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History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c48.s1: Piṇḍapitṛyajña

History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c48.s1

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Piṇḍapitṛyajña

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It is so called because balls of rice are offered to the pitṛs²⁴²⁸ in this rite. According to Jaimini IV. 4. 19-21 Piṇḍapitṛyajña is an independent rite and not a mere subordinate part of the darśa sacrifice. On the other hand several writers held that it was a subordinate part (aṅga) of darśa e. g. Kāt. IV. 1. 30 appears to be of that opinion and the paddhati on it notes that all bhāṣyakāras like Karka stick to that opinion.²⁴²⁹ The piṇḍapitṛyajña is briefly described below. For details, vide Śat. Br. II. 4. 2, Tai. Br. I. 3. 10, II. 6. 16, Āśv. II. 6-7, Āp. I. 7-10, Kāt. IV. 1. 1-30, Sat. II. 7, Baud. III. 10-11. It is performed on amāvāsyā day when the moon cannot be seen and its distance from the sun is the least, in the last third part of the day or when only the rays of the sun are visible on the tops of trees.²⁴³⁰ The caru (boiled rice) is cooked on the dakṣiṇāgni and the oblation is offered in the same. In this and other ways a contrast is brought out between rites for gods and for Manes. He kindles a blade on the dakṣiṇa fire and carries it to the south-east of that fire with the mantra 'ye rūpāṇi &c.' (Vāj. S. II. 30 ).²⁴³¹ All actions are to be done facing the south-east unless otherwise specified. The darbha grass (to be employed in this rite) is severed at one stroke and is brought with or without its roots (Āp. I. 7. 3-4).

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Strewing round the dakṣiṇāgni darbha grass (*paristaraṇa*) with their ends turned to the south in the case of those that are placed to the north or south he spreads darbhas to the north. He places to the north-east or to the north-west of the dakṣiṇāgni singly the yajñapātras required in this rite on darbha grass viz. carusthālī, śūrpa, sphya, mortar and pestle, sruva, dhruvā, antelope-skin, fuel-sticks cut off at one stroke, mekṣaṇa, kamaṇḍalu, and whatever else may be necessary. The adhvaryu going to the south of the śakaṭa (the wooden frame on which the paddy is stored and which is to the west of the fire) fills the carusthālī (vessel for cooking rice) that is placed on the śūrpa with paddy to the brim and removes the grains (that rise above the brim) on to the śūrpa (which overflowing grains are returned to the śakaṭa). The mortar is then placed on the black antelope-skin and the wife with her face to the south-east beats with the pestle the paddy grains taken out in the carusthālī and removes the husks by means of the winnowing basket. Without trying to separate the husked grains from the unhusked ones the grains are washed once and cooked on the dakṣiṇa fire (in such a way that the grains of rice are not entirely soft). He should draw with the sphya a line between the gārhapatya and dakṣiṇa fires or to the south-east of the latter with the words 'the asuras and evil-spirits that occupy the vedi are scattered away' (Vāj. S. II. 29 quoted in Śat. II. 7. p. 249 and Āp. I.

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7. 13). He should then sprinkle that line (as the vedi for this rite) with water, spread round it the darbha grass (cut off with one stroke), take clarified butter in the dhruvā spoon, place it to the south of the dakṣiṇāgni, sprinkle on the mess of cooked rice clarified butter from the dhruvā. He places to the south of the dakṣiṇāgni, collyrium, unguents, a mat and a pillow. Wearing the sacred thread in the prācīnāvīta form (according to Āp. I. 8. 3 and Śat. II. 7. p. 248 the adhvaryu wears it in the upavīta form) he offers on the fire the idhma (i. e. fifteen fuel-sticks), takes a portion of the boiled rice with the mekṣaṇa, pours clarified butter over it, cuts off two portions of the rice on it, again sprinkles clarified butter over²⁴³² the portions and the rice from which they are taken, offers into the dakṣiṇa fire one *āhuti* (oblation) with the words 'Somāya pitṛmate svadhā namaḥ', then again sprinkles clarified butter on the portion cut off and offers it with the words 'Agnaye kavyavāhanāya svadhā namaḥ'. He²⁴³³ then throws the mekṣaṇa on to the fire. Then on the line made with the sphya he sprinkles water thrice²⁴³⁴ with the mantras 'Śundhantāṁ pitaraḥ, śundhantāṁ pitāmahāḥ, śundhantāṁ prapitāmahāḥ' (may the fathers, grand-fathers and great-grand-fathers wash themselves pure). He offers three balls of rice on that line one after another with the hand turned sideways (i. e.

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the piṇḍa is let off on the line from the part of the palm between the thumb and the index finger) with appropriate mantras, the first to the father with the words 'this is for you father,²⁴³⁵ N. N. and those who come after you', to the grand-father with the words 'this is for you grand-father &c.', to the great-grandfather with similar words. The piṇḍa (ball of rice) for the great-grandfather is the biggest of the three, that for the grand-father being larger than that for the father. There was a difference of view among the teachers as to the procedure when any of the three ancestors was living, Gāṇagāri holding that piṇḍas were offered only to the deceased ancestors and he who was living was only honoured, while Taulvali said that piṇḍas were to be offered to three ancestors whether living or dead and Gautama stating that if any ancestor out of the first three above the sacrificer was alive, three piṇḍas were to be offered and an ancestor beyond the great-grand-father may then be included. Āśv. (II. 6. 20-23) refutes all these views by saying that no piṇḍa can be offered to any ancestor beyond the great-grand-father and none to those who are alive nor to any ancestor between whom and a preceding ancestor a living ancestor intervenes, but that the piṇḍas meant for ancestors that are alive may be thrown into fire (with *svāhā* at the end and not *svadhā*). According to Āp. I. 9. 8 and Sat. p.

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252 if the householder's father be living he should not offer piṇḍas but should stop after he performs the homa. If he has²⁴³⁶ two fathers or grand-fathers or great-grand-fathers (owing to adoption or *niyoga*) he should take two names with reference to the piṇḍa offered to that ancestor. When the piṇḍas are placed on the line referred to above he invokes the piṇḍas with a formula 'Here you may regale yourselves, O pitṛs and may you partake according to your shares' (Vāj. S. II. 31).²⁴³⁷ Then he turns round and faces the north, sits down holding his breath till he feels exhausted, then again turns round and faces the piṇḍas and utters the invocation 'the pitṛs have regaled themselves and have partaken according to their shares' (Vāj. S. II. 31). He smells the boiled rice. Then he again offers water (*ninayana*) with the words 'Śundhantām &c.', (vide above p. 1087) on the line made with the sphya, he puts on the three piṇḍas one after another the unguents and collyrium respectively with the words 'asau abhyaṅkṣva' (you by name so and so father &c. apply the unguents) and 'asau aṅkṣva' (you so and so father, &c. put the collyrium in the eye). He should then place as garment on each of the piṇḍas the hem of a garment (daśā) or woolen tuft or a hair from his own body (the part above navel) if he is beyond fifty years of age with the words 'O pitṛs, this is the garment for you, may you not come in contact with any other (garment) than this' (Āśv. II. 7. 6).

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Then he should wait upon the pitṛs with salutation and mutter the mantra 'salutation to you, Pitṛs, for (securing) food, salutation to you, Pitṛs, for strength' &c. ²⁴³⁸ and also the three verses 'manonvāhuvāmahe' (Ṛg. X. 57. 3-5).²⁴³⁹ He should then make the pitṛs start forward on a stream of water (i. e. by pouring water on the piṇḍas) with the mantra 'O well-disposed pitṛs! May you depart away by the ancient and awe-inspiring paths, after bestowing on us wealth and welfare. May you send down to us prosperity including all manly sons' (vide Tai. S. I. 8. 5. 2 for first half). He should walk a little towards the dakṣiṇāgni with the verse Ṛg. IV. 10. 1 and then towards the gārhapatya with the mantra 'May the gārhapatya fire deliver me from whatever sin I may have committed against Heaven and Earth, or parents and may the same fire make me sinless' (Tai. S. I. 8. 5. 3). He should take hold of the middle piṇḍa with the words 'O pitṛs! bestow on me a valiant (son)' and should make his wife eat that ball of rice with the mantra ²⁴⁴⁰ 'O pitṛs! may you deposit an embryo that will be a young boy wearing a lotus wreath, so that he may be unhurt' (compare Vāj. S. II. 33). The other two piṇḍas may be thrown into water or fire or a person who has recently lost all appetite for food may eat the two or one who is harassed by some incurable disease (such as leprosy or tuberculosis) may eat them, the result being that he is either cured or dies. Kāt. IV. 1.

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20 adds that the adhvaryu collects the piṇḍas in a pot and the house-holder bends down and takes the smell thereof.²⁴⁴¹ Then the darbha blades taken out with one stroke are thrown into the fire, the utensils are sprinkled with water and then taken up in twos and laid aside.

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²⁴²⁸ अमावास्यायां यदहश्चन्द्रमसं न पश्यन्ति तदहः पिण्डपितृयज्ञं कुरुते । आप. I. 7. 1-2. रुद्रदत्त explains 'पिण्डैः पितॄणां यज्ञः'; महादेव on सत्याषाढ says 'पिण्डैः पिण्डदानेन सहितः पितृभ्यो देवेभ्यो यज्ञो होमः स पिण्डपितृयज्ञः'—II. 7. p. 245.

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²⁴²⁹ पितृयज्ञः स्वकालत्वादनङ्गं स्यात् । जै. IV. 4. 19; अङ्गं वा समभिव्याहारात् । कात्या. IV. 1. 30 (पद्धति 'पिण्डपितृयज्ञो दर्शाङ्गमिति कर्कादयः सर्वे भाष्यकाराः, नेति संप्रदायः' ). Vide त्रिकाण्डमण्डन I. 5-6 on the varying views.

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²⁴³⁰ पूर्वाह्नो वै देवानां मध्यन्दिनो मनुष्याणामपराह्नः पितृणाम् । शतपथ II. 4. 2. 8; अपराह्ने पिण्डपितृयज्ञश्वन्द्रादर्शनेऽमावास्यायाम् । कात्या. IV. 1. 1; अपराह्नेऽधिवृक्षसूर्ये वा पिण्डपितृयज्ञेन चरन्ति । आप. I. 7. 2, Sat. II. 7. p. 248.

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²⁴³¹ Aśv. II. 6. 3, Āp. I. 8. 7 set out the whole verse ये रूपाणि.

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²⁴³² In the case of this offering there is उपस्तरण, then द्विरवदान, अभिघारण (and प्रत्यभिघारण) as in the case of oblations to gods.

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²⁴³³ Āp. I. 8. 3-4 and Śat. II. 7. p. 248 (following Tai. Br. I. 3. 10) speak of three āhutis 'सोमाय पितृपीताय स्वधा नमः', 'यमायाङ्गिरस्वते पितुमते स्वधा नमः', अग्नये कव्यवाहनाय स्वधा नमः'. Śat. adds स्विष्टकृते after कव्यवाहनाय and states that the third āhuti consists of the boiled grains of rice sticking to the mekṣaṇa. For the first and third vide Vāj. S. II. 29.

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²⁴³⁴ Āp I. 8. 9 notes that all actions from this onwards are done by the house-holder himself who wears his sacred thread in the prācīnāvīta form.

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²⁴³⁵ The words would be एतत्ते तत अमुकशर्मन् ये च त्वामन्व् एतत्ते पितामह अमुकशर्मन् &c. Some added अमुकगोत्र after अमुकशर्मन्, but the com. on Sat. II. 7. p. 251 says that it is wrong.

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²⁴³⁶ यदि द्विपिता स्यादेकैकस्मिन्पिण्डे द्वौ द्वावुपलक्षयेत्। आप. I. 9. 7 and Sat. II. 7. p. 251. Then the formula will be एतद्वां ततौ (पितामहौ प्रपितामहौ वा) अमुकनामानौ ये च युवामन्व्.

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²⁴³⁷ In the तै. सं. I. 8. 5. 1-2 the words here and elsewhere are slightly different viz. एतत्ते तत ये च त्वामन्व् एतत्ते पितामह प्रपितामह ये च त्वामन्वत्र पितरो यथाभागं मन्दध्वम्। ...... अक्षन् पितरोऽमीमदन्त पितरोऽतीतृपन्त पितरोऽमीमृजन्त पितरः। The शतपथ II. 4. 2. 20 explains आवृषायध्वम् as 'अश्नीत'.

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²⁴³⁸ अथैनानुपतिष्ठेत नमो वः पितर इषे नमो वः पितर ऊर्जे नमो वः पितरः शुष्माय नमो वः पितरोऽघोराय नमो वः पितरो जीवाय नमो वः पितरो रसाय । स्वधा वः पितरो नमो वः पितरो नम एता युष्माकं पितर इमा अस्माकं जीवा वो जीवन्त इह सन्तः स्याम । आश्व. II. 7. 7; compare आप. I. 10. 2 and कात्या. IV. 1. 15 for the same rule. वाज. सं. II. 32 contains the mantra with some variations.

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²⁴³⁹ Each of the three verses (Ṛg. X. 57. 3-5) and Tai. S. I. 8. 5. 2-3 contains the word '*manas*' and hence they are called '*manasvatī*' verses. Vide Āp. I. 10. 5.

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²⁴⁴⁰ पत्नीं प्राशयेदाधत्त पितरो गर्भ कुमारं पुष्करस्रजम् । यथायमरपा असत् ॥ आश्व. II. 7. 13. The Vāj. S. II. 33 reads यथेष पुरुषो असत् (which is also read by Āp. I. 10. 11). The mantra आधत्त पितरो is recited by the wife, according to Nārāyaṇa on Āśv. II. 7. 13. If there are many wives they may divide the piṇḍa (com. on Kāt. IV. 1. 22).

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²⁴⁴¹ अथावजिघ्रति प्रत्यवधाय पिण्डाम्स यजमानभागः। शतपथब्रा. II. 4. 2. 24.

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A householder who had not consecrated the three vedic fires also had to perform the piṇḍa-pitṛ-yajña on amāvāsyā, but he offered it in the gṛhya fire. Vide Āśv. Śr. II. 7. 18, Saṁ. K. p. 838 ff, Saṁ. Pr. 908 ff. Gaut. V. 5 prescribes that a house-holder should at least daily offer water to the pitṛs and do more (i. e. offering food &c.) according to his ability and inclination. Manu II. 176 prescribes daily pitṛ-tarpaṇa (satiating the pitṛs with water), for which see pp. 668-69.

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