Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c38: Chapter XX. Vaiśvadeva

History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c38

Language
English

Chapter XX. Vaiśvadeva

v3.c38.2

*Vaiśvadeva.*—(offering of cooked food to all Gods).

v3.c38.3

Dakṣa (II. 56) says that in the 5th part of the day a householder has to allow distribution of food according to his ability to the gods, Manes, men and even insects. Vaiśvadeva is to be offered according to Śātātapa (quoted by Medhātithi on Manu V. 7 and by Aparārka p. 142) in the gṛhya fire if one has preserved it, or in the ordinary fire. If no fire is available one may offer it even in water or on the bare ground. Laghu-Vyāsa II. 52 says the same.

v3.c38.4

Some medieval works like the Smṛtyarthasāra and the Par. M. (I. part 1, p. 389) state that vaiśvadeva really comprises the three daily sacrifices viz. devayajña, bhūtayajña and pitṛyajña. The rite is so called because in it sacrifice is offered to all the gods or because food is cooked therein for all the gods.¹⁷⁶³ But in the ancient gṛhyasūtras the three yajñas are kept distinct. In the Āśv. gṛ. III. 1 the five daily sacrifices are enumerated, but only one, the brahmayajña, is thereafter described in detail and we have to understand that Vaiśvadeva has already been dealt with under homa in Āśv. gṛ I. 2. 1-2 and that I. 2. 3-10 is concerned with bhūtayajña or baliharaṇa, out of which the 7th sūtra contemplates an offering to Viśve-devas and sūtra 10 an offering of cooked food to pitṛs. The Śāṅ. gṛ. II. 14 speaks of Vaiśvadeva, while Gobhila gṛ. I. 4. 1-15, Khādira gṛ. I. 5. 22-35 speak of baliharaṇa only. Pāṇini VI. 2. 39 teaches the accent of 'kṣullaka-vaiśvadeva' (as a compound). Vaik.¹⁷⁶⁴ VI. 17 expressly says that devayajña is the homa to the gods offered with cooked food meant for all the gods. According to Gautama (V. 9) the deities of vaiśvadeva are Agni, Dhanvantari, Viśve-devas, Prajāpati and Sviṣṭakṛt (Agni). According¹⁷⁶⁵ to Manu (III. 84-86) the deities are Agni, Soma, Agniṣoma, the Viśve-devas, Dhanvantari, Kuhū, Anumati, Prajāpati, Dyāvāpṛthivī, (Agni) Sviṣṭakṛt. The Śāṅ. gṛ. II. 14. 4 gives the names of ten deities that are slightly different from the list of Manu. According to Pār. gṛ. II. 9 the deities are Brahmā, Prajāpati, Gṛhyā, Kaśyapa and Anumati; while the Viṣṇu Dh. S. 67. 1-3 (quoted in the Gṛ. R. p. 278) states that Vaiśvadeva is to be offered to Vāsudeva, Saṃkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, Puruṣa, Satya, Acyuta, Agni, Soma, Mitra, Varuṇa, Indra, Indrāgni, Viśve-devas, Prajāpati, Anumati, Dhanvantari, Vāstoṣpati, (Agni) Sviṣṭakṛt. Vide Bhār. gṛ. III. 12, Mānava gṛ. II. 12. 1-2, Kāṭhaka gṛ. 54, Vaik. III. 7 for other lists of deities in Vaiśvadeva. It is on account of this divergence that digests like the Madanapārijāta (p. 317) say that Vaiśvadeva is of two kinds, viz. what is common to all smṛtis like that of Manu and secondly what is stated in one's own gṛhyasūtra. The Sm. C. (I. p. 212)¹⁷⁶⁶ says the same.

v3.c38.5

¹⁷⁶³ एते देवयज्ञभूतयज्ञपितृयज्ञा वैश्वदेव उच्यते। स्मृत्यर्थसार p. 47; त एते देवयज्ञभूतयज्ञपितृयज्ञास्त्रयोपि वैश्वदेवशब्देनोच्यन्ते। यत्र विश्वे देवा इज्यन्ते तद्वैश्वदेविकं कर्म। देवयज्ञे च एतन्नाम मुख्यम्। पितृयज्ञे छत्रिन्यायेन। परा. मा. I. part 1 p. 389.

v3.c38.6

¹⁷⁶⁴ पक्केनान्नेन वैश्वदेवेन देवेभ्यो होमो देवयज्ञः। वैखानसस्मार्त VI. 17.

v3.c38.7

¹⁷⁶⁵ In offering food one will have to say अग्नये स्वाहा, सोमाय स्वाहा, अग्नीषोमाभ्यां स्वाहा,...अग्नये स्विष्टकृते स्वाहा. In modern times the formula is अग्नये स्वाहा अग्नय इदं न मम and so on.

v3.c38.8

¹⁷⁶⁶ वैश्वदेवं प्रकुर्वीत स्वशाखाविहितं यथा। व्यास quoted in स्मृतिच० I. p. 212.

v3.c38.9

All ancient smṛtis say that Vaiśvadeva is to be performed twice, once in the morning and then in the evening. *Vide* Āśv. gṛ. I. 2. 1, Vas. Dh. S. XI. 3, Manu III. 121, Viṣṇu Dh. S. 59. 13, Gobhila II. 34. But in later times it came to be performed only once in the morning and the *saṃkalpa* includes both in one statement.¹⁷⁶⁷ The verses 'juṣṭo damūnā' (Rg. V. 4. 5) and 'ehyagna' (Rg. I. 76. 2) are used in invoking Agni, then the verse 'catvāri śṛṅgā' (Rg. IV. 58. 3) and several ordinary verses describing the characteristics of Agni are employed for the dhyāna (contemplation) of Agni. From the food cooked for one's meal, a portion is taken out in another vessel, and covered with clarified butter; it is then divided into three parts. Then one places one's left hand on one's heart and with the right hand takes up from one portion of the food morsels equal to a ripe myrobalan fruit, presses it with one's right thumb and offers it with the right hand to Sūrya, Prajāpati, Soma Vanaspati, Agni-ṣoma, Indrāgni, Dyāvāpṛthivī, Dhanvantari, Indra, Viśve Devas, Brahmā. Then holy ashes are taken from the fire with the mantra 'mā nastoke' (Rg. I. 114. 8) and ashes are applied to the forehead, the throat, the navel, the right and left shoulders and the head with certain mantras and a concluding prayer is offered to Agni to bestow intelligence, memory, fame &c. as set out below.¹⁷⁶⁸

v3.c38.10

¹⁷⁶⁷ The संकल्प in modern times is ममोपात्तदुरितक्षयद्वारा श्रीपरमेश्वरप्रीत्यर्थमात्मान्नसंस्कार-पञ्चसूनाजनितदोषपरिहारार्थं प्रातर्वैश्वदेवं सायं॑वैश्वदेवं च सह तन्त्रेण करिष्ये ।

v3.c38.11

¹⁷⁶⁸ त्र्यायुषं जमदग्नेरिति ललाटे । कश्यपस्य त्र्यायुषमिति कण्ठे । अगस्त्यस्य त्र्यायुषमिति नाभौ । यद्देवानां त्र्यायुषमिति दक्षिणस्कन्धे । तन्मे अस्तु त्र्यायुषमिति वामस्कन्धे । सर्वमस्तु शतायुषमिति शिरसि । ओं च मे स्वरश्च मे यज्ञोप च ते नमश्च । यत्ते न्यूनं तस्मै त उप यत्तेतिरिक्तं तस्मै ते नमः । अग्नये नमः । स्वस्ति । श्रद्धां मेधां यशः प्रज्ञां विद्यां बुद्धिं श्रियं बलम् । आयुष्यं तेज आरोग्यं देहि मे हव्यवाहन ।. The words ओं च मे ...... तस्मै ते नमः occur in आश्व. श्रौ. सू. I. 11. 15.

v3.c38.12

Medieval digests like the Mit. (on Yāj. I. 103) discuss the question whether vaiśvadeva is *puruṣārtha* only (i. e. recommended to men for effecting some beneficent consequence to them) or whether it is puruṣārtha as well as a rite for effecting a saṁskāra (unseen or spiritual result) of the food cooked. In the latter case food will be pradhāna (the principal matter) and vaiśvadeva will be secondary; but in the former case (i. e. if it were only puruṣārtha) food will be secondary and Vaiśvadeva principal. Relying¹⁷⁶⁹ on Āśv. gṛ. I. 2. 1 some say that vaiśvadeva is meant as a saṁskāra of food and relying on Āśv. gṛ. III. 1. 1 and 4 others say that it is puruṣārtha. The Mit. declares that vaiśvadeva is puruṣārtha only, as Manu (II. 28) holds that the human body is rendered fit for spiritual knowledge by the daily yajñas and by other sacrifices and that if vaiśvadeva is not puruṣārtha alone, each time food is cooked in the day (on account of the sudden advent of many guests) vaiśvadeva would have to be performed several times in the day; but Manu III. 108 forbids a fresh vaiśvadeva in such a case. Sm. C. (I. p. 213) and Par. M. (I. 1. p. 390) hold the same view. The Smṛtyarthasāra p. 46 and Laghu-Āśvalāyana I. 116 hold the view that vaiśvadeva is both for the saṁskāra of the householder and also of the food.¹⁷⁷⁰

v3.c38.13

¹⁷⁶⁹ अथ सायंपातः सिद्धस्य हविष्यस्य जुहुयात् । आश्व. गृ. I. 2. 1.; अथातः पञ्च यज्ञाः । तानेतानहरहः कुर्वीत । आश्व. गृ. III. 1. 1 and 4.

v3.c38.14

¹⁷⁷⁰ गृहस्थो वैश्वदेवाख्यं कर्म प्रारभते द्विधा । अन्नस्य चात्मनश्चैव सुसंस्कारार्थमिष्यते ॥ स्मृत्यर्थसार p. 46; शुद्धयर्थं चात्मनोऽन्नस्य वैश्वदेवं समाचरेत् । लध्वाश्वलायन I. 116.

v3.c38.15

There was divergence of view on other questions viz. whether vaiśvadeva was to be performed before śrāddha or after it and whether food for vaiśvadeva was to be separately cooked from that meant for śrāddha. Aparārka p. 462 sets out the conflicting views on the first question and says that for vaiśvadeva there are three options, viz. it may be performed immediately after food is ready, or it may be offered after *baliharaṇa* or it may be performed after śrāddha is finished. The Madanapārijāta p. 320 and Bṛhat-Parāśara p. 156 hold that vaiśvadeva must be performed before śrāddha. *Vide* Smṛtimuktāphala (āhnika pp. 406-407) also; on the other hand Anuśāsana-parva (97. 16-18) directs that on śrāddha day, pitṛ-tarpaṇa comes first, then offering of bali, and then vaiśvadeva. The Madanapārijāta p. 318 says that the food for the vaiśvadeva must be separately cooked from what is meant for śrāddha. In the case of a joint family of father and sons or of several brothers, the father alone performs vaiśvadeva or the eldest brother; but if the father or eldest brother is unable to do it himself, a son or younger brother may offer it at his bidding (Laghu-Āśvalāyana I. 117-119).

v3.c38.16

The food to be offered should be sprinkled over with ghee or with curds or milk but not with oil or salt. Āp. Dh. S.¹⁷⁷¹ II. 6. 15. 12-14 prescribes that there is to be no homa of *kṣāra* and *lavaṇa* (vide note 723 above) and also of food that is mixed up with inferior food (like *kulattha* &c.); but if one is compelled to offer inferior food in vaiśvadeva (owing to poverty &c.) he should take some hot ashes from the gṛhya or ordinary fire towards the north of the fire and offer the food in the ashes. The Smṛtyarthasāra¹⁷⁷² p. 47 states that cereals like gram and māṣa beans are not to be used in vaiśvadeva food. Even when a man was not going to eat on a particular day he had to offer vaiśvadeva (Aparārka p. 145). If he could afford no food, he was to offer fruits, roots or even water.¹⁷⁷³ He who has no gṛhya fire may offer vaiśvadeva food into the ordinary fire with only the vyāhṛtis and the rest may be left for crows.

v3.c38.17

¹⁷⁷¹ न क्षारलवणहोमो विद्यते । तथावराजसंसृष्टस्य । अहाविष्यस्य होम उदीचीन-मुष्णं भस्मापोह्य तस्मिञ्जुहुयात्तद्धुतमहुतं चाग्नौ भवति । आप. ध. सू. II. 6. 15. 12-14.

v3.c38.18

¹⁷⁷² कोद्रवं चणकं माषं मसूरं च कुलित्थकम् । क्षारं च लवणं सर्वं वैश्वदेवे विवर्ज-येत् । स्मृत्यर्थसार p. 47.

v3.c38.19

¹⁷⁷³ अलाभे येन केनापि फलशाकोदकादिभिः । चतुर्विंशन्नत quoted by स्मृतिच. I p. 212 and स्मृतिमु. (आह्निक p. 398).

v3.c38.20

Āp. Dh. S. (II. 2. 3. 1 and 4) says that vaiśvadeva food should be cooked by āryas (persons of the twice-born classes) that are purified (by bathing &c.), or śūdras supervised by āryas may cook the food.¹⁷⁷⁴ Medieval writers remarked, as usual, that the latter rule about śūdras being cooks applied only to another age.¹⁷⁷⁵ Āp. Dh. S. (II. 2. 3. 10-11) further says that when the food is ready i.e. cooked, the cook should announce while standing, to the owner of the house 'it is ready' and the owner should reply 'it (food) is auspiciously ready, it is food that gives supremacy; may it not be lost.' If no vaiśvadeva is performed on any day, the householder had to fast the day and night (Gobhila-smṛti III. 120). Dakṣa II. 62 and Yama condemn to hell him who takes his own meal without offering vaiśvadeva, when he is not himself in distress or difficulty.¹⁷⁷⁶

v3.c38.21

¹⁷⁷⁴ आर्याः प्रयता वैश्वदेवेऽन्नसंस्कर्तारः स्युः । आर्याधिष्ठिता वा शूद्राः संस्कर्तारः । आप. ध. सू. II. 2. 3. 1 and 4.

v3.c38.22

¹⁷⁷⁵ यत्तु तेनोक्तं-आर्याधिष्ठिता ... ... संस्कर्तारः स्युः-इति तद्युगान्तरविषयम् । ब्राह्मणादिषु शूद्रस्य पचनादिक्रियापि न इति कलियुगनिषिद्धधर्मेषु मध्ये स्मरणात् । स्मृतिमु. (आह्निक p. 399).

v3.c38.23

¹⁷⁷⁶ अकृत्वा वैश्वदेवं तु यो भुङ्क्तेऽनापदि द्विजः। स मूढो नरकं याति कालसूत्रमवाक्शिराः॥ यम quoted in स्मृतिच० I. p. 213.

v3.c38.24

It has been stated above (p. 158) that the śūdra was to offer all the five yajñas without Vedic or Paurāṇic mantras, but only with the word 'namaḥ' and he was to use uncooked food for vaiśvadeva. Vide Yāj. I. 121 and the Mit. thereon and Āhnikaprakāśa, p. 401.

v3.c38.25

*Baliharaṇa* or *Bhūtayajña*:—Here also there is some divergence between the ancient gṛhya-sūtras and medieval and modern practice. The Āśv. gṛ. I. 2. 3-11 deals with this. The deities to whom bali (or part of the food taken out when performing vaiśvadeva) is offered are: to the same deities to whom the devayajña is offered as stated above, to the waters, to herbs and trees, to the house, to the domestic deities, to the deities of the ground (on which the house is built), to Indra and Indra's men, to Yama and Yama's men, to Varuṇa and Varuṇa's men, to Soma and Soma's men (these are offered in the several quarters¹⁷⁷⁷), to Brahman and Brahman's men in the middle, to the Viśve-devas, to all day-walking beings, to the Rakṣases—towards the north; *svadhā* to the pitṛs (Manes)—with these words he should pour out the remnant of the food to the south, while wearing the sacred thread suspended over the right shoulder. Āśv. adds that if *baliharaṇa* is performed by night then the words 'to all night-walking beings' are used instead of 'to all day-walking beings'.

v3.c38.26

¹⁷⁷⁷ इन्द्र, यम, वरुण and सोम are the presiding deities of the east, south, west and north respectively.

v3.c38.27

Gobhila gṛ. I. 4. 5-15, Pār. gṛ. II. 9 and other gṛhya sūtras, Āp. Dh. S. II. 2. 3. 15-II. 2. 4. 9, Gautama V. 10-15, differ considerably from the above in several respects. But for want of space no reference can be made to these differences.

v3.c38.28

In bhūtayajña, bali is to be¹⁷⁷⁸ offered not into fire but on the ground, which is to be wiped with the hand and sprinkled with water, and then the bali is to be put down and water is poured on it thereafter. *Vide* Āp. Dh. S. II. 2. 3. 15. The Āp. Dh. S. (II. 4. 9. 5-6) prescribes that one should make all including dogs and cāṇḍālas participators in the food cooked for vaiśvadeva and adds the view of some (which he disapproves) that one should not give food to the undeserving.¹⁷⁷⁹ Manu III. 87-93 says that after performing vaiśvadeva one should offer balis in all directions to Indra, Yama, Varuṇa, Soma and their followers, a bali to Maruts on the door, to waters a bali in water, a bali to the trees in mortar and pestle, a bali to Śrī on the top of the house, to Bhadrakālī at the foot of the house, to Brahmā and Vāstoṣpati in the midst of the house; a bali may be thrown up in the sky to Viśve Devas, to the day-walking beings (when baliharaṇa is done by day) and to night-walking beings (by night); a bali should be offered to the prosperity of all on the first floor¹⁷⁸⁰ and all the remaining portion of the food for balis should be offered to the manes towards the south; the householder should lightly (so that no dust will get mixed with it) offer on the ground some food to dogs, to outcasts, to cāṇḍālas, to those suffering from loathsome diseases (such as leprosy), to crows and insects. Yāj. I. 103 calls upon the householder to throw food to dogs, cāṇḍālas and crows on the ground.¹⁷⁸¹

v3.c38.29

¹⁷⁷⁸ बलीनां तस्य तस्य देशे संस्कारो हस्तेन परिसमूह्यावोक्ष्य न्युप्य पश्चात्परिषेचनम्। आप. ध. सू. II. 2. 3. 15; देवयज्ञहुतशेषेण शुचिदेशमभ्युक्ष्य तत्र कुर्यात्। स्मृत्यर्थसार p. 47.

v3.c38.30

¹⁷⁷⁹ सर्वान्वैश्वदेवे भागिनः कुर्वीताश्वचण्डालेभ्यः । नानर्हद्भ्यो दद्यादित्येके । आप. ध. सू. II. 4. 9. 5-6.

v3.c38.31

¹⁷⁸⁰ Some hold that bali is to be offered on the ground at the top (where the head lies) of the bed of the house-holder and at the other end of the bed. पृष्ठवास्तु in Manu III. 91 is explained by the गृहस्थरत्नाकर p. 279 as the latrine and privy at the back of the house.

v3.c38.32

¹⁷⁸¹ देवेभ्यश्च हुतादन्नाच्छेषाद्भूतबलिं हरेत् । अन्नं भूमौ श्वचाण्डालवायसेभ्यश्च निक्षिपेत् ॥ या. I. 103.

v3.c38.33

These directions to give food even to outcasts, dogs and birds were the outcome of the noble sentiment of universal kindliness and charity, the idea that One Spirit pervades and illumines the meanest of creatures and binds all together. The Śāṅ. gṛ. (II. 14)¹⁷⁸² winds up its vaiśvadeva section with this fine exhortation "let him throw food to dogs, to śvapacas (eaters of dog-flesh), to birds on the ground; let him eat nothing without having cut off a portion (to be offered as a bali); let him not eat alone, nor before others (relatives and guests), since the mantra says 'the fool gets food in vain' (Ṛg. X. 117. 6).' The Mahābhārata (Vanaparva II. 59) says that offering food to dogs, śvapacas and birds on the ground is known as vaiśvadeva, which is performed in the morning and evening. The same verse occurs at Anuśāsanaparva 97. 22-23. Aparārka p. 145 says that vaiśvadeva comprises all actions from the offering into fire oblations of food up to the throwing of food to dogs and the like in the morning and the evening.

v3.c38.34

¹⁷⁸² श्वभ्यः श्वपचेभ्यश्च वयोभ्यश्च वपेद् भुमाविति नानवसन्नीयान्नैको न पूर्वं मोघमन्नं विन्दते अप्रचेता इति । शां. गृ. II. 14. 22-26. Ṛg. X. 117. 6 is मोघमन्नं विन्दते अप्रचेताः सत्यं ब्रवीमि वध इत्स तस्य । नार्यमणं पुष्यति नो सखायं केवलाघो भवति केवलादी ॥. With the last quarter may be compared the भगवद्गीता III. 13 'भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात्।'. Vide also Manu III. 118 and Viṣṇu Dh. S. 67. 43 for the same idea.

v3.c38.35

In modern times the way in which balis are offered and their number are set out in the diagram below. The one drawn is for the morning baliharaṇa. For the evening one the only change necessary would be to put 'agnaye svāhā' (No. 1) in place of 'sūryāya svāhā' and 'naktam-cāribhyaḥ' for 'divā-cāribhyaḥ' in No. 27. The word 'svāhā' is not repeated in the diagram after each name¹⁷⁸³ for the sake of space. Manu III. 121 prescribes that bali is offered in the evening by the wife but without mantras (i. e. she is not to repeat the mantras) 'Indrāya svāhā' *&c.*, but only to contemplate on the several deities.

v3.c38.37

*Pitṛyajña* :—The word occurs in Ṛg. X. 16. 10, but its exact meaning is not certain. Pitṛyajña may be performed in either of three ways as stated above (on p. 700) viz. by tarpaṇa (Manu III. 70 and 283), or by performing baliharaṇa in which remnants of bali food are to be offered to the pitṛs (Manu III. 91 and Aśv. gṛ. I. 2. 11) or by performing śrāddha daily with food on inviting at least one brāhmaṇa for dinner (Manu III. 82-83). Śrāddhas will be dealt with later and the other two (tarpaṇa and baliharaṇa) have already been dealt with. In this daily śrāddha¹⁷⁸⁴ there is no offering of piṇḍas (balls of rice) and the several strict rules and procedure of the *pārvaṇa śrāddha* do not apply.

v3.c38.38

¹⁷⁸⁴ नित्यश्राद्धे तु गन्धाद्यैर्द्विजानभ्यर्च्य शक्तितः। सर्वान् पितृगणान् सम्यक् सहैवोद्दिश्य भोजयेत् । आवाहनं स्वधाकारं पिण्डाग्नौकरणादिकम् । ब्रह्मचर्यादि नियमो विश्वे देवास्तथैव च। नित्यश्राद्धे त्यजेदेतान्भोज्यमन्नं प्रकल्पयेत् । व्यास in स्मृतिमु. (आह्निक p. 402).

Linked texts (25)