क्षिप्रमत्युष्णमक्लिष्टं दद्यादन्नं बुभुक्षते
He should quickly give hot and unspoiled food to one who is hungry.
तरुणादित्यसंकाशं विमानं हंसवाहनम्
A celestial chariot, shining like the young sun, drawn by swans.
अन्नदानात्परं दानं नान्यत्किञ्चित्तु विद्यते
There is no gift greater than the gift of food.
जीवदानात्परं दानं नान्यत्किञ्चन विद्यते
There is no gift greater than the gift of life.
अन्नं प्रजापतिः साक्षात्ते न सर्वमिदं ततम्
Food is directly Prajāpati; by him, indeed, all this is pervaded.
यानि रत्नानि मेदिन्यां वाहनानि स्त्रियस्तथा
Whatever jewels are on earth, vehicles, and also women,
प्रतिश्रयं च यो दद्यादतिथिब्यः कृताञ्जलिः
Whoever gives shelter to guests, with joined palms,
सर्वाण्येतानि यो दद्यात्पृथिव्यामेकराड्भवेत्
Whoever gives all these becomes the sole ruler of the earth.
दानानि परमो धर्मः सद्भिः सत्कृत्य पूजितः
Charitable gifts are the highest dharma, honored and respected by the virtuous.
क्षीणायुर्लभते चायुः पितृभक्तः सदा नरः
A man devoted to the ancestors always obtains life, even if his lifespan is diminished.
श्राद्धकल्पे दानप्रशंसा नाम षोडशो ऽध्यायः
Chapter Sixteen: The Praise of Giving in the Ritual of Śrāddha
काम्यं नैमित्तिकाजस्रं श्राद्धकर्मणि नित्यशः
In the performance of śrāddha, acts done with desire, for specific purposes, or perpetually, should always be observed.
कृष्णपक्षे वरिष्ठा हि पूर्वाखण्डलदेवता
In the dark fortnight, the deities of the earlier division are indeed the most excellent.
आद्यापूपैः सदाकार्या मांसैरन्या सदा भवेत्
The initial offerings should always be performed with cooked food; other offerings should always be with meat.
अत्रापीष्टं पितॄणां वै नित्यमेव विधीयते
Here too, the desired offering for the ancestors is indeed prescribed as a daily practice.
आसु श्राद्धं बुधः कुर्वन्सर्वस्वेनापि नित्यशः
A wise person should perform śrāddha in these times, even with all his possessions, always.
पितरः पर्वकालेषु तिथिकालेषु देवताः
The ancestors are to be worshipped at the time of the lunar phases, and the deities at the time of the lunar days.
मासांते प्रतिगच्छेयुरष्टकासु ह्यपूजिताः
At the end of the month, those ancestors who have not been worshipped during the aṣṭakā days may depart.
पूजकानां समुत्कर्षो नास्तिकानामधोगतिः
Those who perform worship attain excellence; those who do not believe fall to a lower state.
पुष्टिं प्रजां स्मृतिं मेधां पुत्रानैश्वर्यमेव च
Nourishment, offspring, memory, intelligence, sons, and indeed prosperity—
प्रतिपद्धनलाभाय लब्धं चास्य न नश्यति
—are obtained from the first day onward, and what is gained by him does not perish.
वरार्थिनां तृतीया तु शत्रुघ्नी पापनाशिनी
For those who desire boons, the third lunar day destroys enemies and removes sins.
पञ्चम्यां चापिकुर्वाणः प्राप्नोति महतीं श्रियम्
One who performs it on the fifth day attains great prosperity.
कुरुते यस्तु सप्तम्यां श्राद्धानि सततं नरः
But the man who always performs śrāddha on the seventh day—
संपूर्णामृद्धिमाप्नोति यो ऽष्टम्यां कुरुते नरः
—attains complete abundance, he who performs it on the eighth day.
कुर्वन्दशम्यां तु नरो ब्राह्मीं श्रियमवाप्नुयात्
A man performing it on the tenth day attains the wealth of Brahmā.
एकादश्यां परं दानमैश्वर्य सततं तथा
On the eleventh day, supreme generosity and constant prosperity are obtained.
प्रजावृद्धिं पशून्मेधां स्वातन्त्र्यं पुष्टिमुत्तमाम्
He attains increase of offspring, cattle, intelligence, independence, and the highest nourishment.
युवानश्च गृहे यस्य मृतास्तेभ्यः प्रदापयेत्
For those whose young ones have died in the household, one should make offerings on their behalf.
अमावास्यां प्रयत्नेन श्राद्धं कुर्यात्सदा शुचिः
On the new moon, one should always perform the śrāddha with care and purity.