Verse 3.187 [Method of Invitation]

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

पूर्वेद्युरपरेद्युर्वा श्राद्धकर्मण्युपस्थिते ।
निमन्त्रयेत त्र्य्ऽवरान् सम्यग् विप्रान् यथौदितान् ॥ १८७ ॥

pūrvedyuraparedyurvā śrāddhakarmaṇyupasthite |
nimantrayeta try'varān samyag viprān yathauditān || 187 ||

When the śrāddha-performance has approaohed, one should invite, either on the preceding day or the next day, in the proper manner, at least three brāhmaṇas, such as have been described.—(187)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

It has been explained what sort of Brāhmaṇas should be fed; now the author proceeds to describe other details of procedure.

‘On the preceding day’—on the day preceding the one on which the śrāddha is to be performed; i.e., if the performance falls on the Amāvāsyā or the Trayodaśī, then on Caturdaśī or Dvādaśī, respectively;—i.e., when one is going to perform the Śrāddha to-morrow, one should invite the Brāhmaṇas to-day.

‘On the next day’—i.e., on the same day as the performance.

The option here laid down is in consideration of the rules: if one is able to follow the rules closely, then one should do the inviting on the previous day; but if one is unable to do so, then one may do it on the same day. There is no doubt, however, that a strict observance of the rules would bring great rewards.

When the invitation is made, the inviter is to be approached and urged with entreaties.

Those of whom three is the least number,—this is what is meant by ‘at least three.’ That is, the least number that should be fed is three; in the event of his being able to feed more, ‘he should feed an odd number, according to his enthusiasm,’—as has already been prescribed above.

The rest of the words are meant only to fill up the verse.

‘Approached,’— arrived.

‘Such as has been described,’—i.e., mentioned above—(187)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Śrāddhakriyākaumudī (p. 83);—in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 697) as laying down certain details regarding the inviting of Brāhmaṇas at Śrāddhas;—in Mitākṣarā (on 1.225), as justifying the option of inviting the Brāhmaṇas on ‘the day following’ (the ‘previous day’ i.e., on the day of the performance itself);—in Hemādri (Śrāddha, pp. 1133 and 1146), which adds the following notes—‘Pūrvedyuḥ’, ‘on the previous day,’ i.e., on the Caturdaśī day if the Śrāddha is to be performed on Amāvasyā;—‘aparedyuḥ’, ‘on the same day as the Śrāddha itself is performed.’ We have an option here; he who can observe the rules of the invitation for two days may do the inviting on the preceding day, others who are not able to do so should do it on the Śrāddha day; the former would be more meritorious as involving greater amount of self-denial; others hold that the invitation is to be made on the previous day, if the performer remembers the Śrāddha to be performed on the coming day; and if one does not remember it, then he may invite the Brāhmaṇas on the same day as the Śrāddha; others again hold that the invitation is to be made on the Śrāddha day only when, for some reason, it cannot be made on the preceding day; another view is that Householders are to be invited on the previous day and Renunciates and Students on the same day. It explains ‘tryavarān’ as ‘at least three,’ i.e., three, five or seven; and adds that ‘samyak’ qualifies ‘nimantrayet’.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Baudhāyana (2.8, 6).—‘Either on the previous day, or early in the morning on the same day, he shall invite persons, whose number shall not be an even one and which shall be at least three, who are well-versed expounders of the Veda, who are not related to him either by birth or gotra or mantra, who are pure and equipped with mantras; and shall seat them on seats prepared of kuśa grass, facing either the east or the north.’

Āpastamba Dharmasūtra (2, 17, 11-15).—‘The invitation shall be on the previous day;—on the next day, the second one;—and the third is the request;—some people teach that the Śrāddha should consist of about three as the first, so the second and the third.’

Vaśiṣṭha (11, 14).—‘During the dark fortnight, after the fourth day, he shall make an offering to the Pitṛs: having got them together on the previous day, either Brāhmaṇas or renunciates or hermits,—such as are advanced in age, have not deviated from their duties, are learned in the Veda, are not the invitor’s own disciples or pupils; but he may feed even his disciples, if they are possessed of special qualifications.’

Viṣṇu (73.1).—‘Going to perform the Śrāddha, he shall, on the previous day, invite the Brāhmaṇas.’

Yājñavalkya (1, 225).—‘The man, himself pure and self-controlled, shall, on the previous day, invite the Brāhmaṇas.’

Hārīta (Parāśaramādhava, p. 696).—‘Going to perform the Śrāddha the next day, he should invite the Brāhmaṇas on the previous day.’

Kūrmapurāṇa (Parāśaramādhava, p. 696).—‘He shall approach the Brāhmaṇa saying—I shall perform Śrāddha to-morrow—on the previous day; if that be not possible, then on the same day.’

Devala (Do.).—‘Having made up his mind that he shall perform Śrāddha on the coming day, he shall invite the Brāhmaṇas;... if that be not possible, then the next day.’

Varāhapurāṇa (Do., p. 697).—‘Knowing that he would be performing Śrāddha on the next day, he shall clean the ground and invite the Brāhmaṇas.’

Brahmāṇḍapurāṇa (Do.).—‘On the previous day, at night, he shall approach the Brāhmaṇas after they have taken their evening meal and invite them, on behalf of his father.’