History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.t1.30

v5.c73.t1.30

These requirements of learning, character and good conduct would naturally make it incumbent on the performer of a śrāddha to inquire into the antecedents, qualities and defects of the brāhmaṇas to be invited. Manu and others lay down several rules about the testing of the brāhmaṇas to be invited. Manu III. 149, Viṣṇu Dh. S. 82. 1-2⁸⁷⁴, provide 'at an offering to the gods let a man not enquire into (the qualities of) a brāhmaṇa (when he wants to invite), but at a śrāddha offering to the Manes close inquiry (into qualities) is declared to be proper and just.' Manu III. 130 says that even if a brāhmaṇa be master of the Veda, one should enquire far (into his ancestry). The Vāyupurāṇa⁸⁷⁵ appears to provide that inquiry into (the qualifications of) brāhmaṇas should not be always undertaken when gifts are to be made, but enquiry is declared (necessary) in the case of rites for gods and Manes. The Anuśāsanaparva provides⁸⁷⁶ that in rites meant for gods a kṣatriya knowing the rules about gifts should not (closely) inquire into the qualifications of brāhmaṇas, but in rites for the gods and Manes such inquiry is quite proper. Vṛddha-Manu and the Matsya-purāṇa⁸⁷⁷ lay down that a brāhmaṇa's character is to be inquired into at the place where he resides for a long time, his purity by his acts and transactions with other people, his intelligence by discussion with him: with these three one should inquire whether the brāhmaṇa (to be invited) is a worthy person.