History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v2.c34.230

v2.c34.230

The Snānasūtra (3rd kaṇḍikā) of Kātyāyana attached to the Pār. gṛ. contains a description of *tarpaṇa*. Like the Baud. Dh. S. it lays down that ‘om’ is to be uttered before the name of every deity (devatā) and ‘tṛpyatām’ (or tṛpyantām if the word denoting the deity is in the plural) is the verbal form employed. The deities are only 28 and slightly differ from those of Āśv. The group of sages is made up of only Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanātana, Kapila, Āsuri, Voḍhu, and Pañcaśikha (Kapila, Āsuri and Pañcaśikha are according to the Sāṅkhya-kārikā the names of the founders of the Sāṅkhya philosophy and stand in the relation of teacher and pupil). Then (after the ṛṣitarpaṇa), the householder is to mix sesame in water and wear the sacred thread under the left arm and suspend it from the right shoulder and offer the water to Kavyavāḍ Anala (fire), Soma, Yama, Aryaman, Agniṣvāttas, Somapas, Barhiṣads¹⁶⁵⁸. Offerings of water mixed with sesame are to be made thrice to each of the above with joined hands (jalāñjali) and this is to be done by all householders even if the father be living. The remaining part of *tarpaṇa* (viz. pitṛtarpaṇa) is to be done only by him whose father is dead. Gobhila-smṛti II. 18-20, Matsyapurāṇa 102. 14-21 are very similar to the Snānasūtra. According to Āśvalāyana and others water is offered with the right hand only while according to Kātyāyana and others water is offered with both hands.¹⁶⁵⁹ The Sm. C. I. p. 191 says that the householder should follow his gṛhyasūtra and if there is nothing in it on this point there is an option. Kārṣṇājini prescribes that in śrāddha and marriage only the right hand is employed in making an offering or gift, but in *tarpaṇa* both hands (made into an añjali) are employed. One¹⁶⁶⁰ añjali of water is offered to each of the gods, two to Sanaka and other sages and three to each of the pitṛs. When *tarpaṇa* is performed while the householder is still in the water with his wet clothes on, he offers the water in the stream itself; but when he wears dry clothes and performs tarpaṇa, then he is to let fall the handfuls of water in a pure vessel of gold, silver, copper, bronze, but not in an earthen one; or he may let the water fall on the ground covered with kuśas (Sm. C. I. p. 192). There were several views on this point (vide Gṛ. R. pp. 263-264). In modern times daily tarpaṇa has become very rare. Only a few even among the orthodox or priestly brāhmaṇas and among those who have studied the several śāstras (such as grammar &c.) do it daily, but generally most brāhmaṇas perform tarpaṇa as part of brahmayajña on one day in the year in the month of Śrāvaṇa.