Query

[diwakar acharya]

Dear Prof. Olivelle,

I do not know it is relevant here or not but there is a custom of reciting first words of each adhaaya/anuvaak.. of  
the Vedas on the day of upaakarman. The same is true with Braahma.na and vedaa"nga-s of sva"saakhaa. You may find this in upaakarmapaddhati-s.  

Diwakar Acharya
  
----- Original Message -----
From: Patrick Olivelle
Sent: 29 September 2002 19:50
To: INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk
Subject: Query
  
Friends:

Manu 4.125 has the term niSkarSam. The meaning is unclear; most
commentators take it to mean the "essence" of the Veda, i.e. OM. I am
uncomfortable with this explanation; the verse is somewhat opaque. If
Manu wanted to say that one should say OM before reciting the Veda,
there were easier ways to say so; and he does so in Ch 2. The term
means an extract, and I wonder whether it could be a brief passage of
each Veda that can stad for the whole.


My question is whether any of you know a custom of reciting, say, the
first words of each Veda before doing the svaadhyaaya of one's own
Veda. Thanks.

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