Verse 3.284

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

वसून् वदन्ति तु पितॄन् रुद्रांश्चैव पितामहान् ।
प्रपितामहांस्तथाऽदित्यान् श्रुतिरेषा सनातनी ॥ २८४ ॥

vasūn vadanti tu pitṝn rudrāṃścaiva pitāmahān |
prapitāmahāṃstathā'dityān śrutireṣā sanātanī || 284 ||

They call the Fathers “Vasus;” the grandfathers they call “Rudras,” and the great-grandfathers they call “ādityas” such is the ancient text.—(284)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

This verse is intended to prompt a man who, through ill-will towards his father, is disinclined to perform Śrāddhas.

The three grades of ancestors, to whom balls are offered, are the same as the Vasus and other gods; hence they should be looked upon as gods.

‘Such is the text’—this is found in the Veda; hence ‘ancient’—the Veda being eternal.—(284)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 461), which explains the meaning to be that the Father should be thought of as Vasu, the grandfather as Rudra and the great-grandfather as Āditya;—in Hemādri (Śrāddha, p. 64);—and in Gadādharapaddhati (Kāla, p. 562) as setting forth the form of the Pitṛs.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Yājñavalkya (1.269).—‘The Pitṛs are the deities of the Śrāddha—Vasu, Rudra and Āditya; and being satisfied with the Śrāddha, they satisfy the Pitṛs.’

Nandipurāṇa (Caturvargacintāmaṇi-Śrāddha, p. 64).—‘Viṣṇu is the father of the world, Brahmā the grand-father and myself (Śiva), the great-grand-father.’

Ādityapurāṇa (Do.).—‘The months are the father, the seasons the grand-father and the year the great-grandfather of the people.’