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.
समासात्कीर्तितस्तुभ्यमेष सर्गः मनातनः
This eternal creation has been briefly recounted to you.
न शक्यं परिसंख्यातुं श्रद्धेयं भूतिमिच्छता
It cannot be fully enumerated by one who desires prosperity; it is to be believed.
विस्तरेणानुपूर्व्या च भूयः किं वर्णयाम्यहम्
What more should I describe in detail and in order?
तेषां निसर्गं तत्त्वं च श्रोतुमिच्छामि विस्तरात्
I wish to hear in detail about their origin and true nature.
तेषां चतुर्युगं ह्येतत्तद्वक्ष्यामि निबोधत
I will tell you about their fourfold age; listen attentively.
युगं च युगभेदश्च युगधर्मस्तथैव च
The age, the divisions of the age, and likewise the duties of each age.
षट्प्रकाशयुगाख्यैषा ता प्रवक्ष्यामि तत्त्वतः
This is called the era of six illuminations; I will now explain it to you in detail.
निमेषकाल तुल्यं हि विद्याल्लघ्वक्षरं च यत्
One should know that the time of a blink is equal to the duration of a short syllable.
त्रिंशत्कलाश्चापि भवेन्मुहूर्त्तस्तै स्त्रिंशता रात्र्यहनी समे ते
Thirty divisions make up a muhūrta; thirty such muhūrtas together form a day and night.
अहोरात्रौ विभजते सूर्यो मानुषलौकिकौ
The sun divides day and night into human and worldly measures.