History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c40.108

v3.c40.108

The next question is whose food may be taken. Great fluctuations have occurred in the usages during the last two thousand years or more in this matter. Gaut. 17. 1 says 'a brāhmaṇa may eat at the houses of all *dvijātis* (the three higher *varṇas*) who are well-known to be performing the peculiar duties of their *varṇa* or *āśrama.*' Gaut. 2. 41, Baud. Dh. S. I. 2. 18-19, Āp. Dh. S. I. 1. 3. 25 allow a brahmacārin to beg for food at the houses of men of all *varṇas*, except those who are *apapātra* and *abhiśasta* (suspected of mahāpātakas). Āp. Dh. S. I. 6. 18. 9 first prescribes for a brāhmaṇa who has returned from his teacher's house that he should not eat in the houses of the kṣatriya and other *varṇas* (as a general rule), then he gives the opinion of some that he may take food from members of all *varṇas* except śūdras, provided they abide by the rules for their *varṇa*. He also notices that even śūdra's food may be eaten if he serves a *dvijāti* in virtue of his duty to do so. Even Veda-Vyāsa III. 56 expressly declares that all *dvijātis* who know each other's families may partake of food at each other's houses.¹⁸⁸⁴ Āp. Dh. S. I. 6. 19. 2-12 raises the question as to whose food may be eaten and names several sages who differed in their views. Kaṇva said that one may eat the food of only him who wishes to give (and so requests), Kautsa thought that one may eat the food of him only who is holy (*puṇya*); Vārṣyāyaṇi said that one may accept from whoever is liberal enough to give; Eka, Kuṇika, Kāṇva, Kutsa and Puṣkarasādi held that alms (food) offered by a pure man may be eaten; Vārṣyāyaṇi said what is offered by any body without asking may be accepted; according to Hārīta one should not accept food which is offered after an express previous announcement 'I shall give you such and such a kind of food.' Āpastamba's own view appears to have been (I. 6. 19. 9-11) that one should accept the food of him whose conduct is religious and who desires to offer food, that one should not accept the food even of a righteous man if he shows even the slightest unwillingness to give and that whatever is offered unasked may be accepted. These directions are rather vague.