History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t2.887

v4.c63.t2.887

26. 'Offering (of food) to another that remains after one has partaken of it' (l. 20). In the Madhuparka the honoured guest used to partake of a part of the offering of honey, milk and curds and was to give the remainder to a brāhmaṇa (or a son or a younger brother). This is prohibited by this Kalivarjya text. Vide H. of Dh. vol. II. p. 544 for this practice. Āp. Dh. S. (I. 1. 4. 1-6) provides that the pupil may partake of the leavings of his teacher's food, but the teacher should not give him honey or meat or other food which will be opposed to the observances of a vedic student. The Nirṇayasindhu reads 'uddiṣṭasyāpi varjanam'¹⁸⁴¹, which means 'not accepting what has been donated.' Yāj. I. 213 says that if a person worthy of accepting a gift does not keep it for himself (but passes it on to others), he secures the highest worlds obtained by those who make generous gifts. Bhaṭṭoji gives another explanation. Vas (14. 21) forbids a man to eat the remnants of his own food or to eat food that comes in contact with the leavings of food. This Kalivarjya text sets aside for the Kali age the prohibition contained in Vas. 14. 21 (acc. to Bhaṭṭoji). The K. V. N. (folio 10 a) states that this is the explanation given by some, but does not approve of it. The Sm. Kau. gives yet another but extremely far-fetched explanation.¹⁸⁴² These several explanations of the same half verse indicate how some of the Kalivarjya texts are comparatively recent and have no settled meaning even according to comparatively late writers of digests.