न मृतानां गतिः शक्या ज्ञातुं न पुनरागतिः
The path of the dead cannot be known, nor is their return possible.
अनुदेवपितॄनेते पितरो लौकिकाः स्मृताः
Those ancestors who are not divine are considered worldly ancestors.
देवास्ते पितरः सर्वे देवास्तान्वादयन्त्युत
All those gods are indeed ancestors; those gods are praised by them.
पिता पितामहश्चापि तथा यः प्रपितामहः
Father, grandfather, and likewise great-grandfather—
ये यज्वानो हविर्यज्ञे ते वै बर्हिषदः स्मृताः
Those who perform sacrificial rites with offerings are known as Barhishads.
तेषां तु धर्मसाधर्म्यात्स्मृताः सायुज्यगा द्विजैः
Because of their similarity in righteousness, they are said by the twice-born to attain union.
अन्ते तु नावसीदन्ति श्रद्धायुक्तास्तु कर्मसु
In the end, those who are devoted to their duties with faith do not fall.
श्राद्धेन विद्यया चैव प्रदानेन च सप्तधा
By śrāddha, by knowledge, and by giving in seven ways—
दैवैस्तैः पितृभिः सार्द्धं सूक्ष्मजैः सोमयाजनैः
With those divine ancestors, through subtle Soma-offerings together—
तेषां निवापे दत्ते तु तत्कुलीनैश्च बन्धुभिः
When offerings are given for them by their relatives belonging to their lineage—
एते मनुष्यपितरो मासश्राद्धभुजस्तु ये
These are the human ancestors who partake of the monthly śrāddha.
भ्रष्टाश्चाश्रमधर्मेभ्यः स्वधास्वाहाविवर्जिताः
Those who have fallen from the duties of their order, deprived of svadhā and svāhā—
स्वकर्माण्य नुशोचन्तो यातनास्थानमागताः
Lamenting their own deeds, they have reached the place of torment.
क्षुत्पिपासापरीताश्च विद्रवन्तस्ततस्ततः
Afflicted by hunger and thirst, they scatter here and there.
परान्नानि च लिप्संतः काल्यमानास्ततस्ततः
Desiring the food of others, they are tormented in various ways.
शाल्मले वैतरण्यां च कुंभीपाके तथैव च
On the Śālmalī tree, in the Vaitaraṇī, and likewise in Kumbhīpāka—
शिला संपेषणे चैव पात्यमानाः स्वकर्मभिः
And in the crushing of stones, they are cast down by their own deeds.
तेषां लोकान्तरस्थानां बान्धवैर्नाम गोत्रतः
For those dwelling in other worlds, by relatives according to family name—
यान्ति तास्तर्पयन्ते च प्रेतस्थानेष्वधिष्ठितान्
They go and offer oblations to those who dwell in the realm of the departed.
पश्चाद्ये स्थावरान्ते वै जाता नीचैः स्वकर्मभिः
Later, those who are born at the end of the immobile beings, having fallen low due to their own actions,
यदाहारा भवन्त्येते तासु तास्विह योनिषु
Whatever food these beings receive in those wombs, in those very species,
काले न्यायागतं पात्रे विधिना प्रतिपादितम्
At the proper time, to the deserving recipient, as prescribed by rule, it is given.
यथा गोषु प्रनष्टामु वत्सो विन्दति मातरम्
Just as a calf finds its mother among lost cows,
एवं ह्यविफलं श्राद्धं श्रद्धादत्तं तु मन्त्रतः
So too, an offering to the ancestors, given with faith and with mantra, is never fruitless.
गतागतज्ञः प्रेतानां प्राप्तिं श्राद्धस्य तैः सह
He who knows the coming and going of the departed understands the attainment of the ancestors through the śrāddha together with them.
कृष्णपक्षस्त्वहस्तेषां शुक्लः स्वप्नाय शर्वरी
The dark fortnight is for them in your hands; the bright fortnight is for their dreams at night.
ऋत्वर्तवार्द्धमासास्तु अन्योन्यं पितरः स्मृताः
The ancestors are remembered as the seasons, half-months, and months, each corresponding to one another.
प्रीतेषु तेषु प्रीयन्ते श्राद्धयुक्तेषु कर्मसु
When they are pleased, they are satisfied by the acts performed with śrāddha.
एवं पितृसतत्त्वं हि पुराणे निश्चयं गतम्
Thus, the true nature of the ancestors has been ascertained in the Purāṇa.
सुधामृतस्य च प्राप्तिः पितॄणां चैव तर्प्पणम्
The attainment of nectar and the satisfaction of the ancestors have also been described.