History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.41

v5.c73.41

The Kauśika-sūtra (1. 9-23) neatly collects in one place the difference in the procedure of the rites meant for gods and for pitṛs. The performer of rites for gods wears the sacred thread on the left shoulder and under the right armpit, while in the case of the rites for pitṛs it is worn on the right shoulder and under the left arm; the rite for gods is either begun facing the east or north, while that for the pitṛs is begun facing the south; the rite for gods is finished in the north-east (or north or east), while that for the *pitṛs* is completed in the south-west; an action is done only once for *pitṛs*, while for gods at least thrice or as many times as the texts direct; in going round (perambulating) the right side is turned towards gods and the left one in the case of *pitṛs*; offerings are made to gods with the words '*svāhā*' and '*vaṣaṭ*', while they are made to pitṛs with '*svadhā*' and 'namaskāra'; the darbhas employed in rites for Fathers are those that are taken out from the earth with their roots, while for gods darbhas used are cut a little above the roots. The Baud. Śr. II. 2. also mentions some of these in one place.⁷⁷⁷ The Ṛgveda itself (in X. 14. 3 'svāhānye svadhayānye madanti') marks this distinction in the words employed at the offerings to Gods and *Pitṛs*. The Śat. Br. (II. 1. 3. 4 and II. 1. 4. 9) speaks of the gods as immortal and of the Fathers as mortal.