Bhagvatam: Indians spend especially lavishly but the shastras prohibit the excessive expenditures involved in inviting many brahmanas and relatives
TRANSLATION
During the period for offering oblations to the demigods, one should invite only two brahmanas, and while offering oblations to the forefathers, one may invite three brahmanas.
Or, in either case, only one brahmana will suffice.
Even though one is very opulent, he should not endeavor to invite more brahmanas or make various expensive arrangements on those occasions.
PURPORT
As we have already mentioned, Srila Advaita Acharya, during the generally observed ceremony to offer oblations to the forefathers, invited only Haridasa Thakura.
Thus He followed this principle: na me'bhaktas catur-vedi mad-bhaktam sva-pacam priyam.
The Lord says, "It is not necessary that one become very expert in Vedic knowledge before he can become My bhakta, or devotee.
Even if one is born in a family of dog-eaters, he can become My devotee and be very dear to Me, in spite of having taken birth in such a family.
Therefore, offerings should be given to My devotee, and whatever My devotee has offered Me should be accepted.”
Following this principle, one should invite a first-class brahmana or Vaishnava—a realized soul—and feed him while observing the sraddha ceremony to offer oblations to one's forefathers.
TRANSLATION
If one arranges to feed many brahmanas or relatives during the sraddha ceremony, there will be discrepancies in the time, place, respectability and ingredients, the person to be worshiped, and the method of offering worship.
PURPORT
Narada Muni has prohibited unnecessarily gorgeous arrangements to feed relatives or brahmanas during the sraddha ceremony. Those who are materially opulent spend lavishly during this ceremony. Indians spend especially lavishly on three occasions—at the birth of a child, at marriage and while observing the sraddha ceremony—but the sastras prohibit the excessive expenditures involved in inviting many brahmanas and relatives, especially during the sraddha ceremony.
