Mundan (cūḍākaraṇa): what the Gṛhyasūtras say

When

Third year in most texts; first year also allowed (Śāṅkh, Pār, Manu, Vaikh); family custom allowed (Āśv).

What the texts describe

• Śāṅkhāyana Gṛhyasūtra — ŚāṅkhGS 1.28.1–17

  1. saṃvatsare cūḍākarma | 2. tṛtīye vā varṣe | 3. pañcame kṣatriyasya | 4. saptame vaiśyasya | 5. agnim upasamādhāya | 6. vrīhiyavānāṃ tilamāṣāṇām iti pātrāṇi ca pūrayitvā | 7. ānaḍuhaṃ ca gomayaṃ kuśabhittaṃ ca keśapratigrahaṇāyādarśaṃ navanītaṃ lohakṣuraṃ cottarata upasthāpya | 8. saṃpṛcyadhvam ṛtāvarīr ūrmiṇā madhumattamāḥ pṛñcatīr madhunā payo mandrā dhanasya sātaya ity uṣṇāsv apsu śītā āsiñcati | 9. āpa undantu jīvase dīrghāyutvāya varcase tryāyuṣaṃ jamadagneḥ kaśyapasya tryāyuṣam agastyasya tryāyuṣaṃ yad devānāṃ tryāyuṣaṃ tat te karomi tryāyuṣam ity asāv iti śītoṣṇābhir adbhir dakṣiṇaṃ keśapakṣaṃ trir abhyanakti | 10. śalalyaike vijaṭān kṛtvā | 11. navanītenābhyajya | 12. oṣadhe trāyasvainam iti kuśataruṇam antardadhāti | 13. keśān kuśataruṇaṃ cādarśena saṃspṛśya | 14. tejo 'si svadhitiṣ ṭe pitā mainaṃ hiṃsīr iti lohakṣuram ādatte | 15. yenāvapat savitā śmaśrv agre kṣureṇa rājño varuṇasya vidvān yena dhātā bṛhaspatir indrasya cāvapacchiraḥ tena brahmāṇo vapatedam adyāyuṣmān dīrghāyur ayam astu vīro 'sāv iti keśāgrāṇi chinatti kuśataruṇaṃ ca | 16. evaṃ dvitīyam evaṃ tṛtīyam | 17. evaṃ dvir uttarataḥ

  1. After one year the Kudakarman (i.e. the tonsure of the child's head); 2. Or in the third year; 3. In the fifth for a Kshatriya; 4. In the seventh for a Vaisya. 5. Having placed the fire (in the outer hall; see chap. 5, 2)-- 6. And having filled vessels with rice and barley, sesamum seeds and beans, 7. And having put down northwards bull-dung and a layer of Kusa grass for receiving the hair, a mirror, fresh butter, and a razor of copper, 8. He pours cold water into warm with (the verse), 'Mix yourselves, ye holy ones, with your waves, ye honied ones, mixing milk with honey, ye lovely ones, for the obtaining of wealth.' 9. 'May the waters moisten thee for life, for old age and splendour. The threefold age of Gamadagni, Kasyapa's threefold age, the threefold age of Agastya, the threefold age that belongs to the gods, that threefold age I produce for thee! N.N.!'--with these words he sprinkles the right part of his hair three times with lukewarm water. 10. Having loosened the tangled locks, according to some (teachers), with a porcupine's quill, 11. And having anointed (his hair)with fresh butter, 12. He puts a young Kusa shoot among (the hairs) with the words, 'Herb, protect him!' 13. Having touched the hair and the Kusa shoot with the mirror, 14. He takes up the copper razor with the words, Sharpness art thou; the axe is thy father. Do no harm to him!' 15. With (the words), 'The razor with which in the beginning Savitar, the knowing one, has shaven the beard of king Varuna, and with which Dhatar Brihaspati has shaven Indra's head, with that, ye Brahmanas, shave this (head) to-day; blessed with long life, with old age be this man N.N.!' he cuts the tips of the hairs and the Kusa shoot. 16. In the same way a second time; in the same way a third time. 17. In the same way twice on the left side.

  Hermann Oldenberg, The Grihya-Sutras: Rules of Vedic Domestic Ceremonies, Part I, Sacred Books of the East 29 (1886), p. 55–56. Public domain.

• Śāṅkhāyana Gṛhyasūtra — ŚāṅkhGS 1.28.22–24

  22. tūṣṇīm āvṛtaḥ kanyānām | 23. prāgudīcyāṃ diśi bahvauṣadhike deśe 'pāṃ vā samīpe keśān nikhananti | 24. nāpitāya dhānyapātrāṇi nāpitāya dhānyapātrāṇi

  22. Silently the rites (are performed) for girls. 23. To the north-east, in a place covered with herbs, or in the neighbourhood of water they bury the hairs in the earth. 24. To the barber the vessels of grain. To the barber the vessels of grain.

  Hermann Oldenberg, The Grihya-Sutras: Rules of Vedic Domestic Ceremonies, Part I, Sacred Books of the East 29 (1886), p. 57. Public domain.

• Āśvalāyana Gṛhyasūtra — ĀśvGS 1.17.1–19

  1. tṛtīye varṣe caulam yathā kula dharmam vā | 2. uttaratas agneḥ vrīhi yava māṣa tilānām pṛthak pūrṇa śarāvāṇi nidadhāti | 3. paścāt kārayiṣyamāṇaḥ mātuḥ upasthe ānaḍuham gomayam nave śarāve śamī parṇāni ca upanihitāni bhavanti | 4. mātuḥ pitā dakṣiṇatas ekaviṃśati kuśa piñjūlāni ādāya | 5. brahmā vā etāni dhārayet | 6. paścāt kārayiṣyamāṇasya avasthāya śīta uṣṇāḥ apaḥ samānīya uṣṇena vāyo udakena ihi iti | 7. tāsām gṛhītvā navanītam dadhi drapsān vā pradakṣiṇam śiraḥ tris undati aditiḥ keśān vapatu āpaḥ undantu varcase iti | 8. dakṣiṇe keśa pakṣe trīṇi trīṇi kuśa piñjūlāni abhi ātma agrāṇi nidadhāti oṣadhe trāyasva enam iti | 9. svadhite mā enam hiṃsīḥ iti niṣpīḍya lauhena kṣureṇa pracchinatti yena āvapat savitā kṣureṇa somasya rājñaḥ varuṇasya vidvān tena brahmāṇaḥ vapata idam asya āyuṣmān jaradaṣṭiḥ yathā asat iti | 10. pracchidya pracchidya prāc agrām śamī parṇaiḥ saha mātre prayacchati | 11. tān ānaḍuhe gomaye nidadhāti | 12. yena dhātā bṛhaspateḥ agneḥ indrasya ca āyuṣe avapat tena te āyuṣe vapāmi suślokyāya svastaye iti dvitīyam | 13. yena bhūyaś ca rātryām jyok ca paśyāti sūryaṃ tena ta āyuṣe vapāmi suślokyāya svastaya iti tṛtīyam | 14. sarvaiḥ mantraiḥ caturtham | 15. evam uttaratas tris | 16. kṣura tejaḥ nimṛjet yat kṣureṇa marcayatā supeśasā vaptā vapasi keśān śuddhim śiraḥ mā asya āyuḥ pramoṣīḥ iti | 17. nāpitam śiṣyāt śīta uṣṇābhiḥ adbhiḥ ap artham kurvāṇaḥ a kṣaṇvan kuśalī kuru iti | 18. yathā kula dharmam keśa veśān kārayet | 19. āvṛtā eva kumāryai

  1. In the third year the Kaula (i.e. the tonsure of the child's head), or according to the custom of the family. 2. To the north of the fire he places vessels which are filled respectively, with rice, barley, beans, and sesamum seeds; 3. To the west (the boy) for whom the ceremony shall be performed, in his mother's lap, bull-dung in a new vessel, and Sami leaves are placed. 4. To the south of the mother the father (is seated) holding twenty-one bunches of Kusa grass. 5. Or the Brahman should hold them. 6. To the west of (the boy) for whom the ceremony is to be performed, (the father) stations himself and pours cold and warm water together with (the words), 'With warm water, O Vayu, come hither!' 7. Taking of that (water), (and) fresh butter, or (some) drops of curds, he three times moistens (the boy's) head, from the left to the right, with (the formula), 'May Aditi cut thy hair; may the waters moisten thee for vigour!' 8. Into the right part (of the hair) he puts each time three Kusa bunches, with the points towards (the boy) himself, with (the words), 'Herb! protect him!' 9. (With the words,) 'Axe! do no harm to him!' he presses a copper razor (on the Kusa blades), 10. And cuts (the hair) with (the verse), 'The razor with which in the beginning Savitri the knowing one has shaved (the beard) of king Soma and of Varuna, with that, ye Brahmanas, shave now his (hair), that he may be blessed with long life, with old age.' 11. Each time that he has cut, he gives (the hairs) with their points to the east, together with Sami leaves, to the mother. She puts them down on the bull-dung. 12. 'With what Dhatri has shaven (the head) of Brihaspati, Agni and Indra, for the sake of long life, with that I shave thy (head) for the sake of long life, of glory, and of welfare'--thus a second time. 13. 'By what he may at night further see the sun, and see it long, with that I shave thy (head) for the sake of long life, of glory, and of welfare'--thus a third time. 14. With all (the indicated) Mantras a fourth time. 15. Thus three times on the left side (of the head). 16. Let him wipe off the edge of the razor with (the words), 'If thou shavest, as a shaver, his hair with the razor, the wounding, the well-shaped, purify his head, but do not take away his life.' 17. Let him give orders to the barber, 'With lukewarm water doing what has to be done with water, without doing harm to him, arrange (his hair) well.' 18. Let him have the arrangement of the hair made according to the custom of his family. 19. The rite only (without the Mantras) for a girl.

  Hermann Oldenberg, The Grihya-Sutras: Rules of Vedic Domestic Ceremonies, Part I, Sacred Books of the East 29 (1886), p. 184–186. Public domain.

• Pāraskara Gṛhyasūtra — PārGS 2.1.1–2

  2. sāṃvatsarikasya cūḍākaraṇam tṛtīye vā a pratihate

  1. When (the son) is one year old, the Kudakarana (i.e. the tonsure of his head, should be performed), 2. Or before the lapse of the third (year).

  Hermann Oldenberg, The Grihya-Sutras: Rules of Vedic Domestic Ceremonies, Part I, Sacred Books of the East 29 (1886), p. 301. Public domain.

• Pāraskara Gṛhyasūtra — PārGS 2.1.5–23

  5. brāhmaṇān bhojayitvā mātā kumāram ādāya āplāvya ahate vāsasī paridhāpya aṅke ādhāya paścāt agneḥ upaviśati | 6. anvārabdhaḥ ājya āhutīḥ hutvā prāśana ante śītāsu apsu uṣṇāḥ āsiñcati uṣṇena vāyo udakena ihi adite keśān vapa iti | 7. keśa śmaśru iti ca keśānte | 8. atha atra navanīta piṇḍam ghṛta piṇḍam dadhnaḥ vā prāsyati | 9. tatas ādāya dakṣiṇam godānam undati savitrā prasūtāḥ daivyāḥ āpaḥ undantu te tanūm dīrgha āyu tvāya varcase iti | 10. tryeṇyā śalalyā vinīya trīṇi kuśa taruṇāni antardadhāti oṣadhe iti | 11. śivaḥ nāma iti loha kṣuram ādāya nivartayāmi iti pravapati yena avapat savitā kṣureṇa somasya rājñaḥ varuṇasya vidvān tena brahmāṇaḥ vapata idam asya āyuṣyam jaradaṣṭiḥ yathā asat iti | 12. sa keśāni pracchidya ānaḍuhe gomaya piṇḍe prāsyati uttaratas dhriyamāṇe | 13. evam dvis aparam tūṣṇīm | 14. itarayoḥ ca undana ādi | 15. atha paścāt tri āyuṣam iti | 16. atha uttaratas yena bhūriḥ carā divam jyok ca paścāt hi sūryam tena te vapāmi brahmaṇā jīvātave jīvanāya suślokyāya svastaye iti | 17. tris kṣureṇa śiraḥ pradakṣiṇam pariharati sa mukham keśānte | 18. yat kṣureṇa majjayatā su peśasā vaptvā vā āvapati keśān chinddhi śiraḥ mā asya āyuḥ pramoṣīḥ | 19. mukham iti ca keśānte | 20. tābhiḥ adbhiḥ śiraḥ samudya nāpitāya kṣuram prayacchati | 21. parivapa iti | 22. yathāmaṅgalam keśa śeṣakaraṇam | 23. anuguptam etam sa keśam gomaya piṇḍam nidhāya goṣṭhe palvale udaka ante vā ācāryāya varam dadāti

  5. After food has been distributed to the Brahmanas, the mother takes the boy, bathes him, puts on him an under and an upper garment which have not yet been washed, and putting him on her lap, she sits down to the west of the fire. 6. The father taking hold (of his wife) sacrifices Agya oblations, and after he has partaken of the (sacrificial) food, he pours warm water into cold water with (the words), 'With warm water come hither, Vayu! Aditi, cut the hair.' 7. At the Kesanta ceremony (Sutra 3), 'hair and beard' (instead of 'hair'). 8. He throws a piece of fresh butter, or of ghee, or some curds into it (i.e. into the water, Sara 6). 9. Taking some (water) he moistens the hair near the right ear with (the formula), 'On the impulse of Savitri may the divine waters moisten thy body in order that long life and splendour may be thine.' 10. Having unravelled (the hair) with a porcupine's quill that has three white spots, he puts three young Kusa shoots into it with (the formula), 'Herb' (Vag. Samh. IV, 1). 11. Taking up a copper razor with (the formula), 'Friendly by name' (Vag. Samh. III, 63 a), he cuts (the hair) with (the formula), 'I cut off' (ibid. 63b), (and with the formula,) 'The razor with which Savitri, the knowing one, has shaven (the beard) of king Soma and Varuna, with that, ye Brahmanas, shave his (head), in order that he may be blessed with long life and may reach old age.' 12. Cutting off (the Kusa shoots) together with the hair, he throws them on a lump of bull's dung which they keep northwards of the fire. 13. In the same way two other times silently. 14. The moistening and the other rites are repeated with the two other (tufts of hair). 15. Behind with (the verse), 'The threefold age' (Vag. Samh. III, 62). 16. Then on the left side with (the verse), 'With that prayer by which mayst thou, a mighty one, go to heaven, and long mayst thou see the sun: with that prayer I shave thee for the sake of life, of existence, of glory, of welfare.' 17. Three times he shaves round the head, from left to right; 18. Including the face, at the Kesanta ceremony. 19. (He recites the verse,) 'When the shaver shaves his hair with the razor, the wounding, the well-shaped, purify his head, but do not take away his life.' 20. He adds (the word), 'his face' at the Kesanta ceremony. 21. With that water (Sutras 6, 8) he moistens his head, and gives the razor to the barber with (the words), 'Without wounding him, shave him.' 22. The locks of hair which are left over, are to be arranged as it is considered auspicious (in his family). 23. Having put away that lump of dung with the hair so that it is hidden in a cow-stable, or in a small pond, or in the vicinity of water; he gives an optional gift to the teacher;

  Hermann Oldenberg, The Grihya-Sutras: Rules of Vedic Domestic Ceremonies, Part I, Sacred Books of the East 29 (1886), p. 301–303. Public domain.

• Gobhila Gṛhyasūtra — GobhGS 2.9.1–29

  1. athātas tṛtīye varṣe cūḍākaraṇam | 2. purastācchālāyā upalipte 'gnir upasamāhito bhavati | 3. tatraitāny upakﾱptāni bhavanti | 4. ekaviṃśatir darbhapiñjūlya uṣṇodakakaṃsa audumbaraḥ kṣura ādarśo vā kṣurapāṇir nāpita iti dakṣiṇataḥ | 5. ānaḍuho gomayaḥ kṛsaraḥ sthālīpāko vṛthāpakva ity uttarataḥ | 6. vrīhiyavais tilamāṣair iti pṛthak pātrāṇi pūrayitvā purastād upanidadhyuḥ | 7. kṛsaro nāpitāya sarvabījāni ceti | 8. atha mātā śucinā vasanena kumāram ācchādya paścād agner udagagreṣu darbheṣu prācy upaviśati | 9. atha yas tat kariṣyan bhavati paścāt prāṅ avatiṣṭhate | 10. atha japaty āyam agāt savitā kṣureṇeti savitāraṃ manasā dhyāyan nāpitaṃ prekṣamāṇaḥ | 11. uṣṇena vāya udakenaidhīti vāyuṃ manasā dhyāyann uṣṇodakakaṃsaṃ prekṣamāṇaḥ | 12. dakṣiṇena pāṇināpa ādāya dakṣiṇāṃ kapuṣṇikām undaty āpa undantu jīvasa iti | 13. viṣṇor daṃṣṭro 'sīty audumbaraṃ kṣuraṃ prekṣata ādarśaṃ vā | 14. oṣadhe trāyasvainam iti sapta darbhapiñjūlīr dakṣiṇāyāṃ kapuṣṇikāyām abhiśiro'grā nidadhāti | 15. tā vāmena pāṇinā nigṛhya dakṣiṇena pāṇinaudumbaraṃ kṣuraṃ gṛhītvādarśaṃ vābhinidadhāti svadhite mainaṃ hiṃsīr iti | 16. yena pūṣā bṛhaspater iti triḥ prāñcaṃ prohaty apracchindan sakṛd yajuṣā dvis tūṣṇīm | 17. athāyasena pracchidyānaḍuhe gomaye nidadhāti | 18. etayaivāvṛtā kapucchalam | 19. etayottarāṃ kapuṣṇikām | 20. undanaprabhṛti tvevābhinivartayet | 21. ubhābhyāṃ pāṇibhyāṃ mūrdhānaṃ parigṛhya japet tryāyuṣaṃ jamadagner iti | 22. etayaivāvṛtā striyāḥ | 23. tūṣṇīm | 24. mantreṇa tu homaḥ | 25. udaṅṅ agner utsṛpya kuśalīkārayanti yathāgotrakulakalpam | 26. ānaḍuhe gomaye keśān kṛtvāraṇyaṃ hṛtvā nikhananti | 27. stambe haike nidadhati | 28. yathārtham | 29. gaur dakṣiṇā

  1. Now follows the tonsure of the child's head, in the third year. 2. To the east of the house on a surface besmeared (with cow-dung) wood has been put on the fire. 3. There the following things have been placed: 4. To the south (of the fire) twenty-one Darbha blades, a brass vessel with hot water, a razor of Udumbara wood or a mirror, and a barber with a razor in his hand; 5. To the north, bull's dung and a mess of boiled rice with sesamum seeds which may be more or less cooked. 6. Let them fill vessels separately with rice and barley, with sesamum seeds and beans, and let them place (those vessels) to the east (of the fire). 7. The boiled rice with sesamum seeds (Sutra 5) and all seeds (mentioned in Sutra 6) are given to the barber. 8. Then the mother, having dressed the son in a clean garment, sits down to the west of the fire on northward-pointed Darbha grass, facing the east. 9. To the west (of her), facing the east, the person stations himself who is going to perform that (ceremony). 10. He then murmurs, fixing his thoughts on Savitri, looking at the barber, (the Mantra), 'Hither has come Savitri with his razor' (MB. I, 6. 1). 11. And fixing his thoughts on Vayu, looking at the brass vessel with warm water, (he murmurs the Mantra), 'With warm water, O Vayu, come hither' (ibid. 2). 12. Drawing water (out of that vessel) with his right hand he moistens the patch of hair on the right side (of the boy's head) with (the Mantra), 'May the waters moisten thee for life' (ibid. 3). 13. With (the Mantra), 'Vishnu's tusk art thou' (ibid. 4) he looks at the razor of Udumbara wood or at the mirror. 14. With (tile Mantra), 'Herb! Protect him!' (ibid. 5) he puts seven Darbha blades, with their points turned towards (the boy's) head, into the patch of hair on the right side of his head. 15. Pressing them down with his left hand, and seizing with his right hand the razor of Udumbara wood or the mirror, he touches with it (the Darbha blades), with the (Mantra), 'Axe! Do no harm to him!' (ibid. 6). 16. With (the Mantra), 'With which Pushan has shaven Brihaspati's head' (ibid. 7), he moves forward (that razor or the mirror) three times towards the east without cutting (the hair); once with the Yagus, twice silently. 17. Then (the barber) with the razor of metal cuts the hair and throws (the cut off hair ends) on the bull's dung. 18. In the same way (after the same rites have been performed), he cuts the patch of hair on the back-side; 19. And that on the left side. 20. He should repeat (when going to cut the hair on the back-side, and then again on the left side, the rites stated above), beginning from the moistening of the hair (Sutra 12). 21. Grasping with his two hands (the boy) round his head he should murmur (the verse), 'The threefold age of Gamadagni' (MB. I, 6, 8). 22. In the same way (the rites are performed) for a girl, 23. (But) silently. 24. The sacrifice, however, (is performed) with the Mantra. 25. Walking away from the fire in a northerly direction they have the arrangement of (the boy's) hair made according to the custom of his Gotra and of his family. 26. They throw the hair on the bull's dung (mentioned above), take it to the forest, and bury it. 27. Some throw them on a bunch (of grass or the like). 28. Then they may do what they like. 29. A cow constitutes the sacrificial fee.

  Hermann Oldenberg, The Grihya-Sutras: Rules of Vedic Domestic Ceremonies, Part II, Sacred Books of the East 30 (1892), p. 60–63. Public domain.

• Khādira Gṛhyasūtra — KhādGS 2.3.16–33

  14. tṛtīye varṣe caulam | 15. tatra nāpitaḥ uṣṇa udakam ādarśaḥ kṣuraḥ vā audumbaraḥ piñjūlyaḥ iti dakṣiṇatas | 16. ānaḍuhaḥ gomayaḥ kṛsaraḥ sthālīpākaḥ vṛthāpakvaḥ iti uttaratas mātā ca kumāram ādāya | 17. hutvā ayam āgāt iti nāpitam prekṣet savitāram dhyāyan | 18. uṣṇena iti uṣṇa udakam prekṣet vāyum dhyāyan | 19. āpaḥ iti undet | 20. viṣṇoḥ iti ādarśam prekṣet audumbaram vā | 21. oṣadhe iti darbha piñjūlīḥ sapta ūrdhva agrāḥ abhinidhāya svadhite iti ādarśena kṣureṇa audumbareṇa vā | 22. yena pūṣā iti dakṣiṇatas tris prāñcam prohet | 23. sakṛt āyasena pracchidya ānaḍuhe gomaye keśān kuryāt | 24. undana prabhṛti evam paścāt uttaratas ca | 25. tri āyuṣam iti putrasya mūrdhānam parigṛhya japet | 26. udaṅ utsṛpya kuśalī kārayet yathāgotrakulakalpam | 27. araṇye keśān nikhaneyuḥ | 28. stambe nidadhati eke | 29. gauḥ dakṣiṇā

  16. In the third year the tonsure (of the child's head is performed). 17. There the barber, warm water, a mirror, or a razor of Udumbara-wood, and (Darbha)-blades (ate placed) towards the south. 18. A bull's dung and a mess of boiled rice with sesamum seeds which may be more or less cooked, to the north; 19. And the mother with the son in her lap. 20. (The performer of the ceremony), after having sacrificed, should look, with (the Mantra), 'Hither has come' (MB. I, 6, 1), at the barber, fixing his thoughts on (the god) Savitri. 21. With (the Mantra), 'With warm water' (l.l. 2), he should look at the warm water, fixing his thoughts on Vayu. 22. With (the Mantra), 'May the waters' (l.l. 3), he moistens (the boy's hair). 23. With (the Mantra), 'Vishnu's (l.l. 4), he should look at the mirror or at the razor of Udumbara-wood. 24. With (the Mantra), 'Herb!' (l.l. 5) he puts seven Darbha-blades, with their points upwards (i.e. towards the boy's head?), into (his hair). 25. With (the formula), 'Axe!' (l.l. 6) (he presses them down) with the mirror or with the razor of Udumbara-wood. 26. With (the Mantra), 'With which Pushan' (l.l. 7), he should move forward (the razor) three times towards the east on the right side (of the boy's hair). 27. Cutting (the hair) once with a razor of metal he should throw the hair on the bull's dung. 28. The same rites, beginning from the moistening (of the hair, are repeated) on the left side and on the back side (of the child's head). 29. Grasping (with his two hands) the boy round his head he should murmur (the verse), 'The threefold age' (l.l. 8). 30. Walking away (from the fire) in a northern direction he should have the arrangement of (the boy's) hair made according to the custom of his Gotra and of his family. 31. Let them bury the hair in the forest. 32. Some throw them on a bunch (of grass or the like). 33. A cow constitutes the sacrificial fee.

  Hermann Oldenberg, The Grihya-Sutras: Rules of Vedic Domestic Ceremonies, Part I, Sacred Books of the East 29 (1886), p. 397–399. Public domain.

• Hiraṇyakeśi Gṛhyasūtra — HirGS 2.6.1–15

  1. tṛtīye varṣe cūḍākarma | 2. āpūryamāṇapakṣe puṇye nakṣatre 'gnim upasamādhāya vyāhṛtiparyantaṃ kṛtvā juhotīmaṃ me varuṇa | 3. tattvā yāmi | 4. tvaṃ no agne | 5. sa tvaṃ no agne | 6. tvamagne ayāsi | 7. prajāpate | 8. yadasya karmaṇo 'tyarīricam | 9. iti ca atraike jayābhyātānānrāṣṭrabhṛta ityupajuhvati yathā purastāt | 10. brāhmaṇānannena pariviṣya puṇyāhaṃ svastyayanamṛddhimiti vācayitvāpareṇāgniṃ prāṅmukhaḥ kumāra upaviśati | 11. uttarato mātā brahmacārī vānaḍuhaṃ śakṛtpiṇḍaṃ dhārayati | 12. tenāsya keśānpratigṛhṇāti | 13. athoṣṇaśītā āpaḥ saṃsṛjati | 14. śītāsūṣṇā ānīya | 15. āpa undantu jīvasa iti dakṣiṇaṃ godānamunatti | 16. oṣadhe trāyasvainam | 17. ityūrdhvāgrāmoṣadhimantardadhāti | 18. svadhite mainaṃ hiṃsīḥ | 19. iti kṣureṇābhinidadhāti | 20. devaśrūr etāni pravapa iti pravapati | 21. evamitarānpradakṣiṇam | 22. yenāvapatsavitā kṣureṇa somasya rājño varuṇasya vidvān | 23. tena brahmāṇo vapatedamasya ūrjemaṃ rayyā varcasā saṃsṛjātha | 24. iti paścāt | 25. yena pūṣā bṛhaspateragnerindrasya cāyuṣe 'vapat | 26. tena te 'haṃ vapāmyasāv ityuttarataḥ | 27. yathā jyoksumanā asat | 28. jyokca sūryaṃ dṛśa iti purastāt | 29. uptvā yathocitaṃ cūḍāḥ kārayati yatharṣi vā | 30. saṃyamya keśān | 31. yatra pūṣā bṛhaspatiḥ savitā somo agniḥ | 32. tebhyo nidhānaṃ bahudhā vyaicchannantarā dyāvāpṛthavī apaḥ suvaḥ | 33. iti goṣṭha udumbare darbhastambe vā nikhanati yo 'sya rātirbhavati | 34. yathāśraddhaṃ brāhmaṇāya dadāti | 35. sarpiṣmantamodanaṃ nāpitāya

  1. In the third year (he performs) the Kudakarman (i.e. the tonsure of the child's head). 2. In the fortnight (&c., as in the preceding section, Sutra 2, down to): 'Hail! Good luck!' The boy sits down to the west of the fire, facing the east; 3. To the north (of the fire) his mother or a student (brahmakarin) holds a lump of bull's dung; 4. Therewith he (or she) receives the (cut-off) hair. 5. He then pours cold and warm water together. 6. Having poured warm water into cold water he moistens the hair near the right ear with (the formula), 'May the waters moisten thee for life' (Taitt. Samh. I, 2, I, 1). 7. With (the formula), 'Herb, protect him!' (Taitt. Samh., loc. cit.) he puts an herb, with its point upwards, into (the hair). 8. With (the formula), 'Axe, do no harm to him!' (Taitt. Samh., loc. cit.) he touches (that herb) with the razor. 9. With (the words), 'Heard by the gods, I shave that (hair)' (Taitt. Samh., loc. cit.) he shaves him. 10. In the same way (he moistens, &c.) the other (sides of his head) from left to right. 11. Behind with (the Mantra), 'The razor with which Savitri, the knowing one, has shaven (the beard) of king Soma and Varuna, with that, ye Brahmanas, shave his (head); make that he be united with vigour, with wealth, with glory.' On the left side with (the Mantra), '(The razor) with which Pushan has shaven (the beard) of Brihaspati, of Agni, of Indra, for the sake of long life, with that I shave thy (head), N.N.!' Before with (the Mantra), 'That he may long live in joy, and may long see the sun.' 12. After the hair has been shaven, they arrange the locks (which are left over), according to custom or according to what family he belongs. 13. A person who is kindly disposed towards him, gathers the (cut-off) hair and buries it in a cow-stable, or near an Udumbara tree, or in a clump of Darbha grass, with (the Mantra), 'Where Pushan, Brihaspati, Savitri, Soma, Agni (dwell), they have in many ways searched where they should depose it, between heaven and earth, the waters and heaven.' 14. He makes a gift to a Brahmana according to his liberality. 15. To the barber (he gives) boiled rice with butter.

  Hermann Oldenberg, The Grihya-Sutras: Rules of Vedic Domestic Ceremonies, Part II, Sacred Books of the East 30 (1892), p. 216–218. Public domain.

• Āpastamba Gṛhyasūtra — ĀpGS 16.3–11 (Paṭala 6, Khaṇḍa 16)

  3. janmano 'dhi tṛtīye varṣe caulaṃ punarvasvoḥ | 4. brāhmaṇānāṃ bhojanam upāyanavat | 5. sīmantavad agner upasamādhānādi | 6. apareṇāgniṃ prāñcam upaveśya treṇyā śalalyā tribhir darbhapuñjīlaiḥ śalāluglapseneti tūṣṇīṃ keśān vinīya yatharṣi śikhā nidadhāti | 7. yathā vaiṣāṃ kuladharmaḥ syāt | 8. apāṃ saṃsarjanādy ā keśanidhānāt samānam | 9. kṣuraṃ prakṣālya nidadhāti | 10. tena tryahaṃ karmanivṛttiḥ | 11. varaṃ dadāti

  3. In the third year after his birth the Kaula (or tonsure is performed) under (the Nakshatra of) the two Punarvasus. 4. Brahmanas are entertained with food as at the initiation (Upanayana). 5. The putting (of wood) on the fire, &c. (is performed) as at the Simantonnayana. 6. He makes (the boy) sit down to the west of the fire, facing the east, combs his hair silently with a porcupine's quill that has three white spots, with three Darbha blades, and with a bunch of unripe Udumbara fruits; and he arranges the locks in the fashion of his ancestral Rishis, 7. Or according to their family custom. 8. The ceremonies beginning with the pouring together of (warm and cold) water and ending with the putting down of the hair are the same (as above; comp. M. II, 14, 11). 9. He puts down the razor after having washed it off. 10. The ceremony is (repeated) three days with the (same razor). (Then) the rite is finished. 11. (The father) gives an optional gift (to the Brahmana who has assisted).

  Hermann Oldenberg, The Grihya-Sutras: Rules of Vedic Domestic Ceremonies, Part II, Sacred Books of the East 30 (1892), p. 283–284. Public domain.

• Manusmṛti (Mānava-dharmaśāstra) — Manu 2.35 (Bühler numbering)

  cūḍākarma dvijātīnāṃ sarveṣām eva dharmataḥ / prathame 'bde tṛtīye vā kartavyaṃ śruticodanāt

  According to the teaching of the revealed texts, the Kudakarman (tonsure) must be performed, for the sake of spiritual merit, by all twice-born men in the first or third year.

  Georg Bühler, The Laws of Manu, Sacred Books of the East 25 (1886), p. 36. Public domain.

Sanskrit: Oliver Hellwig, Digital Corpus of Sanskrit (DCS), 2010–2021, licensed CC BY 4.0. English: Hermann Oldenberg (trans.), The Grihya-Sutras, Sacred Books of the East 29/30 (1886/1892), public domain, except where marked otherwise.