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# Manava Dharmashastra 3.185

Manubhāṣya 3.185

- **Language:** Sanskrit

### [3.185](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3.185)

śrāddhārthavādā amī ślokāḥ, aśeṣairekavākyatvāt | na hi sādhyānāṃ pitaraḥ śrāddhasaṃpradānaṃ śiṣyante | devatātvāt sādhyānām | devatānāṃ ca na karmasvadhikāre|, niyojyasvabhāvāt | na hi devatā niyoktuṃ śakyate devatātvahāniprasaṃgāt | adhikāre sati pratipattavyaṃ kartṛtvam | kartṛtve ca kutaḥ sampradānabhāvaḥ | na cānyadevatārūpam |  
virājaḥ sutāḥ virāṭsutāḥ somasado nāma, te sādhyānāṃ pitaraḥ|  
īdṛśameva nityaṃ karmāvaśyaṃ kartavyam-yatsādhyāḥ pūrvadevāḥ kṛtakaraṇīyā api pitṝnarcayanti |  
agnau pakvaṃ carupuroḍāśādikaṃ svadante agniṣvāttāḥ devānāmindrāgnyādīnāṃ pitaraḥ |  
marīcerjātā mārīcāḥ |  
lokaviśrutāḥ prasiddhāḥ |

> The Somasads, the sons of Virāj, have been declared to be the Pitṛs of the Sādhyas; and the Agnisvāttas, the sons of Marīci, are famed in the world as the Pitṛs of the Gods.—(195)  
> — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi

> Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):  
> All these verses are laudatory descriptions relating to Śrāddhas; as they are all construable together. The ‘Pitṛs of the Sādhyas’ have not been laid down as the recipients of Śrāddhas; specially because they are gods, and also because the Sādhyas also, who are themselves gods, are not entitled to the performance of Śrāddhas; for the simple reason that they are not such as. can be directed to do an act. Gods cannot be directed to do an act; for, if they were, this would deprive them of their god-like character. If gods were entitled to the performance of an act, they would be regarded as the ‘ doer;’ and the ‘doer’ or ‘agent’ could never be the ‘recipient;’ while, in reality, the very nature of the gods consists in their being ‘recipients’ (of sacrifices).  
> — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi

> The sous of Virāj are the Somasads; and these are the ‘Pitṛs of the Sādhyas.’  
> — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi

> \[The sense of all this laudatory description is as follows\]—This rite in honour of the Pitṛs must always be performed; since, even the Sādhyas, who are gods, and as such, have accomplished all that they had to do, worship their Pitṛs.  
> — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi

> The Agniṣvāttas, who are the Pitṛs of Agni and other Gods, relish the cake and milk and rice cooked on fire.  
> — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi

> ‘Mārīcāḥ’—sons of Marīci.  
> — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi

> ‘Lokaviśrutāḥ’—famed in the world.—(195)  
> — Ganganatha Jha 1920, Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi

- [Previous: 3.184.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3.184.4)
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- [Up: 3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3)

## Translations (1)

- [Manu-Smṛti: The Laws of Manu with the Bhāṣya of Medhātithi](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi~en-jha.3.195.p1) — Ganganatha Jha 1920, English

## Linked texts (1)

- [Mānava Dharmaśāstra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu.3.185) — Manu & Bhṛgu, Sanskrit

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Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3.185](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.dharma.manu!medhatithi.3.185) · Pramāṇa
