History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.t1.308

v5.c73.t1.308

As regards the mantra to be recited when offering each of the piṇḍas there is some divergence of views, which reaches far into antiquity. The piṇḍa¹⁰⁶⁶ is offered to each ancestor after stating his gotra, his relationship to the performer and name (all in the vocative). According to several writers the form of the presentation of the piṇḍa is 'this is for thee, O Father! N. N. (by name) and so and so by gotra.' In the Tai. S. I. 8.5 1, in the Āp. M. P. II. 20.13 and in some sūtras, the following is added 'and for those who follow thee' (ye ca tvām-anu)¹⁰⁶⁷ In the Gobhila-gṛhya IV. 36 and Khādiragṛhya the formula is still longer 'This piṇḍa is thine, O father! and of those who follow thee and of those whom thou followest.¹⁰⁶⁸ To thee, Svadhā!'. The Bhāradvāja¹⁰⁶⁹ gṛ. II. 12 introduces slight changes. It has been already noted above (n. 781) how the Śat. Br. disapproves of the usage of the Tai. S. in this matter, the reason being¹⁰⁷⁰ that when the son offers a piṇḍa to his father and employs the formula 'this is thine and of those that follow thee', he would be included among those that follow the father and be thus offering a piṇḍa to himself, which is inauspicious. It is provided by Gobhila-gṛhya¹⁰⁷¹ that if he does not know the names of his ancestors he should put down the first piṇḍa with the formula 'svadhā to the Fathers dwelling on the earth', (he should put down) the 2nd piṇḍa with the formula 'svadhā to the fathers dwelling in the air', the third with the formula 'svadhā to the Fathers dwelling in heaven' and should recite in a low voice the words 'Here, O Fathers, gladden yourselves, show your vigour each according to his own part.' Yama quoted by Kalpataru (on Śr. p 203), following Gobhila provides generally (whether the ancestors be known or not) that the first piṇḍa should be offered to the father with the expression 'pṛthivī', the second to the grandfather in the aerial regions and the third to the paternal great-grandfather with the mantra 'dyaur darvī'. The Viṣṇu Dh. S (73 17–19) has similar provisions, the mantras respectively being 'pṛthivī darvīrakṣitā', 'antarikṣam darvī-rakṣitā', 'dyaur-darvīrakṣitā'. Medhātithi on Manu III. 194 says (following Āśv. Śr and others) that if the names of the ancestors are not known he should simply say 'O Father, Grandfather' &c. If the gotra be not known then he should employ the gotra name Kaśyapa.¹⁰⁷²