Verse 4.223

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

नाद्यात्शूद्रस्य पक्वान्नं विद्वानश्राद्धिनो द्विजः ।
आददीताममेवास्मादवृत्तावेकरात्रिकम् ॥ २२३ ॥

nādyātśūdrasya pakvānnaṃ vidvānaśrāddhino dvijaḥ |
ādadītāmamevāsmādavṛttāvekarātrikam || 223 ||

The learned Brāhmaṇa shall, not eat the cooked food of the Śūdra who performs no śrāddhas. In the absence of livelihood, he may receive from him raw grain sufficient for one day.—(223)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

Śūdra’s food has been forbidden generally; and particular details regarding it are now laid down—‘who does not perform Śrūddhas.

“Where has Śūdra’s food been forbidden?”

It has been forbidden in 4. 211.

“What is forbidden there is Śūdra’s leavings, and not other kinds of food.”

Not so; the said verse (211) is to be construed as—‘the Śūdra’s food should not be eaten, nor the leavings of others.’ The explanation that we gave above of this verse, was in accordance with the older Commentators; as we clearly pointed out there.

‘Who does not perform Śrāddhas.’—‘Śrāddha’ here stands for the sacrificing of cooked food and such other rites as have been prescribed for the Śūdra; hence, the meaning is ‘who does nor perform these rites.’ What is meant is that ‘one shall not eat the cooked food of any Śūdra, except those of the better class.’

Another reading is ‘aśraddhinaḥ’ (for ‘aśrāddhinaḥ); which means, ‘who is devoid of faith;’ in the next verse also we find special stress laid down upon ‘faith,’ by the term ‘vadānya,’ ‘liberal.’

‘Raw’—dry; paddy, rice, and so forth.

‘Sufficient for one day’—just that quantity which may suffice for one day,—not more.—(223)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Madanapārijāta (p. 341), which explains ‘aśrāddhinaḥ’ as ‘one who does not offer the daily Śrāddhas’; and adds that this is meant to indicate the compulsory character of these Śrāddhas,—and ‘ekarātrikam’ is explained as ‘what is enough for one day.”

Buhler notes that Nārāyaṇa explains ‘aśrāddhinaḥ’ as ‘destitute of faith’. But the reading thus explained must be ‘aśraddhinaḥ’ which is a var: lec: noted by Medhātithi.

The verse is quoted in Vīramitrodaya (Āhnika, p. 490) which adds that the term ‘Śrāddha’ here must be taken as standing for the Pākayajña, which is prescribed for the Śūdra;—he who performs that is called ‘Śrāddhin’;—if a Śūdra does not perform it, his ‘cooked food’ should not be eaten;—such is the explanation given by Medhātithi. Kalpataru on the other hand, has explained the term ‘Śrāddha’ as standing for the daily Śrāddhas. In some places the word is read as ‘Aśraddhinaḥ’, which means ‘devoid of faith’.—In the event of ‘abnormal distress’—‘avṛttau’—one should receive from him uncooked—not cooked—rice or other grain, just enough to last for one day.

It is quoted in Vidhānapārijāta (II, p. 250);—in Prāyascittaviveka (p. 253), which explains ‘aśrāddhinaḥ’ as the Śūdra ‘who is not entitled to partake of Śrāddha food’;—in Hemādri (Śrāddha, p. 785);—and in Śuddhikaumudī (p. 320).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Parāśara (Vīramitrodaya-Āhnika, p. 492).—‘The food remains ‘Śūdra’s food’ only so long as as it has not been touched by the twice-born; as soon as it has been touched by the twice-born’s hand, it becomes sacred food.’

Yama (Do.).—‘Śūdra’s food when placed in a vessel belonging to the twice-born is not objectionable.’

Viṣṇu-purāṇa (Do.).—‘When Śūdra’s food comes to one’s house, it should be eaten after water has been sprinkled over it.’

Āpastamba (1.18, 3 et. seq.).—‘ He may accept uncooked food; or even cooked food, such as is devoid of relish; he should desist after getting just what would keep him alive.’

Aṅgiras (68-73).—‘He who eats the Śūdra’s food continuously for a mouth, even during that same life, becomes a Śūdra, and after death, is born a dog. There is no rise upwards for one who reads, sacrifices or offers oblations while nourished by food given by the Śūdra. If a man has recourse to his wife after eating of the food given by a Śūdra, the son begotten by him belongs to that Śūdra. If a man dies with Śūdra’s food in his stomach, he is born as a hog, or is born in the family of that same Śūdra.’

Gautama (Vīramitrodaya-Āhnika, p. 489).—‘Food may be begged from all castes, with, the exception of such persons as are accused or outcast.’

Hārita (Do., p. 490).—‘One who dies with Śūdra’s food in his stomach is born as a mule or a camel, and becomes a Śūdra.’

Vaśiṣṭha (Do.).—‘The twice-born man dying with Śūdra’s food in his stomach becomes a hog, etc., etc.’

Yama (Do., p. 491).—‘The Agnihotrin who does not desist from Śūdra’s food loses his soul, his Veda and his three Fires.’

Paiṭhīnasi (Do.).—‘The householder who eats Śūdra’s food loses his strength and vigour.’