Grihya Sutras

SR No.: 007685
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hermann Oldenberg
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1886
Total Pages: 2642
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 49 MB

Page 889

SOTRAS CXXIX-CXXXIV.
351
adapted to anything new that has to be. If, for instance, there is a Purodâsa for Agni in the Prakriti, and in its place a Purodâsa for Surya in the Vikriti, then we must place Surya instead of Agni in the dedicatory
mantra.
SUTRA CXXXIII.
When we hear words referring to something else, that is arthavâda.
Commentary.
Arthavada is generally explained as anything occurring in the Brahmanas which is not vidhi or command. Here, however, it refers to Mantras or passages recited at the sacrifice. We saw how such passages, if they referred to some part of the sacrifice, had to be modified under certain circumstances according to the sense. Here we are told that passages which do not refer to anything special in the sacrifice, are arthavâda and remain unmodified. All this is expressed by the words paravâkyasravanât. Vakya stands for padâni, words, such as are used in the nivâpamantra, &c. Some of these words are called samavetârthâni, because they tell of something connected with the performance of the sacrifice, as, for instance, Agnaye gushtam nirvapåmi, I offer what is acceptable to Agni ; others are asamavetârthâni, as, for instance, Devasya två Savituh prasave. When such passages which are not connected with some sacrificial act occur (sravanât), they naturally remain unaltered.
SUTRA CXXXIV.
If what is prescribed is absent, a substitute is to be taken according to similarity.
Commentary.
Here we have no longer modification, but substitution (pratinidhi). In cases where anything special that has been prescribed is wanting, a substitute must be chosen, as similar as possible, and producing a similar effect.
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