History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c43.25

v3.c43.25

One important word that deserves consideration in the subject of dāna is *iṣṭāpūrta*. That word has a high antiquity. It occurs in the Ṛgveda and the sense seems to be ‘the cumulative spiritual result or merit due to a man's performance of sacrifices and charitable acts’. Ṛg. X. 14. 8 is addressed to one recently¹⁹⁸⁹ dead ‘may you join the pitṛs, may you be united with Yama, and with your *iṣṭāpūrta* in the highest heaven’. The word, though employed in the singular (probably as a samāhāra-dvandva compound), consists of two parts, iṣṭa (what is sacrificed) and pūrta (what is filled). In the Atharvaveda also the word occurs, ‘may the iṣṭāpūrta of our ancestors save us (from our enemy); I seize yonder (man or enemy) with divine wrath’ (II. 12. 4). Vide also Atharvaveda III. 29. 1. Sometimes the two components are employed separately or in the dual when compounded. The Tai. S. V. 7. 7. 1-3 has the interesting observation¹⁹⁹⁰ ‘when he comes by the Devayāna paths, then make ye his iṣṭāpūrta manifest to him; whatever sacrifice was offered, whatever was handed over, whatever was given and the dakṣiṇā offered, may Agni present in all actions place all that in heaven among the gods for us.’ The Tai. Br. II. 5. 5 says¹⁹⁹¹ ‘may Iṣṭa and pūrta last for endless years; having sacrificed with an offering that is ever-lasting, a man ascended to the highest and ever-lasting world ' and Tai. Br. III. 9. 14 remarks "the brāhmaṇa should sing 'you made gifts, you performed sacrifices, you cooked food (for serving to others).' Indeed iṣṭāpūrta belongs to a brāhmaṇa; he makes him (the king) prosper by iṣṭāpūrta." The Vāj. S. XV. 54 says 'O fire, may you be awake (or kindled), may you be watchful for us; join with iṣṭāpūrta (the sacrificer) and him with his iṣṭāpūrta.' The Kaṭhopaniṣad I. 1. 8 states that when a brāhmaṇa guest is allowed to stay in a house without being served with food he destroys the iṣṭāpūrta, the issue and the cattle of the householder. The Muṇḍaka Up. I. 2. 10 condemns those who regard iṣṭāpūrta as the highest and do not hold that there is anything higher than that and states that they have to come down to this world or to a lower world again after enjoying the blessings of Heaven.