The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c21.12

v1.c21.12

It will have been observed that the religious ceremony of the *bali*-offering implies a cult midway between that of the Vedic sacrifice and the sectarian sacrifice not countenanced by the orthodox. The *bali* is a bit of food cast upon the ground at the places named, the recipients being supposed to be the Vedic divinities of a lower order, ending with Rudra, and the hosts of harmful spirits who are thus propitiated. Each divinity has a *bali* in his appropriate place and at the right time. Thus the offering by the couch is for Love; that flung to the north is for Rudra; that by the door is for (personified) Space; and the offerings to the harmful spirits are given at night. The sprinkling of the offering means (probably) the sprinkling of the ground or place where the offering is cast. The Dharma Sūtras also take up this question of offerings. The citation above by implication recognises only the wife as preparer of the meal. But a rich householder may have his meals prepared by a priest or other member of the ‘reborn’ castes or even by a Çūdra. Special rules are necessary in the last case. The slave-cook, being impure, must have his hair and beard and nails cut daily or at least at stated intervals, and it must be the householder who places on the fire the food prepared by Çūdras. Then in this case it is the cook who says (when the meal is prepared), ‘It is ready’ and the householder who responds (as Āpastamba gives the rule, with a slight variation) ‘Well-prepared food bestows splendour; may it never fail.’