History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.1107

v4.c63.1107

This shows that there was an option either to remain joint after the father's death or to become separate. Śaṅkha-Likhita say that brothers may stay together since being united they will prosper (materially).¹⁰⁷³ Bṛ. provides that in the case of members of a joint family that live together and have a common kitchen the worship of gods, Manes and brāhmaṇas is single for all, while when they become separate such worship will be separately carried on in each house.¹⁰⁷⁴ Nār. (dāyabhāga 37) lays down that when brothers are undivided the performance of religious acts is single for all of them but when there is a partition, the religious acts are separately performed by each. Dharma means here mainly such religious acts as the performance¹⁰⁷⁵ of the five great daily sacrifices (*pañca mahāyajñas*). When the family is joint, worship of gods, Vaiśvadeva, honouring of family guests are only single for the whole family and all participate in the spiritual benefits derived from such acts, but when the members become separate, each performs these religious acts separately. Manu III. 67 lays down that each householder has to perform with the *gṛhya* fire kindled at the time of marriage all gṛhya rites such as morning and evening offerings, the five great sacrifices and the daily cooking of food. The Saṅgraha seems to have held that *dharma* refers to the performance of *agnihotra*, but the Sm. C. II. p. 259 and V. P. (437-438) do not accept this and hold that even when joint any coparcener can perform all śrauta and smārta rites like agnihotra with the help of the undivided joint estate and so *dharma* means only the worship of gods and Manes and the honouring of guests. Vyāsa¹⁰⁷⁶ also has a verse similar to Nār. and Bṛ.