Manava Dharmashastra 2.59

2.59

aṅguṣṭhasya mūlamadhobhāgaḥ | tasya talapradeśo brāhmaṃ tīrtham | hastābhyantaraṃ talamāha| mahārakhāntamabhimukhamātmano brāhmaṃ hastamadhye | aṅgulīnāṃ mūle daṇḍarekhāyā ūrdhvaṃ 'kāyam' | agre aṅgulīnāṃ 'daivam' | evamupasarjanībhūto'pi mūle aṅguliśabdaḥ sāpekṣatvādagraśabde sambadhyate | pitryaṃ tayoradhaḥ | atrāpi guṇībhūtasyāṅguliśabdasyāṅguṣṭhasya ca sambandhaḥ | pradeśinī cātrāṅgulirvivakṣitā | tayoradha antaraṃ 'pitryam' | smṛtyantaraśiṣṭaprasiddhisāmarthyādevaṃ vyākhyāyate | yathāśrutānvayāsambhavāt | tathā ca śaṅkhaḥ—"aṅguṣṭhasyādharataḥ prāgagrāyāśca rekhāyā 'brāhmaṃ' tīrthaṃ, pradeśinyaṅguṣṭhayorantarā 'pitryaṃ', kaniṣṭhātalayoḥ pūrveṇa parvaṇā 'kāya' agramaṅgulīnāṃ daivikamiti" |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
The ‘root’ of the thumb is its lower part; and the part, of the hand just below that root is the ‘receptacle dedicated to Brahmā.’—The term ‘tala’ stands for the inner part (the palm). That inner portion of the hand which extends up to the long palm-line and faces one’s own eyes is the part ‘dedicated to Brahmā.’

That at the root of the fingers, above the horizontal palmline is ‘dedicated to Prajāpati.’

‘That on the tip of the fingers is dedicated to the Gods’—Even though the term ‘aṅguli’ forms the subordinate factor in the compound (‘aṅguli-mule’), yet it is construed with the term ‘agre,’ for the simple reason that this latter is a relative term (and hence stands in need of a correlative).

‘That below these two is dedicated to the Pitṛs.’—This also is to be construed with the terms ‘aṅguli’ and ‘aṅguṣṭha,’ though both of these form subordinate factors in the two compounds. The ‘finger’ meant here is the index-finger. Hence it is the part below the thumb and the index-finger which is ‘dedicated to the Pitṛs.’

We interpret the text in this manner on the strength of what is prescribed in other Smṛtis, and also upon that of the practices of cultured people; specially as no sense could be got out of the words as they stand. Says Śaṅkha—‘Below the thumb and behind the first palm-line is the receptacle dedicated to Brahmā; that between the thumb and the index-finger is dedicated to the Pitṛs; that below the little finger is dedicated to Prajāpati, that at the tip of the fingers is dedicated to the Gods.’—(59)