History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.t1.26

v5.c73.t1.26

The Matsyapurāṇa (16. 11-12) recommends ‘He who expounds (the meaning of) texts; he who enters upon the discussion of śrauta sacrifices and he who knows the rules about the accents of sāmans is a purifier of *paṅktipāvanas*; one proficient in the Sāmaveda, a Vedic student, one endowed with knowledge of the Veda or of Brahma—where these are fed in a śrāddha it yields the highest benefit.’⁸⁷¹ Though in the above passages the greatest emphasis was laid on the possession of Vedic learning by the brāhmaṇas to be fed, one had also to see whether they were men of good character and observers of the rules of proper conduct, as provided by Āśv. Gṛ. IV. 7. 2 (note 862), Gaut. 15.9 and Manu II. 118 who says ‘a brāhmaṇa⁸⁷² knowing only the sacred Gāyatrī but living a well-regulated life is to be preferred and not one who knows the three Vedas but who is not well-regulated in conduct and who eats anything (even forbidden food) and who is a vendor of everything.’ The Skandapurāṇa VI. 217. 27 recommends that one should make every effort to know the family of the brāhmaṇas, then their character (śīla), then their age and then the facts about whom they marry or to whom they give their daughters in marriage. The Brahmāṇḍa (Upodghāta, chap 15) says that there should be no scrutiny of a brāhmaṇa about whom nothing is known because *siddhas* (yogins) roam about on the earth in the form of brāhmaṇas. But if faults in a brāhmaṇa are easily seen or if one knows his disqualifications on account of one’s dwelling near him, he should not be invited (verses 5–6). The same Purāṇa (Upodghāta 15. 24–26) arranges the orders of preference as follows· first yati (ascetic), then a brāhmaṇa who knows the four Vedas and itihāsa, then one who knows three Vedas, then one who knows two, then one who knows one Veda, then one who is an *upādhyāya*. Hemādri (on śrāddha p. 443) quotes the Agni-purāṇa⁸⁷³ as follows: ‘what is the use of (birth in a) famous family if the man is himself devoid of good conduct? Are not insects found in fragrant flowers?' Jātūkarṇya says 'one should not honour even with a word (much less with food &c.) in rites for gods and Manes bad brāhmaṇas void of good conduct, even though they be endowed with learning and be born in a good family.' This insistence on worth was due to the conception that *pitṛs* assuming an aerial form enter brāhmaṇas at the time of śrāddha. Vide Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Upodghātapāda 11. 49).