History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.t1.16

v5.c73.t1.16

132–146, but adds that if it is not possible to secure such a brāhmaṇa then the next best course⁸⁶⁵ (‘anukalpa’) may be followed, viz. the performer may invite his own maternal grandfather, his maternal uncle, sister’s son, father-in-law, his teacher of the Veda, daughter’s son, son-in-law, a *bandhu* (such as mother’s sister’s son), wife’s brother or a *sagotra*, or his family priest, or his pupil. Similar provisions occur in Yāj I. 220, Kūrma (Uttarārdha 21. 20), Varāhapurāṇa 14. 3, Matsya 16. 10–11, Viṣṇupurāṇa III. 15. 2–4 (anukalpeṣvanantarān). But Manu is careful⁸⁶⁶ to point out in a later chapter that one who is able to observe the best course, but observes the second best does not reap other-worldly rewards by his actions. Even Āp. Dh. S.⁸⁶⁷ expressly says that if strangers do not possess the requisite qualifications, then even one’s full brother possessed of all the qualifications (as to Vedic learning, good conduct &c.) and pupils may be fed at a śrāddha. Baud. Dh. S. also allows even a sapiṇḍa to be fed.⁸⁶⁸ Gaut 15. 20 appears to be of the view that even pupils and *sagotras* may be invited when they are possessed of excellent qualities and strangers with good qualifications are not available. Even in these times very learned brāhmaṇas are unwilling to be fed at a śrāddha, particularly within a few years (three or five) from the death of the person for whose benefit the śrāddha is to be performed. Smṛtis attach a certain stigma to the fact of being the recipient of a śrāddha dinner and prāyaścittas are prescribed. For example, the Mit. on Yāj. III. 289 quotes several verses of Bhāradvāja, one of which says ‘If a brāhmaṇa dines at a pārvana śrāddha he has to perform six prāṇāyāmas (as expiation), if he dines at a śrāddha from the third month after a person’s death to one year, he has to undergo a fast; if he dines at a vṛddhiśrāddha, he has to perform three prāṇāyāmas, and a fast for a day and night if he dines at a sapiṇḍana śrāddha.’ The Mit. further quotes a verse from Dhaumya which prescribes Cāndrāyaṇa for dining at a śrāddha on the birth of a son or at sīmantonnayana, in a navaśrāddha etc. Vide also Nirṇayasindhu III, pp. 467-468 for prāyaścittas on eating śrāddha dinners. The Varāhapurāṇa (189. 12-13) provides that if a brāhmaṇa dies while the food offered to a *preta* is still in his stomach he dwells for a *kalpa* in a horrible hell, becomes a rākṣasa and then becomes free from the sin.