Manava Dharmashastra 2.189.4

2.189.4

na cāyaṃ vaiśvānaravatkāmyodhikāraḥ | "vaiśvānaraṃ dvādaśakapālaṃ nirvapet putre jāte | yasmin jāta etāmiṣṭiṃ nirvapati, pūta eva sa tejasvyannāda indriyavān na bhavati" iti | evamādiputraphalārthino'dhikāraḥ piturvaiśvānare na cūḍādiṣvivāvaśyakaḥ | iha tu 'pitryamā nidhanātkāryamiti' yāvajjīvikaḥ | na karturvaidikaṃ phalamityetadanyathā pariṣkriyate | yathaiva vaiśvānaraviśiṣṭaputravattālakṣaṇaṃ pitureva phalaṃ, nākartṛgāmitā phalasya, evamihāpi putrasyaiva tatphalaṃ yā pituḥ prītiḥ | ubhayathā pitṛkartṛgāmitā phalasya na virudhyate | apatyotpādanenaivaitādṛśasya phalasyeṣṭatvāt pitṝṇāmapi nākāmitaphalāpattiḥ | "yadi na śrāddhe pitaro 'devatāḥ' kathaṃ tarhi pitryametatkarmeti devatāttaddhitaḥ |" uddeśyatvasāmānyāditi vadāmaḥ | 'yuṣmadupakārārthamidaṃ brāhmaṇabhojanamiti' pitara uddiśyante | piṇḍapitṛyajñe tu pitaro 'devatā' eva | na śrāddhe pitṝṇāṃ devatātvaṃ manyante | yattu brāhmaṇā bhojyante tadyathā'gnau homa ājyapuroḍāśādīnāmavadānasya, tādṛśametat | tathā ca brāhmaṇāḥ pitṛtvamāpadyante | ato'nnapariveṣaṇakāle pitara evoddeśyāḥ—'yuṣmabhyamidaṃ na mameti' brāhmaṇāstvāāhavanīyasthānīyāḥ | etāvānviśeṣo yadāhavanīye haviḥ prakṣipyate, brāhmaṇānāṃ tu sannidhāpyate, te tu svayamupādadata iti | na ca "śrāddhaṃ na yāgo na tatra devatārthaḥ svāhākāraḥ," sviṣṭakṛdādiṣu darśanāt | ato yāgo'pi san śrāddhakarma pitryarthaṃ bhaviṣyati | pitṝṇāṃ devatātvaṃ phalabhāktvaṃ na virotsyate | tṛtīye kiñcidanuktameva tatsambaddhaṃ vakṣyāmaḥ |

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.