Verse 3.279

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

प्राचीनावीतिना सम्यगपसव्यमतन्द्रिणा ।
पित्र्यमानिधनात् कार्यं विधिवद् दर्भपाणिना ॥ २७९ ॥

prācīnāvītinā samyagapasavyamatandriṇā |
pitryamānidhanāt kāryaṃ vidhivad darbhapāṇinā || 279 ||

Until death, one shall perform, with assiduity, the rite in honour of the Pitṛs, according to rule, with the sacred thread passing over the right shoulder, making offerings “from off the left” (to the right) with kuśa-grass in his hand.—(279)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

This injunction applies to every act that may be done in honour of the Pitṛs.

The special terms used have all been explained before.

‘With assiduity’—Without sloth; i.e., with due faith.

‘Until death.’— This shows that the injunction is meant to be observed as long as one lives.

‘With Kuśa-grass in his hand.’—It has been said above (under 256) regarding ‘Kuśa-grass, the Pavitra, &c.;’—‘pavitra’ is the name given to a thing made of Kuśa-grass, with a knot at the top.—(279)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

‘Ānidhanāt’—‘Until death’ (Medhātithi and Govindarāja);—‘up at to the end of the ceremony’ (Kullūka, Nārāyaṇa, Nandana and Rāghavānanda).

This verse is quoted in Parāśaramādhava (Ācāra, p. 725) in support of the view that ‘all the detailed Śrāddha rites beginning with the pouring of water round the dish to the end should be done while one has his thread hanging on his right, shoulder’;—in Vīramitrodaya (Āhnika, p. 345), which explains ‘atandriṇā’ as ‘without laziness,’—‘ānidhanāt’ as ‘beginning with death,’ adding that the Maithilas explain this to mean ‘till the end of the ceremony’;—in Śrāddho kriyākaumudi (p. 44), which explains ‘apasavyam’ as

‘vāmāvartakrameṇa,’ and ‘ānidhanāt’ as ‘to the end of the Śrāddha.’

Smṛtitattva quotes this verse on p. 185, in support of the view that the Ulkā-bhramaṇa, ‘Brandishing of the Firebrand,’ which is done on the fifteenth day of Kārtika, being an act done in honour of the Pitṛs, should be done with the sacred thread passing over the right, shoulder;—again on p. 231, in support of the view that the reciting of certain hymns that is laid down as to be done during the Śrāddha, should be done with the sacred thread passing over the right shoulder;—again on p. 236, where it is explained that ‘apasavya’ means ‘pitṛ-tīrtha,’ i.e., the part of the palm between the thumb and the index-finger;—and again in vol. II, p. 303, in support of the view that all the rites that are performed ‘after death’ (ānidhanāt) should be done with the sacred thread passing over the right shoulder.

It is quoted in Gadādharapaddhati (Kāla, p. 527), which reads ‘atantriṇā’ and explains it as ‘anolasena,’ and ‘apasavyam’ as ‘on the left side,’ ‘ānidhanāt’ as ‘till the end of the performance’;—in Nṛsiṃhaprasāda (Śrāddha, p. 24b);—and in Hemādri (Śrāddha, p. 1107), which has the following notes:—‘Prācīnāvītinā,’ with the sacred thread hanging over the right shoulder and under the left arm-pit,—‘ānidhanāt,’ ‘till the end,’—‘darbhapāṇinā,’ is added with a view to show that everything that is done for the sake of the Pitṛs should be done kuśa in hand.

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Yājñavalkya (1.232).—‘Having the sacred thread hanging over the right shoulder, he shall make the offering to the Pitṛs.’