Manava Dharmashastra 1.94

1.94

pūrvasyaiva hetutrayasya viśeṣārthamidam | anyasyāpi puruṣasyottamāṅgaṃ pradhānam | taṃ punarmāhmaṇaṃ svayambhūḥ svādāsyānmukhādasṛjat | tapaśca kṛtvaiṣottamāṅgādutpattiḥ | jyaiṣṭhyamāha āditaḥ | yaddevānuddiśya kriyate taddhavyam | pitṝnuddiśya yat kriyate tatkavyam | tayorabhivahanāya, devānpitṝṃśca prati prāpaṇāya | abhivāhyāyati bhāve kṛtyaḥ kathañciddraṣṭavyaḥ | sakarmatvādvahateḥ | tena ca karmaṇā sarvasya trailokyasya guptiḥ paripālanaṃ bhavati | itaḥ pradānaṃ devā upajīvanti | te ca śītoṣṇavarṣairoṣadhīḥ pacanti pācaryanti | ataḥ parasparopakārādguptiḥ |

Him the Sself-existent one, after performing austerities, created, in the beginning, out of his own mouth, for the conveying of offerings (to the gods) and of oblations (to the Pitṛs), and for the preservation of this entire creation. (94).

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
This verse serves the purpose of pointing out the details of the three reasons set forth in the preceding verse.

In the case of the ordinary man also, the head is the most important part of his body. ‘Him’—the Brāhmaṇa;—‘Self-existent one created out of his own mouth’; and this creation out of his mouth came about after he had performed austerities.

The fact of the Brāhmaṇa being the ‘eldest’ is vindicated by the term ‘in the beginning.’

That which is done for the benefit of the Gods is called ‘offering’; and that which is done for the benefit of the Pitṛs is called ‘oblation’;—‘for the conveying of’ these two,—i.e., for presenting them to the Gods and the Pitṛs. In the term ‘abhivāhyāya,’ the verbal affix (ṇyat) has the nominal force, which may be explained somehow or other; the root ‘vaḥ’ being transitive.

By the said act (of conveying the oblations and offerings) is accomplished ‘the preservation,’—nourishment—of this whole Trio of Worlds: the gods live upon offerings made from this world (by men),—the Gods again nourish plants and herbs and make them ripe by means of cold, heat and rains; this mutual benefit leads to ‘preservation.’ (94).