History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c93.559

v7.c93.559

The sixth adhyāya of PMS is a very interesting one. It deals with the various aspects of the question of adhikāra, that is, qualifications of the performer of a sacrifice. It is a very extensive chapter having eight pādas like chap. III and X A few of the numerous propositions contained therein that have influenced the works on Dharmśāstra have already been set out, such as women's right to participate in Vedic sacrifices, śūdra's ineligibility for them, the rathakāranyāya and niṣādasthapatinẏāya and a few more will be dealt with here. As a preliminary Jaimini establishes (in P. M. S VI. 1. 1-3) that in such texts as 'one desirous of heaven should offer the Darśapūrṇamāsa sacrifice or one should offer the Jyotiṣṭoma sacrifice' the Veda prescribes yāga for one who desires heaven i e heaven is the principal (or predominant) factor while yāga is subsidiary or subordinate; thereby it follows that the Vedic text lays down the characteristics of the performer. The Tūptīkā says that¹²⁶⁷ 'adhikārī is the owner (or master) who stands above all actions (yāga).' Another more elaborate definition is given as 'adhikārī is one who desires some reward (such as heaven or happiness), who is possessed of the capacity to perform the act prescribed, who has learning and who is not excluded from performing a sacrifice (by Śruti)'. Even lower animals desire happiness; hence to exclude them the words 'possessed of the capacity' &c. are added. A man may be totally ignorant and so the word 'vidvān' is added; a śūdra may desire happiness, may have capacity and be also learned but he is excluded by the vedic text, 'Therefore the Śūdra is not fit (or ordained) for sacrifice'.