स्वर्गे वै पितरो ह्येते देवानामपि देवताः
Indeed, these fathers are in heaven, and are even the deities of the gods.
यथा च दत्तमस्माभिः सार्द्धं प्रीणाति वै पितॄन्
And as the offering given by us together pleases the ancestors.
स्वर्गे तु के च वर्त्तन्ते पितरो नरके व के
Who among the ancestors dwell in heaven, and who are in hell?
प्रतितामहं तथा चैव त्रिषु पिण्डेषु नामतः
And likewise, how are the ancestors known by name in the three offerings?
कथं च शक्तास्ते दातुं नरकस्थाः फलं पुनः
And how are those who are in hell able to receive the fruit again?
देवा अपि पितॄन् स्वर्गे यजन्तीति हि नः श्रुतम्
We have heard that even the gods worship the ancestors in heaven.
स्पष्टाभिधान मपि वै तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हसि
You should speak this matter clearly and explicitly.
मन्वन्तरेषु जायन्ते पितरो देवसूनवः
In the cycles of Manu, the ancestors are born as sons of the gods.
देवैः सार्द्धं पुरातीताः पितरो ऽन्येन्तरेषु वै
The ancestors who have passed away in previous ages are with the gods in other cycles.
श्राद्धक्रियां मनुश्चैषां श्राद्धदेवः प्रवर्त्तयेत्
Manu should perform the śrāddha rite for them, as the god of śrāddha.
तमुत्सृज्य तदात्मानमयजंस्ते फलार्थिनः
Desiring the fruit, they abandon that body and that self which was not sacrificed.
तस्मात्किञ्चिन्न जानीत ततो लोकेषु मुह्यत
Therefore, they know nothing; thus, they are deluded among the worlds.
अनुग्रहाय लोकानां पुनस्तानब्रवीत्प्रभुः
Then, for the benefit of the worlds, the Lord spoke to them again.
पुत्रान्स्वान्परिपृच्छध्वं ततो ज्ञानमवाप्स्यथ
Ask your own sons; then you will obtain knowledge.
अपृच्छन्संयतात्मानो विधिवच्च मिथो मिथः
With controlled minds, they questioned each other according to the rule.
प्रयश्चित्तानि धर्मज्ञावाङ्मनः कर्मजानि च
Those who know dharma spoke of expiations, and also of actions born of mind and deed.
यूयं वै पितरो ऽस्माकं यैर्वयं प्रतिबोधिताः
You are indeed our ancestors, by whom we have been instructed.
पुस्तानब्रवीद्ब्रह्मा यूयं वै सत्यवादिनः
Brahmā said to the ancestors: 'You indeed are speakers of truth.'
उक्तं च पितरो ऽस्माकं चेति वै तनयाः स्वकाः
And it was said: 'These are our ancestors,' thus their own sons.
तेनैव वचसा ते वै ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः
By that very statement of the supreme Brahmā, they indeed [became so].
तस्मात्ते पितरः पुत्राः पितृत्वं तेषु तत्स्मृतम्
Therefore, those sons became your ancestors; their status as ancestors is thus remembered.
व्याजहार पुनर्ब्रह्मा वितॄनात्मविवृद्धये
Then Brahma again spoke, for the increase of the lineage of ancestors.
राक्षसा दानवाश्बैव फलं प्राप्स्यन्ति तस्य तत्
The Rakshasas and Danavas also will obtain the fruit of that.
आप्यायमाना युष्माभिर्वर्द्धयिष्यन्ति नित्यशः
Being nourished by you, they will always grow and flourish.
कृत्स्नं सपर्वतवनं जङ्गमाजङ्गमैर्वृतम्
The entire world, with its mountains and forests, is filled with moving and unmoving beings.
तेभ्यः पुष्टिं प्रजाश्चैव दास्यन्ति पितरः सदा
The ancestors will always grant nourishment and offspring to them.
सर्वत्र वर्तमानास्ते पितरः प्रपितामहाः
The ancestors and great-grandfathers exist everywhere.
एवमाज्ञा कृता पूर्वं ब्रह्मणा परमेष्ठिना
Thus, the command was formerly given by Brahma, the supreme lord.
ते तु ज्ञानप्रदातारः पितरो वो न संशयः
Indeed, your ancestors are the givers of knowledge; there is no doubt.
अन्योन्यपितरो ह्येते देवाश्च पितरश्च ह
These are mutually ancestors—both the gods and the ancestors, indeed.