Manava Dharmashastra 3.120

3.120

na vedapāraga ityeva bhojayitavyaḥ | kiṃ tarhi dūrāt parīkṣeta nipuṇato mātāpitṛvaṃśadvayapariśuddhijñānam | yathoktaṃ "ye mātṛtaḥ pitṛtaśca daśapūruṣaṃ samanuṣṭhitavidyātapobhyāṃ puṇyaiśca karmabhiḥ yeṣāmubhayato brāhmaṇyaṃ nirṇayeyu"rit‍yeṣā 'dūrātparīkṣā' | tathā tattvato'dhyayanavijñānakarmānuṣṭhānavedanaṃ ca | vedasya 'pāraḥ' samāptiḥ taṃ gato vedapāragaḥ | na vedasaṃhitāṃ brāhmaṇamātraṃ vā paṭhannarho bhavati | asmādeva darśanāt śrotriyaśabdena vaidaikadeśamapyadhīyāna ucyata iti gamyate | tīrthaṃ taddhavyakavyānām | tīrthamiva tīrthaṃ yenodakaṃ grahītumavataranti tattīrtham | tena yathā mārgeṇodakārthino gacchanta udakaṃ labhante evaṃ tādṛśena brāhmaṇena havyakavyāni pitṝn gacchantīti praśaṃsā | anyasminnapi iṣṭāpūrtadāne brāhmaṇo'tithiḥ—yathā'tithaye svayamupasthitāya nirvicikitsaṃ dīyate, dattaṃ mahāphalam, evamīdṛśāya brāhmaṇāya havyakavye nirvicikitsaṃ dātavye, mahāphale bhavataḥ |

From far off one should examine the Brāhmaṇa thoroughly versed in the Veda; such a one is the proper channel for offerings to gods and Pitṛ and in the matter of gifts he has been declared to be the guest.—(130)

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
One is not to be fed simply because he is thoroughly versed in the Veda; in fact, he should be examined ‘from far off;’ i.e., one should carefully ascertain the purity of his father’s and mother’s families. It has been declared that persons should be regarded as real Brāhmaṇaa on both sides, only when it is found that everyone of their ancestors on the father’s and on the mother’s side up to ten degrees were accomplished in learning and austerities and their acts were virtuous; this is what constitutes ‘examination from far off;’ similarly, the man’s own learning and knowledge of practical details should be ascertained.

‘Vedapāragaḥ’—he who has gone to the end of the Veda; i.e., one does not become respected by reading the Saṃhitā only, or the Brāhmaṇa only. Because we find this term used here, we conclude that the term ‘śrotriya’ is applied to one who may have learnt only a portion of the Veda.

‘Such a one is the channel for offerings to gods and Pitṛs;’—‘channel’ means like a channel. The ‘channel’ is that whereby people descend to the water; hence what is meant by the metaphor is the eulogium that ‘just as people seeking water get it only if they go to it by the right channel, similarly, the offerings reach the gods and ancestors only through the aforesaid Brāhmaṇa.’

In connection with gifts and charities also the Brāhmaṇa is the ‘guest.’ To the guest that arrives by himself, gifts are offered freely, and thus given, they bring about great results; and, in the same manner, to the said Brāhmaṇa the offerings to gods and ancestors should be given freely; and when thus given, they become conducive to great results.—(130)