Part 2 - Madhuparka offering

During Dharmaśāstra period, madhuparka was an important thing that should be given to an atithi during atithi-saparyā. Madhuparka is not to be given to all atithis. There are some criteria to offer madhuparka to an atithi. Gṛhastha gives this to his officiating priest, teacher, father-in-law, or paternal or maternal uncle when they visit him. According to Gautama Dharmasūtra , it needs to be repeated only after the interval of a year; but on the occasion of a sacrifice or a wedding, it should be repeated even if a year has not elapsed. It should also be offered to a king and to a vedic scholar.^[1] Āpastaṃba Dharmasūtra says that a man who is capable of reciting the Veda and renowned atithis like a teacher, an officiating priest, a snātaka, and a king who follows the law are worthy of receiving a cow and madhuparka.^[2] 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.^[3] Manu says that if King, ṛtvik, snātaka, preceptor, son-in law, father-in law, maternal uncles arrives after the lapse of a year, gṛhastha shall welcome by offering them madhuparka first.^[4] If a King or a snātaka arrives at the gṛhasthas house even within a year on the occasion of a sacrificial ceremony, he need not be offered with madhuparka.

Yājñavalkyasmṛti says that, one should express his honour for Snātakas,^[5] Preceptor (ācārya), King, friend and son-in-law annually with Madhuparka. This is also seen in Gṛhyasūtras.^[6] Yājñavalkyasmṛti mention that the Ṛtvik (sacrificial priest) should be worshipped at each offering with Madhuparka.^[7] Vijñāneśvara says that the word “argha” means madhuparka.

Gṛhyasūtra texts clearly indicate that a cow was offered to honourable guests. That cow is slaughtered and the meat eaten by the guest. There was option to leave the cow aside also. This fact is reflected in the Pāṇini sūtra.^[8] According to Manusmṛti, animals shall be slaughtered only during the following occasions: madhuparka, yajña, karmas of pitṛs and devas.^[9] Madhuparka, as Yājñavalkya has stated, seems to be the name for the whole rite of offering “arghya” to a guest. It seems that later on, it got contracted to a particular mixture offered to the guest.

Welcoming the guest, giving seat, arghya, pādya, food, madhuparka etc. are part of a good hospitality.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

ṛtvigācāryaśvaśurapitṛvyamātulānāmupasthane madhuparkaḥ || Gautama Dharmasūtra, 1.5.25, p.53
saṃvatsare punaḥ || ibid., 1.5.26, p.53
yajñavivāhayorarvāk || ibid., 1.5.27, p.53
rājñaśca śrotriyasya || ibid., 1.5.28, p.54

[2]:

gomadhuparkārho vedādhyāyaḥ || Āpastaṃba Dharmasūtra, 2.4.8.5
ācārya ṛtviksnātako rājā vā gharmayuktaḥ || ibid., 2.4.8.6

[3]:

ācāryāyartvije śvaśurāya rājña iti parisaṃvatsarādupatiṣṭhadbhyo gaurmadhuparkaśca || ibid., 2.4.8.7

[4]:

rājartviksnātakagurūnpriyaśvaśuramātulān |
arhayenmadhuparkeṇa parisaṃvatsarāt punaḥ || Manusmṛti, 3.119
rājā ca śrotriyaścaiva yajñakarmaṇyupasthitau |
madhuparkeṇa sampūjyau na tvayajña iti sthitiḥ || ibid., 3.120

[5]:

Snātaka is classified in to three types, Vidyāsnātaka, Vratasnātaka, Vidyāvratasnātaka.

[6]:

ṛtvijo vṛtvā madhuparkamāharetsnātakāyopasthitāya rājñe cācāryaśvaśurapitṛvyamātulādīnāṃ ca | Āśvalāyana Gṛhyasūtra,1.4

[7]:

pratisaṃvatsaraṃ tvarghyāḥ snātakācāryapārthivāḥ |
priyo vivāhyaśca tathā yajñaṃ pratyṛtvijaḥ punaḥ || Yājñavalkyasmṛti, 1.5.110

[8]:

dāśagoghnau sampradāne | Aṣṭādhyāyi, 3.4.73

[9]:

madhuparke ca yajñe ca pitṛdaivatakarmaṇi |
atraiva paśavo hiṃsyā nānyatretyabravīt manuḥ || Manusmṛti, 5.41