Manava Dharmashastra 3.88

3.88

vidyātapobhyāṃ samṛddhāstadvyatiriktā bhasmabhūtāḥ | samṛddhiratiśayinī sampattiḥ | bahuvidyayā mahatā ca tapasā yuktā evamucyante | samudāyasambandhinī api vidyātapasī sambandhisambandhādavayavabhūtamukhaiḥ sāmānādhikaraṇyaṃ pratipadyete | 'viprāṇāṃ mukhānyagnaya ityatra vyāghrāderākṛtigaṇatvātsamāsaḥ | yathā'gnau hutaṃ phalavaddbhasmani hutaṃ niṣphalamevamīdṛśaṃ bhojanaṃ brāhmaṇamukhanikṣiptaṃ hutamiti bhojanameva stutyocyate | yāgahomādi mahāphalatayā prasiddham | ataḥ prakhyātatamaguṇenāprakhyātamupamīyate | nistārayati durgāt | 'durgaṃ' vyādhiśatrurājapīḍādijīvitamupasthitam | tato ‘nistārayati’ rakṣati | na tena saṃmṛśyate | mahataśca pāpātparaloke'pi narakādigatestrāyate | na kevalamābhyudayikakarmadṛṣṭapātraviṣayam | prāyaścittārthamapi tadguṇāgraiva jñātavyam |

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):
Brāhmaṇas effulgent with learning and austerities, being unlike those described above, are not ash-like. ‘Effulgence’ connotes superior excellence; and persons are said to be ‘effulgent with learning and austerities’ when they possess great learning and perform great austerities. Though the ‘learning and austerities’ belong to the entire man, yet here they are co-ordinated with ‘mouth,’ which is only a part of the entire man; and such co-ordination is based upon indirect connection [the mouth being connected with the man, who is connected with learning and austerities.]

In the compound ‘vipramukhāgni,’ the mouth is likened to fire; hence the compound falls within the ‘vyāghrādi’ group (vide Pāniṇi 2. 1. 56).

Just as an oblation thrown into the fire bears fruit, but when it is thrown on ash, it is fruitless; similarly, ‘oblation’ in the shape of food thrown into the Brāhmaṇa’s month. This food by being called ‘oblation’ is meant to be highly eulogised; sacrifice, oblation and such acts are well-known as bearing important fruits; hence the lesser known act (feeding of Brāhmaṇas) has been likened to the said well-known acts.

‘Saves from trouble;’—‘‘trouble’ stands for the advent of illness, enemies, suffering at the hands of the king, and so forth; from this it ‘saves,’ protects; i.e., the man is not affected by it.

‘Also from great sin;’—i.e., it saves also from falling into hell, &c.

It is not only the gifts made in connection with auspicious rites that are to be given to the recipient described; gifts in connection with expiatory rites also should be given to Brāhmaṇas possessing the same qualifications.—(98)

The next verse describes what sort of Brāhmaṇas are not ‘ash-like.’—(97)