Manava Dharmashastra 2.189.2

2.189.2

na cāsminvidhyarthe ādityādīnāṃ devatābhimatānāṃ viṣayadvārakaḥ sambandhaḥ, nāpyadhikāradvārakaḥ | na hi bhedanādivannimittam | nāpi paścādivatsvasambandhitayā kāmyate | abhogyarūpatvāt | atha tadgatā tuṣṭiḥ kāmyate | sā'pyātmasiddhau pramāṇāntaramapekṣate | na ca tadasti | na hyādityādituṣṭiḥ pratyakṣādisiddhā paścādivacena kāmyeta pareṣṭividhinā yujyeta | atha tu 'matprabhuriti svābhipretena phalena yojayiṣyatīti' | etadapi pramāṇābhāvādupekṣaṇīyam | na cāsminnarthe vidhiḥ pramāṇam | sa hi jñātasyānuṣṭhātṛviśeṣaṇasya svasambandhitayā puruṣaṃ niyuṅkte, na punaḥ kāmyamānasya sadbhāvamavagamayati | pramāṇāntarāvagataṃ hi kāmyamanuṣṭhātṛviśeṣaṇam — anuṣṭhānasādhyamanuṣṭhātṛsambandhīti vidhiḥ pramāṇamiti mīyate | “athāyaṃ yāgastasya ca bhojanaṃ pratipattiḥ,” — bhavatu, yadi śiṣṭasamācāraḥ | bhojanaṃ tāvanna devatāsambandhi sākṣāditi na sādhyam | yāgavyavahitastu sambandho na nivāryate | na cātra yāgabuddhayā pravarttate, kiṃ tarhi brāhmaṇepu bhojiteṣu devatā tuṣyatīti | ato na devatā bhojanakārakaṃ na kārakaviśeṣaṇam | tato na viṣayatvena sambandhaḥ | uddeśyatvamapyādityādīnāṃ nāsti | bhojane hi sa uddiśyate yasmai bhojanaṃ dīyate | tacca brāhmaṇebhyaḥ | na coddeśyamātraṃ devatā upādhyāyāya gāṃ dadāti gṛhaṃ sammāṣṭīti gṛhopādhyāyayorapi prasaṅgāt | “nanu ca pitrye kathaṃ brāhmaṇabhojanam ? tatrāpi hi na pitarau devatāḥ syuḥ | na ca homasya pitryatvam, devatāntaraśravaṇāt | ādityādiprāteriva pitṛprīteḥ pramāṇāntarāsiddhatvānna vidheḥ sambandhaḥ sādhyatayā |'”

If there were such a Smṛti-rule, its meaning would be that ‘one should please the gods by feeding Brāhmaṇas.’ And it would not be right to assume such a meaning; as scriptural injunctions are aimed, not at pleasin the Gods, but at accomplishing what is prescribed by the injunctions. Then again, if such were the meaning of the Injunction, its connection with the Sun-god and others intended to be deities could not be based either upon an object, or upon a desired result; nor again could they be the purpose, as in the case of the act of piercing; nor are they desired for their own sake, like cattle and other desirable things, for the simple reason that they are not something to be enjoyed. If it were the satisfaction of the Sun-god that were desired,—that also, will need a proof for its own existence; and there is no such proof available. Such a thing as the ‘satisfaction of the Sun-god’ is not known by Perception or other means of knowledge,—in the way that cattle, etc., are,—whereby it could be desired and connected with the performance of sacrifices.