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Mulholland, Rosa, 1841-1921

"The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 Books 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12"

' It cannot mean, as K.P. Sinha puts it, 'with the surplus left
after supporting his own relations.'
185. A Paka-yajna is a minor sacrifice, such as the propitiation of a
planet foreboding evil, or worship offered to the inferior deities called
Viswadevas. A Purnapatra is literally a large dish or basket full of
rice. It should consist of 256 handfuls. Beyond a Purnapatra, the Sudra
should not give any other Dakshina in any sacrifice of his.
186. This ordinance lays down that the Dakshina should be a hundred
thousand animals such as kine or horses. In the case of this particular
Sudra, that ordinance (without its mantras) was followed, and a hundred
thousand Purnapatras were substituted for kine or horses of that number.
187. Hence the Sudra, by devotion to the members of the three other
classes, may earn the merit of sacrifices though he is not competent to
utter mantras.
188. For this reason the Sudra earns the merit of the sacrifices
performed by their Brahmana masters and progenitors.
189. The Brahmana conversant with the Vedas is himself a god. The Sudra,
though incompetent to read the Vedas and utter Vedic mantras, has
Prajapati for his god whom he can worship with rites other than those
laid down in the Vedas. The Brahmanas have Agni for their god, and the
Kshatriyas, Indra. Upadravah means a servant or attendant, hence, a Sudra.
190. Sacrifices are performed by the body, by words, and by the mind. The
Brahmana can perform sacrifices by all the three.


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