History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c27.17

v2.c27.17

A few small matters may be noted. Several gṛhya-sūtras (such as the Mānava) describe madhuparka as a part of the marriage rite, while others like Āśv. describe it independently. Others like Hira. gṛ. (I. 12-13) describe it as part of Samāvartana There is divergence about the substances mixed in offering madhuparka. Āśv. gṛ. and Āp. gṛ. (13. 10) prescribe a mixture of honey and curds or clarified butter and curds. Others like Pār. gṛ. I. 3 prescribe a mixture of three (curds, honey and butter). Āp. gṛ. (13. 11-12) states the view of some that those three may be mixed or five (those three with fried yava grain and barley). Hir. gṛ. I. 12. 10-12 gives the option of mixing three or five (curds, honey, ghee, water and ground grain). The Kauśika sūtra (92) speaks of nine kinds of mixtures viz. Brāhma (honey and curds), Aindra (of pāyasa), Saumya (curds and ghee), Pauṣṇa (ghee and mantha), Sārasvata (milk and ghee), Mausala (wine and ghee, this being used only in Sautrāmaṇi and Rājasūya sacrifices), Vāruṇa (water and ghee), Śrāvaṇa (sesame oil and ghee), Pārivrājaka (sesame oil and oil cake). The Mānava gṛ. I. 9. 22 says that the Veda declares that the madhuparka must not be without flesh and so it recommends that if the cow is let loose, goat's meat or pāyasa (rice cooked in milk) may be offered; the Hir. gṛ. I. 13. 14 says that other meat should be offered; Baud. gṛ. says (I. 2. 51-54) that when the cow is let off, the flesh of a goat or ram may be offered or some forest flesh (of a deer &c.) may be offered, as there can be no madhuparka without flesh or if one is unable to offer flesh one may cook ground grains. As the cow became sacred, it became unthinkable to kill her and so other flesh was offered. When even flesh-eating came to be abhorred, then only pāyasa and such other things were recommended. The Ādiparva (60. 13-14) refers to Janamejaya's reception of Vyāsa with madhuparka and Vyāsa's letting the cow loose. This abhorrence of flesh-eating will be dealt with later on. In modern times there is generally no madhuparka except in marriage and then too it is a simple matter and the elaborate procedure prescribed in some of the gṛhya sūtras is hardly ever followed.