Verse 3.135

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

ज्ञाननिष्ठेषु कव्यानि प्रतिष्ठाप्यानि यत्नतः ।
हव्यानि तु यथान्यायं सर्वेष्वेव चतुर्ष्वपि ॥ १३५ ॥

jñānaniṣṭheṣu kavyāni pratiṣṭhāpyāni yatnataḥ |
havyāni tu yathānyāyaṃ sarveṣveva caturṣvapi || 135 ||

The offerings to the pitṛs should be carefully presented to those excelling in learning; and the offerings to gods to all the four, according to law.—(135)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The author now proceeds to show the purpose why he has provided a classification of the qualities.

Offerings made to the Pitṛs are called ‘Kavya;’ these should be ‘presented’—given—‘to those excelling in learning.’

‘Carefully’—implies that if one does not take special care, these also, like the offering to gods, should be given to all the four.

For the offerings to Pitṛs the best recipients are those excelling in learning,—it having been declared that ‘he is the recipient among recipients.’

What the verse means is that food in general should be given to all the four, without any distinction.

‘Law’— Rule laid down in the scriptures.—(135)

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Āpastamba-Dharmasūtra (2.7.4, 22).—‘One shall feed such Brāhmaṇas as are well versed in the Veda; also one who is studying the Veda, the son of an expounder of the Veda, and one learned in the Veda; when these eat at a Śrāddha, they purify the line of feeders.’

Gautama (15.9, 10).—‘Vedic scholars, endowed with beauty, age and character; the first offer should be made to the younger men.’

Yājñavalkya (1. 219).—‘One who is foremost in all the Vedas, one learned in the Veda, the young man knowing Brahman, one who knows the meaning of the Veda, the Jyeṣṭhasāman, the Trimadhu and the Trisuparṇaka.’

Viṣṇu-Smṛti (83, 19, 21).—‘Specially the Yogins. May such a one bo born in our family as may feed at the Śrāddha the Brāhmaṇa who is a Yogin! By that would we be fully satisfied.’

Mahābhārata (13. 90. 51).—[Reproduces the first half of Manu.]