History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.t1.51

v5.c73.t1.51

The Vas Dh. S. provides ⁸⁸⁹ that the performer should invite ascetics, house-holders, well conducted men, who are not very old &c. The Kūrmapurāṇa states ⁸⁹⁰ 'that man whose offering (of food) is eaten by a *yati* that knows the truth about *prakṛti* (primordial matter) and the *guṇas* (*sattva*, *rajas* and *tamas*) reaps the reward (merit) of feeding a thousand (other brāhmaṇas). Therefore one should feed in offerings to gods and manes an excellent *yogin* who is intent on true knowledge of God and others only if such a one is not available.' Similar verses about ascetics and yogins occur in Varāhapurāṇa 14. 50, Skanda (VI. 217. 7 ff) and Vāyupurāṇa⁸⁹¹ chap. 71. 65-73, chap. 76. 28 &c. Bṛhaspati provides⁸⁹² a special rule that, if a person cannot afford to feed at a śrāddha more than one brāhmaṇa, then he should feed one who has studied the Sāmaveda, since in him all the three viz. Ṛks, the Yajus and Sāmans co-exist, that the father is pleased by Ṛks (i. e. by the feeding of a brāhmaṇa who has studied the Ṛgveda), the grand-father by Yajus, the great-grand-father by a Sāman and a *chandoga* (a chanter of the whole of Sāmaveda) is superior. A verse of Śātātapa is⁸⁹³ quoted to the effect that if a student of the Atharvaveda is fed in a rite for the gods or manes, that yields endless and inexhaustible rewards.