१४ नित्यश्राद्धम्

When the best of Brāhmaṇas, having bathed, satisfies the Pitṛs with water,—by that alone he obtains the whole reward of the performance of the offering to the Pitṛs.—(283)

पाञ्चयज्ञिकं यच् छ्राद्धम् अहर् अहर् इत्य् उक्तं तस्य वैकल्पिकत्वम् अनेनोच्यते । उदकतर्पणं यत् क्रियते स्नात्वा तेनैव पितृयज्ञक्रियाफलं प्राप्नोति । यद् उक्तम् “एकम् अप्य् आशयेत्” (म्ध् ३.७३) इति तस्य नास्ति नियमेन कर्तव्यता । उकदतर्पणम् अवश्यं कर्तव्यम् ॥ ३.२७३ ॥

The present verse sets forth an option to the daily Śrāddha that has been prescribed in connection with the ‘Five Sacrifices.’

The ‘offering of water’ that is made after bath,—by that he obtains the reward of the offering to the Pitṛs. That is, it is not absolutely necessary to do what has been said (in 3.83) regarding the feeding of at least one Brāhmaṇa and the rest of it. It is only the Water-offering that must be made.—(283).

This verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Āhnika, p. 391) in support of the view that in case one is unable to perform all the three rites of Tarpaṇa, Śrāddha and Bali, if he performs even one of them, he is saved from the sin of neglecting the ‘offerings to the Pitṛs’;—and in Hemādri (Śrāddha, p. 946).

Baudhāyana (2.6.3).—‘Day after day, one shall moke offerings out of the water-vessel; even so is the Pitṛyajña accomplished.’

Āpastamba-Dharmasūtra (1.13.1).—‘By the wateroffering is accomplished the offering to gods, the offering to Pitṛs and also Vedic Study.’

283 Even when a Brahmana, after bathing, satisfies the manes with water, he obtains thereby the whole reward for the performance of the (daily) Sraddha.