Part 1 - Introduction to Madhuparka (ceremonial reception)

Offering Madhuparka is a part of atithi-saparyā. Madhuparka is the ceremonial reception giving to a king, learned Brahmin, noble man, special atithi and a snātaka (a fresh student pass-out). This word occurs in the Jaiminīya Upaniṣad Brāhmaṇa.^[1] The Nirukta (1.16) also refers to offering madhuparka thrice. Lengthy descriptions on madhuparka can be seen in almost all the Gṛhyasūtras. Most of the details are the same, the principal difference being that often different mantras are prescribed, though some (like the verse “mātā rudrāṇām’) are the same.^[2] Ritualistic offering of madhuparka is performed at occasions like marriage, śrāddha, Vaiśvadeva etc.

In sacrifice, after having chosen the priests for the sacrifice, Yajamāna should offer madhuparka to them. Several Gṛhyasūtras describe madhuparka as a part of the marriage rite, while others like Āśvalāyana Gṛhyasūtra describe it independently. Āśvalāyana Gṛhyasūtra states that, madhuparka is given to a snātaka, to a king, to a teacher, the father-in-law, a paternal uncle and a maternal uncle. Āpastaṃba Dharmasūtra^[3] has a similar description. Others like Hiraṇyagarbha Gṛhyasūtra describe it as part of samāvarttana. Actually this rite of ceremonically receiving a guest is called madhuparka. Sometimes “madhuparka” refers to a dish which contains honey, ghee and butter. The receipe of madhuparka is described in various texts for instance:

1. Tantrasāra^[4]

ājyaṃ dadhi madhumiśraṃ madhuparkaṃ vidurbudhāḥ |

Wise men prescribe the mixture of ghee, curd and honey in madhuparka.

The same has been quoted in Śabdakalpadruma.^[5]

2. Kālikāpurāṇa

dadhisarpirjalaṃ kṣaudraṃ sitaitābhistu pañcabhiḥ |
procyate madhuparkastu sarvadevaughatuṣṭaye || ch.7

Curd, ghee milk, honey and candy-sugar all these five constitute madhuparka which satisfies all the gods.

3. Yājñavalkya Saṃhitā^[6]

kāṃsyapātre samāyuktaṃ dadhimadhughṛtairyutam |
madhuparkaḥ sa vijñeyā mitrasya tvā pratīkṣaṇī ||

The preparation with curd, honey and ghee in a bronze vessel is called madhuparka.

4. Hiraṇyagarbha Gṛhyasūtra

Madhuparka is the mixture of five substances are curd, honey, ghee, water and the flour of fried grains. (Hiraṇyagarbha Gṛhyasūtra, I,12,10-13, India of Vedic Kalpasūtras, p.457)

5. Āpastamba Gṛhyasūtra

Madhuparka is the mixture of curd and honey.^[7]

6. Āśvalāyana Gṛhyasūtra

dadhani madhvānīya || 1.24.5
sarpirvā madhvalābhe || 1.24.6

One should mix curd and honey, and ghee if honey is not available.

7. Pāraskara Gṛhyasūtra

āharanti viṣṭaraṃ pādyaṃ pādārthamudakamardhamācamanīyaṃ |
madhuparkaṃ dadhimadhughṛtamapihitaṃ kāṃsye kāṃsyena || 1.3.5

After describing other items in the first line, the ingredients of madhuparka have been detailed in the second line; Madhuparka is made of curd, honey and ghee in a bronze vessel covered with a bronze lid.

8. Baudhāyana Gṛhyasūtra

In sūtras 10 to 13 the ingredients to be mixed with honey have been described as follows:

dadhi payo vā dvitīyaṃ sa dvivṛt |

“If curd or milk is mixed with honey, it is called dvivṛt.”

ghṛtaṃ tṛtīyaṃ vā trivat |

“If the ingredient ghee is added, it is called trivṛt.”

yad dvitīyaṃ taccaturthaṃ sa caturvṛt |

“By mixing the second ingredient, i.e., if firstly milk has been mixed then curd and if firstly curd has been mixed then by mixing milk, it is called caturvṛt.”

āpa: pañcamīssa pāṅktaḥ |

“By mixing the fifth ingredient, i.e., water, it is called pāṅkta^[8].”

9. Jaiminīya Gṛhyasūtra

tayordadhi madhu saṃnihite bhavato, dadhnā ceda
dadhimantho'dbhiśced udamanthaḥ, payasā cet payasyaḥ || 1.19

Curd and honey are mixed in it. With curd it is called dadhimanthaḥ; with water it is termed udamanthaḥ and with milk it is designated as payasyā.

10. Vārāha Gṛhyasūtra

kāṃsye camase vā sadadhni madhvāsicya,
varṣīyasā pidhāyācamanīyaprathamaiḥ pratipadyante ||

The celebrant should come for worship with mixture of honey and curd in a bronze vessel or in a camasa vessel shaped like the praṇīta covered with a big lid, along with the sipping water.

11. Āpastaṃba Dharmasūtra

dadhimadhusaṃsṛṣṭaṃ madhuparkaḥ payo vā madhusaṃsṛṣṭam || 2.4.8.8
abhāva udakam || 2.4.8.9

Madhuparka should be prepared by mixing curd and honey or by mixing milk and honey, and if they are not available, water should be mixed with honey.

12. Nine kinds of mixtures in ‘madhuparka’

The Kauśikasūtra mentions nine types of madhuparkas. [Cf. Kauśikasūtra, 92.1-11] They are:—

1. brāhma madhuparka (curds and honey),
2. aindra madhuparka (preparation of milk and rice—pāyasa),
3. saumya madhuparka (mixture of honey and clarified butter),
4. pauṣṇa madhuparka (mantha—“it was prepared by stirring round parched barley-meal in milk, curds, water or melted butter” and ājya—“clarified butter”),
5. sārasvata madhuparka (milk and ājya),
6. mausala madhuparka (sura and ājya),
7. vāruṇa madhuparka (water and ājya),
8. śrāvaṇa madhuparka (sesamum oil and ājya) and
9. pārivrājaka madhuparka (sesamum oil and a piṇḍa—“a ball of cooked rice”)

13. Vaikhānasasmārtasūtra

The Vaikhānasasmārtasūtra says that, madhuparka consisting of melted butter, sour curds and sweet milk mixed with honey or water.

14. Kātyāyanasmṛti

sākṣataṃ sumanoyuktamudakaṃ dadhisaṃyutam |
arghyaṃ dadhimadhubhyāñca madhuparko vidhīyate || 29.18

Madhuparka is made by the combining of curd and honey.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

taṃ hovāca kiṃ vidvānno dālbhyānāmantrya madhuparkaṃ pibasīti | Jaiminīya Brāhmaṇa,18.4;
jānate madhuparkaṃ prāha | Nirukta, 1.16

[2]:

History of Dharmaśāstra, P.V.Kane,Vol.II, part.I, p.542

[3]:

ācāryāyartvije śvaśurāya rājña iti parisaṃvatsarādupatiṣṭhadbhyo gaurmadhuparkaśca || A cow and the madhuparka are to be given to a teacher, an officiating priest, a father-in-law, and a king, when they visit after the lapse of one year. Āpastaṃba Dharmasūtra, 2.8.7

[4]:

Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series, Varanasi, November,1983, Chapter-1, p.53

[5]:

ibid., 1961, part-III, p.599, column-2

[6]:

By Brahma, Smṛti-sandarbha, first edition, part-4, p.2430, Published by Mansukh Rai Mor, 5 Clive Row, Calcutta

[7]:

dadhimantho madhumanthaḥ (āpa.śrau.6-31-5) ityatra tu dakṣiṇādravyasya karmavaddharmākāṅkṣābhāvānnātideśaḥ | atra ca vedādhyāyātithipūjāyāmayaṃ viśeṣaḥ, "dadhi madhusaṃsṛṣṭhaṃ madhuparkaḥ" iti pratyakṣavidhānādatideśaprāptaṃ trivṛttaṃ pāṅktatvaṃ ca bādhyata iti | The Āpastamba Gṛhyasūtra, 5.13, p.199, by Sastri, A. Mahadeva Ed., https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.513503/page/n217/mode/2up

[8]:

A Review of ‘Beef in Ancient India’, P.92,93, https://archive.org/details/Review_of_Beef_In_Ancient_India_ Jaidayal_Dalmia/page/n101/mode/2up