१५ उपसंहारः

They call the Fathers “Vasus;” the grandfathers they call “Rudras,” and the great-grandfathers they call “ādityas” such is the ancient text.—(284)

पितृद्वेषाद् अप्रवर्तमानस्य प्रवृत्त्यर्थम् इदम् । त्रिस्थाना वस्वाद्या¹ देवताह् पितरो ऽपि य एव पिण्डभाजः । अतो देवतात्वेनैते द्रष्टव्याः । श्रुतिर् एषा श्रूयते एतद् वेदे² । अतः पुरातनी नित्यत्वाद् वेदस्य ॥ ३.२७४ ॥

This verse is intended to prompt a man who, through ill-will towards his father, is disinclined to perform Śrāddhas.

The three grades of ancestors, to whom balls are offered, are the same as the Vasus and other gods; hence they should be looked upon as gods.

‘Such is the text’—this is found in the Veda; hence ‘ancient’—the Veda being eternal.—(284)

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 461), which explains the meaning to be that the Father should be thought of as Vasu, the grandfather as Rudra and the great-grandfather as Āditya;—in Hemādri (Śrāddha, p. 64);—and in Gadādharapaddhati (Kāla, p. 562) as setting forth the form of the Pitṛs.

Yājñavalkya (1.269).—‘The Pitṛs are the deities of the Śrāddha—Vasu, Rudra and Āditya; and being satisfied with the Śrāddha, they satisfy the Pitṛs.’

Nandipurāṇa (Caturvargacintāmaṇi-Śrāddha, p. 64).—‘Viṣṇu is the father of the world, Brahmā the grand-father and myself (Śiva), the great-grand-father.’

Ādityapurāṇa (Do.).—‘The months are the father, the seasons the grand-father and the year the great-grandfather of the people.’

284 They call (the manes of) fathers Vasus, (those of) grandfathers Rudras, and (those of) great-grandfathers Adityas; thus (speaks) the eternal Veda.

One should daily live upon “vighasa,” and daily he should eat “amṛta.” “Vighasa” is that which is left by those who must be fed; and “amṛta” is the remnant of sacrific es.—(285)

आद्येन श्लोकपादेनातिथ्यादिभुक्तशिष्टस्यान्नस्य यद् भोजनं विहितं तद् अनूद्यते । माङ्गलिकतया मङ्गलावसानानि शास्त्राणि प्रथन्ते । पित्र्याद् दैवं कर्म शस्ततरम् । यज्ञशेषम् । अनेन ज्योतिष्टोमादिहविःशेषस्य भोजनं विघसस्य तुल्यतयोच्यते । उत्तरेणार्धश्लोकेन सौहार्दम् एव तस्य वेदार्थव्याख्यानम् । कस्यांचिच् छाखायाम् आभ्यां शब्दाभ्यां विधानं दृष्टम् अतो व्यामोहं निवर्तयति । विघसम् अश्नातीति विघसाशी । अमृतं भोजनम् अस्येत्य् अमृतभोजनः । भृत्यशेषं³ भृत्यभुक्तशिष्टम् इति द्रष्टव्यम् । भुक्तशेषम् इति पाठे सामर्थ्याद्⁴ अतिथ्यादिभुक्तम् इति द्रष्टव्यम् ।

• अन्ये तु⁵ प्रकृतत्वाच् छ्राद्धभुक्तशेषम् इति द्रष्टव्यम् । तथा च स्मृत्यन्तरम् “भुञ्जीत पितृसेवितः” (य्ध् १.२४९) इति । श्राद्धाङ्गं चैतद् भोजनं केचिद् आहुः ।

• अन्ये तु पुरुषार्थो भोजननियमो ऽयम् इत्य् आहुः । “वसून् वदन्ति” (म्ध् ३.२७४) इत्य् अनेनैव श्राद्धप्रकरणस्याप्रवृत्तत्वात् ।

• यज्ञशेषं यज्ञोपयुक्तद्रव्यशेषम् इति द्रष्टव्यम् ॥ ३.२७५ ॥

The first quarter of the verse reiterates the ‘eating,’ that has been laid down before, of the food left after the guests and other persons have eaten.

All scriptures being meant to be conducive to welfare, scriptural treatises always conclude with auspicious declarations; and Rites in honour of the gods are more auspicious than those in honour of the Pitṛs.

‘Remnant of sacrifices.’— This shows that the eating of the remnants of the Jyotiṣṭoma and other sacrifices stands on the same footing a the ‘eating of Vighasa.’

The second half of the verse contains the explanation of the Vedic declaration, offered by the author, through kindness. He seeks to remove any misconception that people might have regarding the two terms in question, which are what have been used in some Vedic rescensional texts.

He who eats Vighasa is said to ‘live upon Vighasa;’ and he who eats Amṛta is said to ‘eat Amṛta.’

‘What is left by those who must be fed’—i.e., what is left after persons, who must be fed, have been fed.

Others have explained that what is meant is ‘what has been left after people have been fed at Śrāddha,’—on the ground that it is Śrāddha that forms the subject-matter of the context. To the same end there is another Smṛti-text—‘One should eat after having served the Pitṛs.’

Some people say that the ‘eating’ here mentioned forms part of the Śrāddha- rite. While others have said that this restriction regarding food is meant to serve a special purpose for man; the treatment of Śrāddhas having ended with verse 284.

‘Remnant of sacrifices’ should be understood to mean what is left of the materials used at sacrifices.—(285)

Compare the Mahābhārata 13.93.13 et. seq.

Mahābhārata (12.249.12-13) [reproducing the first line of Manu].—‘The remnant of sacrifices is amṛta; and the eating of this is equal to the eating of sacrificial food. He who eats the food left over after the servants have eaten, is called the vighasāśī; vighasa being the food left by servants, and amṛta, the remnant of sacrifices.’ Mahābhārata (3.2.60).—[Reproduces Manu].

285 Let him daily partake of the vighasa and daily eat amrita (ambrosia); but vighasa is what remains from the meal (of Brahmana guests) and the remainder of a sacrifice (is called) amrita.

Thus has been described to you the procedure of the “Five Sacrifices;” listen now to the means of livelihood for the best of twice-born persons.—(286)

पूर्वं हि व्यवहितस्य पाञ्चयज्ञिकम् इति महायज्ञविधेर् उपसंहारो माङ्गलिकतयैव । उत्तरेण श्लोकार्धेन वक्ष्यमाणाध्यायार्थैकदेशोपन्यासः । तौ चोक्तप्रयोजनौ⁶ । द्विजातिमुख्या ब्राह्मणास् तेषां वृत्तयो जीविकाः कर्माणि । द्विजातीनां वा मुख्यवृत्तय इति । उत्तरत्रैव दर्शयिष्याम इति प्रसिद्धम् ॥ ३.२७६ ॥

**इति मानवे धर्मशास्त्रे भृगुप्रोक्तायाम् संहितायां **

तृतीयो ऽध्यायः ॥

• मान्या कापि मनुस्मृतिस् तदुचिता व्याख्या हि मेधातिथेः ।

• सा लुप्तैव विधेर् वशात् क्वचिद् अपि प्राप्यं न यत् पुस्तकम् ॥

• क्षोणीन्द्रो मदनः सहारणसुतो देशान्तराद् आहृतैर्

• जीर्णोद्धारम् अचीकरत् तत इतस् तत् पुस्तकैर् लेखितैः ॥

इति श्रीभट्टविरस्वामिसूनोर् भट्टमेधातिथिस्वामिनः कृतौ मनुभाष्ये

तृतीयो ऽध्याय्ः समाप्तः ॥

Though much has intervened between this and the description of the ‘Five Sacrifices,’ yet the present reference to the latter, in the final summing up, is with a view to auspiciousness.

The second half of the verse indicates a part of the subject-matter of the next Discourse.

The usefulness of both these—the Summing Up and the Indicating of what is coming next—has already been explained.

‘The best of twice-born persons’—i.e., Brāhmaṇas. the ‘means of livelihood’—professions by which they should live.—Or, the construction may be ‘the principal means of livelihood of twice-born persons.’ All this shall be explained in the next chapter.—(286)

End of Discourse III.

286 Thus all the ordinances relating to the five (daily great) sacrifices have been declared to you; hear now the law for the manner of living fit for Brahmanas.