Verse 3.204

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

तेषामारक्षभूतं तु पूर्वं दैवं नियोजयेत् ।
रक्षांसि विप्रलुम्पन्ति श्राद्धमारक्षवर्जितम् ॥ २०४ ॥

teṣāmārakṣabhūtaṃ tu pūrvaṃ daivaṃ niyojayet |
rakṣāṃsi vipralumpanti śrāddhamārakṣavarjitam || 204 ||

One should first engage the Brāhmaṇa in honour of the gods, as a protection to these (offerings to) Pitṛs; for the Rākṣasas take away the śrāddha that is devoid of protection.—(204)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

‘Ārakṣa’ is the same as ‘rakṣā;’ and that which has reached that is called ‘ārakṣabhūtam;’ i.e., that which serves the purpose of protecting.

Or, the term ‘bhūtam’ may be taken as connoting similitude; in which case, the meaning is—‘which is, as it were, a protection.’

Because it is so, therefore ‘one should first engage’—invite—‘the Brāhmaṇa in honour of the gods’— and make him sit upon a proper seat.

The rest of the verse is a purely laudatory description.

‘Rākṣasas;’—certain invisible beings, described in Itihāsas—‘take away’—the Śrāddha—from the Pitṛs.

“Who are the gods, in honour of whom the Brāhmaṇa is to be invited?”

In the Gṛhyasūtra, we find the mantra—‘We invite the Viśvedevas, &c.’—as the one to be used; from which it follows that the Viśvedevas are the gods. In the Purāṇas also it is said—‘The Śruti says that it is Viśvedevas.’—(204)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 476), which explains ‘ārakṣa’ as equivalent to ‘rakṣaṇa’;—in Gadādharapaddhati (Kāla, p. 426), which explains ‘ārakṣabhūtam,’ as some little (not complete) safeguard;—and in Śrāddhakriyākaumudī (p. 54) as indicating the importance of Daiva Śrāddha.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Laghu-Āśvalāyana (23.27).—‘Having, in the prescribed manner, worshipped the gods, he shall, with their permission, perform the worship of the Pitṛs, in the Apasavya form.’

Dharma (Aparārka, p. 476).—‘Having seated the Gods, and then the Pitṛs.’