Chapter XX. Vaishvadeva

Volume II: Part II pp. 741–748

Chapter XX. Vaishvadeva

VAISVADEVA Vaiśvadeva.—( offering of cooked food to all Gods ). Dakṣa ( II. 56 ) says that in the 5th part of the day a house- holder has to allow distribution of food according to his ability to the gods, Manes, men and even insectṣ Vaiśvadeva is to be offered according to Sātātapa ( quoted by Medhātithi on Manu V. 7 and by Aparārka p. 142 ) in the gṛhya fire if one has preserved it, or in the ordinary fire. If no fire is available one may offer it even in water or on the bare grounḍ Laghu- Vyāsa II. 52 says the same.

Some medieval works like the Smṛtyarthasāra and the Par. M. ( I. part 1, p. 389 ) state that vaiśvadeva really com- prises the three daily sacrifices viz. devayajña, bhūtayajña and pitṛyajña. The rite is so called because in it sacrifice is offered to all the gods or because food is cooked therein for all the godṣ¹ But in the ancient gṛhyasūtras the three yajñas are kept distinct. In the Āśv. gr. III. 1 the five daily sacrifices are enumerated, but only one, the brahmayajña, is thereafter described in detail and we have to understand that Vaiśvadeva has already been dealt with under homa in Āśv. gr I. 2. 1–2 and that I. 2. 3–10 is concerned with bhūtayajña or baliharaṇa, out of which the 7th sūtra contemplates an offering to Viśve-devas and sūtra 10 an offering of cooked food to pitṛṣ The Śāṅ. gr. II. 14 speaks of Vaiśvadeva, while Gobhila gr. I. 4. 1–15, Khādira gr. I. 5. 22–35 speak of baliharaṇa only. Pāṇini VI. 2. 39 teaches the accent of 'kṣullaka-vaiśvadeva' ( as a compound ). Vaik.² VI. 17 expressly says that devayajña is the homa to the gods offered with cooked food meant for all the godṣ According to Gautama ( V. 9 ) the deities of vaiśvadeva are Agni, Dhanvantarī, Viśve-devas, Prajāpati and Sviṣṭakṛt (Agni). According³ to Manu (III. 84-86) the deities are Agni, Soma, Agniṣoma, the Viśve-devas, Dhanvantari, Kuhū, Anumati, Prajāpati, Dyāvāpṛthivī, ( Agni ) Sviṣṭakṛt. The Sāṇ gr. II. 14. 4 gives the names of ten deities that are slightly different from the list of Manu. According to Pār. gr. II. 9 the deities are Brahmā, Prajāpati, Gṛhyā, Kaśyapa and Anumati; while the Viṣṇu Dh. S. 67. 1–3 ( quoted in the Gṛ. R. p. 278 ) states that Vaiśvadeva is to be offered to Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, Puruṣa, Satya, Acyuta, Agni, Soma, Mitra, Varuṇa, Indra, Indrāgni, Viśve-devas, Prajāpati, Anumati, Dhanvantari, Vāstoṣpati, ( Agni ) Sviṣṭakṛt. Vide Bhār. gr. III. 12, Mānava gr. II. 12. 1–2, Kāṭhaka gr. 54, Vaik. III. 7 for other lists of deities in Vaiśvadeva. It is on account of this divergence that digests like the Madanapārijāta ( p. 317 ) say that Vaiśva- deva is of two kinds, viz. what is common to all smṛtis like that of Manu and secondly what is stated in one’s own gṛhyasūtra. The Sṃ C. ( I. p. 212 )⁴ says the same. All ancient smṛtis say that Vaiśvadeva is to be performed twice, once in the morning and then in the evening. Vide Āśv. gr. I. 2. 1, Vaṣ Dh. S. XI. 3, Manu III. 121, Viṣṇu Dh. S. 59. 13, Gobhila II. 34. But in later times it came to be performed only once in the morning and the saṃkalpa includes both in one statement.⁵ The verses ‘ juṣṭo damūnā ’ ( Rg. V. 4. 5 ) and ‘ ehyagna ’ ( Rg. I. 76. 2 ) are used in invoking Agni, then the verse ‘ catvāri śṛṅgā ’ ( Rg. IV. 58. 3 ) and several ordinary verses describing the characteristics of Agni are employed for the dhyāna ( contemplation ) of Agni. From the food cooked for one’s meal, a portion is taken out in another vessel, and covered with clarified butter; it is then divided into three partṣ Then one places one’s left hand on one’s heart and with the right hand takes up from one portion of the food morsels equal to a ripe myrobalan fruit, presses it with one’s right thumb and offers it with the right hand to Sūrya, Prajāpati, Soma Vanaspati, Agni-soma, Indrāgni, Dyāvāpṛthivi, Dhanvantari, Indra, Viśve Devas, Brahmā. Then holy ashes are taken from the fire with the mantra ‘ mā nastoke ’ ( Rg. I. 114. 8 ) and ashes are applied to the forehead, the throat, the navel, the right and left shoulders and the head with certain mantras and a concluding prayer is offered to Agni to bestow intelligence, memory, fame &c. as set out below.⁶

Medieval digests like the Mit. ( on Yaj. I. 103 ) discuss the question whether vaiśvadeva is puruṣārtha only ( i. e. recommend- ed to men for effecting some beneficent consequence to them) or whether it is puruṣārtha as well as a rite for effecting a saṁskāra (unseen or spiritual result) of the food cookeḍ In the latter case food will be pradhāna (the principal matter) and vaiśvadeva will be secondary; but in the former case ( i. e. if it were only puruṣārtha ) food will be secondary and Vaiśva- deva principal. Relying ⁷ on Āśv. gr. I. 2. 1 some say that vaiśvadeva is meant as a saṁskāra of food and relying on Āśv. gr. III. 1. 1 and 4 others say that it is puruṣārtha. The Mit. declares that vaiśvadeva is puruṣārtha only, as Manu ( II. 28 ) holds that the human body is rendered fit for spiritual know- ledge by the daily yajñas and by other sacrifices and that if vaiśvadeva is not puruṣārtha alone, each time food is cooked in the day ( on account of the sudden advent of many guests) vaiśvadeva would have to be performed several times in the day; but Manu III. 108 forbids a fresh vaiśvadeva in such a case. Sṃ C. ( I. p. 213 ) and Par. M. ( I. 1. p. 390 ) hold the same view. The Smṛtyarthasāra p. 46 and Laghu-Āśvalāyana I. 116 hold the view that vaiśvadeva is both for the saṁskāra of the householder and also of the fooḍ⁸

There was divergence of view on other questions viz. whether vaiśvadeva was to be performed before śrāddha or after it and whether food for vaiśvadeva was to be separately cooked for śrāddha. Aparārka p. 462 sets out the conflicting views on the first question and says that for vaiśva- deva there are three options, viz. it may be performed immediately after food is ready, or it may be offered after baliharaṇa or it may be performed after śrāddha is finisheḍ The Madana- pārijāta p. 320 and Bṛhat-Parāśara p. 156 hold that vaiśvadeva must be performed before śrāddha. Vide Smṛtimuktāphala (āhnika pp. 406-407) also; on the other hand Anusāsana-parva (97. 16-18) directs that on śrāddha day, pitṛ-tarpana comes first, then offering of bali, and then vaiśvadeva. The Madanapārijāta p. 318 says that the food for the vaiśvadeva must be separately cooked from what is meant for śrāddha. In the case of a joint family of father and sons or of several brothers, the father alone performs vaiśvadeva or the eldest brother; but if the father or eldest brother is unable to do it himself, a son or younger brother may offer it at his bidding (Laghu-Āśvalāyana I. 117-119 ).

The food to be offered should be sprinkled over with ghee or with curds or milk but not with oil or salt. Āp. Dh. S.⁹ II. 6. 15. 12-14 prescribes that there is to be no homa of kṣāra and lavana (vide note 723 above) and also of food that is mixed up with inferior food (like kulattha &c.); but if one is compelled to offer inferior food in vaiśvadeva (owing to poverty &c.) he should take some hot ashes from the gṛhya or ordinary fire towards the north of the fire and offer the food in the asheṣ The Smṛtyarthasāra¹⁰ p. 47 states that cereals like gram and māṣa beans are not to be used in vaiśvadeva fooḍ Even when a man was not going to eat on a particular day he had to offer vaiśvadeva (Aparārka p. 145 ). If he could afford no food, he was to offer fruits, roots or even water.¹¹ He who has no gṛhya fire may offer vaiśvadeva food into the ordinary fire with only the vyāhṛtis and the rest may be left for crowṣ

Āp. Dh. S. (II. 2. 3. 1 and 4) says that vaiśvadeva food should be cooked by āryas (persons of the twice-born classes) that are purified (by bathing &c. ), or śūdras supervised by āryas may cook the fooḍ¹² Medieval writers remarked, as usual, that the latter rule about śūdras being cooks applied only to another age.¹³ Āp. Dh. S. (II. 2. 3. 10–11) further says that when the food is ready i.e. cooked, the cook should announce while standing, to the owner of the house 'it is ready' and the owner should reply 'it (food) is auspiciously ready, it is food that gives supremacy ; may it not be lost.' If no vaiśvadeva is performed on any day, the householder had to fast the day and night (Gobhila-smṛti III. 120). Dakṣa II. 62 and Yama condemn to hell him who takes his own meal without offering vaiśvadeva, when he is not himself in distress or difficulty.¹⁴ It has been stated above (p.158) that the śūdra was to offer all the five yajñas without Vedic or Paurāṇic mantras, but only with the word 'namaḥ' and he was to use uncooked food for vaiśvadeva. Vide Yāj. I. 121 and the Mit. thereon and Āhnikaprakāśa, p. 401. Baliharaṇa or Bhūtayajña :—Here also there is some diver- gence between the ancient gṛhya-sūtras and medieval and modern practice. The Āśv. gṛ. I. 2. 3-11 deals with thiṣ The deities to whom bali (or part of the food taken out when per- forming vaiśvadeva) is offered are: to the same deities to whom the devayajña is offered as stated above, to the waters, to herbs and trees, to the house, to the domestic deities, to the deities of the ground (on which the house is built), to Indra and Indra’s men, to Yama and Yama’s men, to Varuṇa and Varuṇa’s men, to Soma and Soma’s men (these are offered in the several quarters¹⁵), to Brahman and Brahman’s men in the middle, to the Viśve-devas, to all day-walking beings, to the Rākṣases- towards the north ; svadhā to the pitṛs (Manes)—with these words he should pour out the remnant of the food to the south, while wearing the sacred thread suspended over the right shoulder. Āśv. adds that if baliharaṇa is performed by night then the words 'to all night-walking beings' are used instead of 'to all day-walking beings'. Gobhila gṛ. I. 4. 5-15, Pār. gṛ. II. 9 and other gṛhya sūtras, Ap. Dh. S. II. 2. 3. 15-II. 2. 4. 9, Gautama V. 10-15, differ considerably from the above in several respectṣ But for want of space no reference can be made to these differenceṣ In bhūtayajña, bali is to be ¹⁶ offered not into fire but on the ground, which is to be wiped with the hand and sprinkled with water, and then the bali is to be put down and water is poured on it thereafter. Vide Āp. Dh. S. II. 2. 3. 15. The Āp. Dh. S. (II. 4. 9. 5–6 ) prescribes that one should make all including dogs and cāṇḍālas participators in the food cooked for vaiśvadeva and adds the view of some (which he disapproves) that one should not give food to the undeserving.¹⁷ Manu III. 87–93 says that after performing vaiśvadeva one should offer balis in all directions to Indra, Yama, Varuṇa, Soma and their followers, a bali to Maruts on the door, to waters a bali in water, a bali to the trees in mortar and pestle, a bali to Śrī on the top of the house, to Bhadrakālī at the foot of the house, to Brahmā and Vāstospati in the midst of the house; a bali may be thrown up in the sky to Viśve Devas, to the day-walking beings (when baliharaṇa is done by day) and to night-walking beings (by night); a bali should be offered to the prosperity of all on the first floor¹⁸ and all the remaining portion of the food for balis should be offered to the manes towards the south; the householder should lightly (so that no dust will get mixed with it) offer on the ground some food to dogs, to outcasts, to cāṇḍālas, to those suffering from loathsome diseases (such as leprosy), to crows and insectṣ Yāj. I. 103 calls upon the householder to throw food to dogs, cāṇḍālas and crows on the grounḍ¹⁹

These directions to give food even to outcasts, dogs and birds were the outcome of the noble sentiment of universal kindliness and charity, the idea that One Spirit pervades and illumines the meanest of creatures and binds all together. The Śāṅ. gr. (II. 14)²⁰ winds up its vaiśvadeva section with this fine exhortation “let him throw food to dogs, to śvapācas (eaters of dog-flesh), to birds on the ground; let him eat nothing without having cut off a portion (to be offered as a bali); let him not eat alone, nor before others (relatives and guests), since the mantra says 'the fool gets food in vain' (Rg. X. 117. 6).' The Mahābhārata (Vanaparva II. 59) says that offering food to dogs, śvapacas and birds on the ground is known as vaiśvadeva, which is performed in the morning and evening. The same verse occurs at Anuśāsanaparva 97. 22-23. Aparārka p. 145 says that vaiśvadeva comprises all actions from the offering into fire oblations of food up to the throwing of food to dogs and the like in the morning and the evening.

In modern times the way in which balis are offered and their number are set out in the diagram below. The one drawn is for the morning baliharaṇa. For the evening one the only change necessary would be to put 'agnaye svāhā' (No. 1) in place of 'sūryāya svāhā' and 'naktam-cāribhyaḥ' for 'divā-cāribhyaḥ' in No. 27. The word 'svāhā' is not repeated in the diagram after each name²¹ for the sake of space. Manu III. 121 prescribes that bali is offered in the evening by the wife but without mantras (i. e. she is not to repeat the mantras) 'Indrāya svāhā' &c., but only to contemplate on the several deitieṣ

1. सूर्याय स्वाहा 2. प्रजापतये सोमाय 3. सोमाय 4. विश्वेभ्यो देवेभ्यः 5. धन्वन्तरि 6. ब्रह्माय 7. ध्रुवाय 8. कुमाराय 9. वैश्रवणाय 10. वासुदेवाय 11. विश्वेभ्यो देवेभ्यः 12. ओषधिवनस्पतिभ्यः 13. गृहदेवेभ्यः 14. वास्तुदेवताभ्यः 15. वासुदेवताभ्यः 16. इन्द्राय स्वाहा 17. इन्द्रपुरुषेभ्यः 18. यमाय 19. यमपुरुषेभ्यः 20. वरुणाय 21. वरुणपुरुषेभ्यः 22. सोमाय 23. उत्तर सोमपुरुषेभ्यः 24. ब्रह्मणे 25. ब्रह्मपुरुषेभ्यः 26. विश्वेभ्यो देवेभ्यः 27. सर्वेभ्यो भूतेभ्यो दिवाचारिभ्यः 28. रक्षोभ्यः 29. स्वधापिृभ्यः 30. श्यामाय 31. शबलाय 32. सनकादिमुनिभ्यो हन्त Pitryajña :—The word occurs in Rg. X. 16. 10, but its exact meaning is not certaiṇ Pitryajña may be performed in either of three ways as stated above ( on p. 700 ) viz. by tarpaņa ( Manu III. 70 and 283 ), or by performing baliharaņa in which remnants of bali food are to be offered to the pitṛs (Manu III. 91 and Āśv. gr. I. 2. 11) or by performing śrāddha daily with food on inviting at least one brāhmaṇa for dinner ( Manu III. 82-83 ). Śrāddhas will be dealt with later and the other two ( tarpaņa and baliharaņa ) have already been dealt with. In this daily śrāddha²² there is no offering of pindas ( balls of rice ) and the several strict rules and procedure of the pūrvaņa śrāddha do not apply.