History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.t1.323

v5.c73.t1.323

About the final disposal (*pratipatti*) of the piṇḍas several views were entertained. We have already seen (note 780) that the Vāj. S. and several sūtras provided that the middle one of the three piṇḍas for paternal ancestors was to be eaten by the wife of the performer of the śrāddha if she was desirous of a son. Manu (III. 262–263) provides that the *dharmapatnī* (i. e. a wife of the same varṇa and married before any other wife) should eat the middle piṇḍa with the mantra ‘ādhatta pitaro garbham’ (q. in n. 780) and then she gives birth to a son who lives long, secures fame, is intelligent and obtains wealth and progeny and who is of a good and righteous turn of mind. The same rule is provided for by the Laghu-Āśvalāyana 23.83, the Kūrma II. 2. 71, 76, Matsya 16.52, Vāyu 76.31, Viṣṇudharmottara I. 171 8, 220. 149, Padma (sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa 9.121) and other purāṇas. As regards piṇḍas in general, the Āśv. Śr. (II. 7. 14–17) says that the other two piṇḍas (except the middle one) should be cast into water or in fire or they may be eaten by a brāhmaṇa who has suddenly developed a distaste for food or they may be partaken by one who has been suffering from a serious disease (such as tuberculosis or leprosy) and that in the latter case the man either recovers or dies. The Gobhila-gṛ. (IV. 3. 31–34) provides that the piṇḍas should be thrown into water or in fire or should be given to a brāhmaṇa or a cow to eat. Manu (III. 260–261) says the same and adds that they may be given to a goat for eating and that some allow them to be devoured by birds Yāj. I. 257, Matsya 16.52-53, and Padma¹⁰⁷⁹ mention the same five ways of disposal but the last adds one more viz. placing them near a mound of earth. The Varāhapurāṇa¹⁰⁸⁰ (190.121) says that the performer may eat the first piṇḍa himself, he should give the middle to his wife and the third he should cast into water. The Anuśāsanaparva (125.25.26) provides that the first and the third should be thrown into water or fire and the middle piṇḍa should be eaten by the wife. It is provided by Bṛhaspati that if the wife is suffering from a disease or is already pregnant or is staying in some other place, then an old bull or a goat may eat the middle piṇḍa (quoted by Sm. C. on Śr. p. 486, Kalpataru on Śr p 224). The Viṣṇudharmottara (I. 141. 8) prescribes that when a śrāddha is performed at a tīrtha, the piṇḍas should be cast into the sacred water. The Anuśāsanaparva 125. 38-40 and some of the purāṇas such as Vāyu (76 32-34) and Brahma (220 150-152) provide that certain consequences follow from the disposal of piṇḍas in one way or another viz. the best worlds by giving piṇḍas to cows, intellect and fame from casting into water, long life from offering them to birds &c. Vide also Brahmāṇḍa (upodghāta, chap. 12. 31-35) which provides that if given to cows the result is best complexion, if to cocks then delicacy, long life if given crows In this connection it should be noted that piṇḍas of rice or of flour were not to be offered in all śrāddhas. The Śrāddha-kalpalatā (pp. 86-89) has a long discussion about the śrāddhas in which the offering of piṇḍas of food is forbidden. For example, it quotes Pulastya to the effect that in śrāddhas performed on the two *ayana* days, on the two equinoctial days, on any saṅkrānti, no piṇḍas are to be offered, so also in śrāddhas on Ekādaśī, Trayodaśī, on Maghā and Kṛttikā nakṣatras, if a man desires to have sons and wealth.