History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.t1.12.3

v5.c73.t1.12.3

one who has studied the Veda with its *aṅgas*; one who knows Sāṅkhya, Yoga, Upaniṣads and Dharmaśāstra; a śrotriya, a trināciketa, trimadhu, trisuparṇaka and one that has studied Jyeṣṭhasāman; one who has studied Sāṅkhya, Yoga, Upaniṣads and Dharmaśāstra; who is devoted to Veda; who always keeps sacred fires; who is obedient to his parents and devoted to Dharmaśāstra. Similar rules are laid down by Viṣṇu Dh. S 83, Bṛhat-Parāśara p. 150, Vṛddha-Gautama p. 581, Prajāpati verses 70–72, Laghu-Śātātapa verses 99–100, Auśanasasmṛti (Jīv. vol. I, pp. 523–524). As Medhātithi⁸⁶⁴ on Manu III. 147 says the gist of all these passages is that a learned brāhmaṇa who has studied the Veda, whose conduct is good, whose family is famous, who is the son of a śrotriya father and who is not related to the performer must be invited and all the rest is mere arthavāda (by way of eulogy). Manu (III. 128) laid down two propositions viz. all food offered as sacrifice to the gods and manes must be given only to a brāhmaṇa who studies the Veda and that whatever is presented to the most worthy brāhmaṇa (among brāhmaṇas studying the Veda) brings in the greatest rewards. Then Manu (III. 183) declares that *paṅktipāvana* brāhmaṇas are those that sanctify a row of diners among whom sit some who are tainted by (latent) blemishes that make them unfit to be among the diners. Then Manu (III. 184–186) gives examples of paṅktipāvana brāhmaṇas viz.