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268
PÂRASKARA-GRIHYA-SOTRA.
handing over of the kindling sticks does not take place. For it is a fire fetched (from a Vaisya's house, &c.) which is inaugurated here? Then the commentator goes on to quote a Sloka :
* The handing over of the Aranis which the Adhvaryu sometimes performs,
'Is not in accordance with the opinion of Suyagía; he does not approve of kindling the fire by attrition 3.'
Thus, I think, no doubt can remain as to the real meaning of Pâraskara's Sútra: it means what its words signify and what is in accordance with Kâtyâyana and Apastamba, and it does not mean what the commentators most gratuitously would make it mean.
Perhaps I have dwelt here too long on the interpretation of a few words which are of no peculiar interest in themselves. But I venture to hope that the discussion on these words will serve as a specimen, by which the fundamental difference of two methods of handling our texts may be discerned. Let us never forget how much we owe to the scholars who have followed the first of these methods, but for ourselves let us choose the second.
1 Agneh paskâd yagamâno dakshinatah patni ka upavisati. aranipradânam na kartavyam. âhritasyâgner eva samskârah.
? On this name of Sankhâyana, see my Introduction to the translation of the Sankhâyana-Grihya, above, p. 3.
Atrâranipradânam yad adhvaryuh kurute kvakit, matam tan na Suyagi asya mathitam so stra nekkhati.
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