Verse 3.130

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

दूरादेव परीक्षेत ब्राह्मणं वेदपारगम् ।
तीर्थं तद् हव्यकव्यानां प्रदाने सोऽतिथिः स्मृतः ॥ १३० ॥

dūrādeva parīkṣeta brāhmaṇaṃ vedapāragam |
tīrthaṃ tad havyakavyānāṃ pradāne so'tithiḥ smṛtaḥ || 130 ||

From far off one should examine the Brāhmaṇa thoroughly versed in the Veda; such a one is the proper channel for offerings to gods and Pitṛ and in the matter of gifts he has been declared to be the guest.—(130)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

One is not to be fed simply because he is thoroughly versed in the Veda; in fact, he should be examined ‘from far off;’ i.e., one should carefully ascertain the purity of his father’s and mother’s families. It has been declared that persons should be regarded as real Brāhmaṇaa on both sides, only when it is found that everyone of their ancestors on the father’s and on the mother’s side up to ten degrees were accomplished in learning and austerities and their acts were virtuous; this is what constitutes ‘examination from far off;’ similarly, the man’s own learning and knowledge of practical details should be ascertained.

‘Vedapāragaḥ’—he who has gone to the end of the Veda; i.e., one does not become respected by reading the Saṃhitā only, or the Brāhmaṇa only. Because we find this term used here, we conclude that the term ‘śrotriya’ is applied to one who may have learnt only a portion of the Veda.

‘Such a one is the channel for offerings to gods and Pitṛs;’—‘channel’ means like a channel. The ‘channel’ is that whereby people descend to the water; hence what is meant by the metaphor is the eulogium that ‘just as people seeking water get it only if they go to it by the right channel, similarly, the offerings reach the gods and ancestors only through the aforesaid Brāhmaṇa.’

In connection with gifts and charities also the Brāhmaṇa is the ‘guest.’ To the guest that arrives by himself, gifts are offered freely, and thus given, they bring about great results; and, in the same manner, to the said Brāhmaṇa the offerings to gods and ancestors should be given freely; and when thus given, they become conducive to great results.—(130)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Madanapārijāta (p. 356), which explains ‘dūrāt parīkṣā’ as ‘investigation regarding his ancestors and character’; and ‘pradāne’ as ‘in the matter of other gifts also’ he should be honoured like a guest;—in Aparārka, (p. 437), which explains ‘dūrāt parīkṣā’ as ‘investigation regarding his father and several degrees of ancestors,’—‘tīrtham’ as ‘the way for the running of water,’ the implication being ‘just as water runs smoothly along its path, so do the offerings easily reach the Pitṛs, through the qualified Brāhmaṇas’;—the man is called ‘atithi’ in the sense that he is of immense help to the Householder;—and in Śrāddhakriyākaumudī (p. 34), which explains ‘dūrāt’ as ‘in regard to their remote ancestry,’ and ‘tīrtha’ as ‘fit recipient.’

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Viṣṇu-Smṛti (72.2).—‘At the offering to Pitṛs one should examine the Brāhmaṇas with care.’

Atri-saṃhitā (357).—‘The Brāhmaṇa should be carefully examined, specially at the time of the Śrāddha.’