ceremony (26.12); the B峁沨ann膩rad墨ya-p.
should not be read to a Loka-y膩jaka (1.48); one should bathe with
one's garments at the sight of a Bhi峁k (24.30); and a G膩yaka, a
K膩vya-kart峁� and a Bhi峁k-艣膩stropaj墨vin should not be invited in a
Sr盲ddha ceremony (26.17).
156 Ibid., 24. 19-yaj帽opavita-dvitayam sottariyam ca dh膩rayet.
157 Ibid., 24. 20-22.
158 Ibid., 24. 32-dipa-kha峁璿膩-tanu-cch膩y膩 ke艣a-vastram gha峁璷dakam/
膩ja-m膩rj膩ra-re峁噓艣 ca hanti punyam pur膩-k峁泃am//
159 Ibid., 24. 35-g膩m a艣vam ca sabh膩m caiva tathaiva ca catuspatham/
devat膩yatanam caiva n膩pasavyam vrajed dvija岣�//
