by repeating the Svaha Mantra, and the disciple should be made to do the same. *[1]
A Brahmana preceptor is competent to initiate a student belonging to any of the three twice-born castes. A Kshatriya preceptor can initiate a student of the Kshatriya or the Vaishya caste, while a Vaishya preceptor can initiate a student of his own caste alone. A Shudra student of good character and parentage may be initiated into the mysteries of the Ayurveda by omitting the Mantras enjoined to be recited on such an occasion.
Then having thrice circumambulated the sacrificial fire, and having invoked the firegod to bear testimony to the fact, the preceptor should address the initiated disciple as follows:—"Thou shalt renounce lust, anger, greed, ignorance, vanity, egotistic feelings, envy, harshness, niggardliness, falsehood, idleness, nay all acts that soil the good name of a man. In proper season thou shalt pair thy nails and clip thy hair and put on the sacred cloth, dyed brownish yellow, live the life of a truthful, self-controlled anchorite and be obedient and respectful towards thy preceptor. In sleep, in rest, or while moving about—while at meals or in study, and in all acts
- ↑ *The libations should he offered as follows -Svaha (obeisance) to Bramha, Svaha to Prajapati (the lord of the created beings), Svaha to Ashvins, Svaha to Indra, Svaha to Dhanvantari, Svaha to Bharadvaja, and Svaha to Atreya.
