Duty of a householder towards all living beings..

Duty of a householder towards all living beings..


A householder in the Indian tradition is expected to earn his livelihood through fair and just means, and he is expected to share his resources with and provide for sustenance of many persons and institutions..
There is duty towards the Rishis, Devas, Pitrus, Guests, family, and so on


The duty does not stop here..
As a part of his daily offerings to all living beings around the place he lives, he is expected to offer morsels of rice and other food materials to Cows, Dogs, crows, Demi gods, demons, spirits etc, and even insects, flies and ants..
The formal mantras offering such food as seen in one text are given below.. These are called the Panha Balis.. The mantras may vary locally.. But food was offered to these five sets of beings too before the householder could eat his daily meal..


Offer to Cow
-------------
The cows, the daughters of Kaamadhenu the Surabhi.. are the well wishers of all.. They are epitomes of purity..They are punyam or virtue manifested. May these cows who are the mothers of all beings accept these morsels or handfuls of food offered to them
सौरभेय्यः सर्वहिताः पवित्राः पुण्यराशयः।
प्रतिगृह्णन्तु मे ग्रासं गावः त्रैलोक्य मातरः॥
गोबलि॥
saurabheyyaḥ sarvahitāḥ pavitrāḥ puṇyarāśayaḥ|
pratigṛhṇantu me grāsaṁ gāvaḥ trailokya mātaraḥ||
gobali||


Offer to Dogs
----------------------
These two dogs of black and brown colour , born in the clan of Vaivasvata.. the yama, are being offered cooked rice now. May they accept it and may they live around without harming anyone.


द्वौ श्वानौ श्यामशबलौ वैवस्वतकुलोद्भवौ।
ताभ्यामन्नं प्रयच्छामि स्यातामेतौ अहिंसकाः॥
श्वानबलि॥
dvau śvānau śyāmaśabalau vavasvatakulodbhavau|
tābhyāmannaṁ prayacchāmi syātāmetau ahiṁsakāḥ||
śvānabali||


Offer to the crow
---------------------
May the crows flying in from the East, North west, West, South and South west, partake in the balls of rice I have placed on earth for their exclusive consumption.
ॐ ऐन्द्रवारुणवायव्या याम्या वै नैऋतास्तथा।
वायसाः प्रतिगृह्णन्तु भूमौ पिण्डं मयोज्झितम्॥
काकबलि॥
om aindravāruṇavāyavyā yāmyā vai naiṛtāstathā|
vāyasāḥ pratigṛhṇantu bhūmau piṇḍaṁ mayojjhitam||
kākabali||


Offer to Gods etc.
--------------------
May all those are in want of food, including Demigods, Men, Animals, Birds, Siddhas, Yakshas, Reptiles, Daityas, Spirits, Ogres, and trees,
May all of them receive and consume the food offered by me.
देवाः मनुष्याः पशवो वयांसि
सिद्धाः सयक्षोरग दैत्यसङ्घाः।
प्रेताः पिशाचास्तरवः समस्ता
ये चान्नमिच्छन्ति मया प्रदत्तम्॥
देवादिबलि॥
devāḥ manuṣyāḥ paśavo vayāṁsi
siddhāḥ sayakṣoraga daityasaṅghāḥ|
pretāḥ piśācāstaravaḥ samastā
ye cānnamicchanti mayā pradattam||
devādibali||


Offer to the ants, insects etc.


May the ants, fleas, flies, butterflies, all of whom are hovering around in hunger bound by their past Karmas.. for their satisfaction, I am spreading food all around.. May they receive them and be contended.


पिपीलिका कीटपतङ्गकाद्या बुभुक्षिताः कर्मनिबन्दबद्धाः।
तेषं हि तृप्त्यर्थमिदम् मयान्नं
तेभ्यो विसृष्टं सुखिनो भवन्तु॥
पिपीलिकादि बलि॥


pipīlikā kīṭapataṅgakādyā bubhukṣitāḥ karmanibandabaddhāḥ|
teṣaṁ hi tṛptyarthamidam mayānnaṁ
tebhyo visṛṣṭaṁ sukhino bhavantu||
pipīlikādi bali||


This culture of the pious Indian applied to all irrespective of staturs, caste etc..
The lesser endowed offered things according to his resources and capacity ..That is all


this goodwill and generosity was the rallying point of our culture for millenniums
Just a reminder..