Manava Dharmashastra 3.272

3.272

pitṛyajñāṅgabhūto homaḥ paitṛyajñikaḥ sa laukike smārte'gnau na vidhīyate | śāstreṇa kartavyatayā na codyate | tasmāttriḥ saṃvatsarasyānāhitāgninā kartavyam | yadyapi triḥkṛtamapi bhavatyeva kṛtaṃ laukike'gnau, tathāpi saṃvatsarāpekṣayā akṛtameva tadbhavati | prasthabhojane hi nyūne bhukte'bhukta iti | arthavādatayā pūrvaśeṣamidaṃ pūrve vyācakṣate | idaṃ tvayuktam | yadi laukiko'gnirvivāhādāvaparigṛhītastasmiñchrāddhāṅgabhūto homo na kartavya ityucyate | homapratiṣedhena ca tadvyatiriktamanyatkarma kartavyamityuktaṃ bhavati | itarathā parigṛhītāgnerapi pārvaṇaśrāddhāṅgatvena vidhānādanagnikasya śrāddhānadhikāra eva syāt | yathāndhasyājyāvekṣaṇāśaktyā na darśapūrṇamāsayoradhikāraḥ | asmiṃstu sati sāgnikasya homavat śrāddhamanagnikasya tadvarjitamapi jñāpitaṃ bhavati | tathā cānyabhāva ityasyāyameva viṣayaḥ |
yepi vyācakṣate piṇḍapitṛyajñaḥ pitṛyajño'bhipretaḥ tatra yo homaḥ sa laukike smārte'gnau nāsti—tepi na yuktamāhuḥ | astvevamanāhitāgnirnityatve śrapayitvā juhuyādityādi | na darśena vinā śrāddhaṃ grahoparāgādāvāhitāgniḥ pratiṣedha ityāhuḥ | etattu samācāraviruddham |
anye tu paṭhanti—na vinā darśa ityasyānāhitāgninā māsānumāsikaṃ kartavyam, nāsya triḥsaṃvatsaravidhiḥ | naivāyaṃ pāṭho'stītyānye | kastahyasyārthaḥ | darśāt śrāddhādanyadāhitāgnermavāśrāddhādi na niyamena bhavatīti dārśameva tasya niyatam | anāhitāgnestu hemantādivihitānyapi niyatānīti |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
The ‘Homa,’ ‘oblation into fire,’ offered in connection with the Rite in honour of the Pitṛs is called ‘Paitṛyajñikahoma;’—this ‘has not been prescribed as to be offered into the common’—i.e., the Smārta—‘fire.’ That is, the Scriptures do not enjoin it as to be done in that manner. Hence it follows that the offering of Śrāddha ‘three times during the year’ is to be made by one who has not set up the Fire. Though this offering three times would be ‘offering into the common Fire,’ yet it would be as good as ‘not done,’ in comparison with what is done throughout the year. For instance, when a man who can eat a seer has eaten less, people are found to say, ‘he has not eaten.’

Older commentators have explained this as a reiterative supplement to what has gone in the preceding verse.

The right view to take, however, appears to be that what is said in the text is that the oblation into Fire, in connection with Śrāddhas, should not be offered into the ‘common Fire,’—i.e., such fire as has not been set up at marriage or other prescribed times. And this prohibition of the ‘oblation into Fire’ implies that details other than that may be done in the common fire. If such were not the meaning, then, in view of the fact that the ‘oblation into fire,’ offered by the person who has set up the fire, has been prescribed as part of the Pārvaṇa-Śrāddha, the person who has not set up the Fire would not be entitled to the performance of Śrāddhas at all; just as, in view of the fact that the blind person cannot do the ‘looking into the butter,’ he is not entitled to the performance of the Darśa Pūrṇamāsa sacrifi-ces. If it be, as we have explained it, then it comes to this that the Śrāddha performed by the man who has set up the fire would be accompanied by oblations into fire, while that performed by one. who has not set up the fire would be without such oblations. And in this, case, what is said here falls within what has been said in verse 212 above.

Some people have offered the following explanation:—“What is meant here is the Piṇḍapitṛyajña; and the oblation into fire that is offered at this is never offered into the Common Fire.”

Others have said that this is not right, for even so the person who has not set up the Fire might cook the oblation day by day and then offer it.

Others, again, assert that, in view of the phrase, ‘apart from the Moonless Day,’ it follows that by the person who has set up the Fire the Śrāddha should be offered every month; and that the rule regarding ‘three times in the year’ does not apply to him.

Others, again, have declared that such is not the reading.

What then is the meaning?

The meaning is that, apart from the Śrāddha performed on the Moonless Day, no other Śrāddha—such as the ‘Maghā-Śrāddha,’ and the like—is binding upon him; the former alone being necessary for him. For the person who has not set up the Fire, however, the Śrāddhas prescribed in connection with the winter, etc., also are obligatory.—(282)