20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

674 JULIETA RotaruSimilarly, the gṛhyasūtras mention paridāna as a rite performed in theVedic initiation, preceding the giving of the vows 2 . By the observancesimposed on him, the pupil is rendered vulnerable to the possible attacksof different spirits, hence his teacher confides him to various entities forsecurity 3 . The commendation consists in plain implorations to variousentities 4 that occasionally “deck out” a minimalist ritual action: frombehind the pupil the teacher touches with his right hand the former’s rightshoulder commending this one to Prajāpati and with the left hand placedon the pupil’s left shoulder, to Savitṛ 5 . The divine protection bestowedon pupil is uphold life time, as it could be derived from the fact that in thecase of the punarupanayana the commendation is not done again 6 . Whenthe pupil is to set out on a journey the teacher entrusts him to the two vitalspirits, inhalation and exhalation, and to god Savitṛ 7 .The paridāna is commonly thought in connection with the initiation,yet various are the occasion during the householder’s life to ceremoniouslysurrender to the divinity: in a rite performed in the beginning of the rainyseason to placate the snake folk, the sacrificer yields himself and hisfamily to the serpent-god with a bali and prayers 8 ; at the ceremony forthe inauguration of a new house and its premises, the sacrificer entrustshimself to the forest, while leaving the village, and again commendshimself to the village upon its return 9 . The GobhGS 2.8 and the KhādiraGṛhya Sūtra 2.3 describe some commendations in the candradarśana (the2Baudhāyana Śrauta Sūtra 26.6.3: paridānāntaṃ karma kṛtvāthaitān vrīhīnkṛṣṇājine samupyottarārdhe 'gnyagārasyāsañjayet. Āśvalāyana Gṛhya Sūtra (ĀśvGS)1.22.20: etena vāpanādi paridānāntaṃ vratādeśanaṃ vyākhyātam. Āgniveśya Gṛhya Sūtra(ĀgnivGS) (p.9) prescribes the commendation of the pupil to various entities right beforethe recitation of the sāvitrīmantra.3Cf. Jaiminīya Gṛhya Sūtra 1.12: […] sarvebhyas tvā devebhaḥ paridadāmisarvebhyas tvā bhūtebhyaḥ paridadāmy ariṣṭyā.4Cf. ĀgnivGS (p.9), cf. Hiranyakeśi Gṛhya Sūtra 1.2.6.5, Śāṅkhāyana GṛhyaSūtra (ŚāṅkhGS) 2,3,1, Pāraskara Gṛhya Sūtra 2.2.21: athainam paridadāti | kaśakāya tvāparidadāmi | antakāya tvā paridadāmi | aghorāya tvā paridadāmi | yamāya tvā paridadāmi|gadāya tvā paridadāmi | makhāya tvā paridadāmi | vaśinyai tvā paridadāmi | pṛthivyaitvā savaiśvānarāyai paridadāmi | adbhyastvā paridadāmi | oṣadibyās tvā paridadāmi |vanaspatibyas tvā paridadāmi | viśvebhyas tvā bhūtebhyaḥ paridadāmi | sarvebhyas tvādevebyaḥ paridadāmi | sarvābhyas tvā devatābhyaḥ paridadāmi |5Gobhila Gṛhya Sūtra (GobhGS) 2.10.31-32.6ĀśvGS 1.22.22-24: athopetapūrvasya | kṛtākṛtam keśavapanam medhājananaṃ ca|aniruktaṃ paridānam |7ŚāṅkhGS 2.18.2, cf. ĀśvGS 3.10.6-7.8ĀśvGS 2.1.12-13.9ŚāṅkhGS 3.5.1-2.