Garuda Purana

किं दानमिति तुर्यस्य प्रश्नस्योत्तरमीरितम् । दाहमृत्योरन्तरे किमितिप्रश्नोत्तरं शृणु

The answer to the question, 'What is the gift for the fourth?' has been stated; now hear the answer to the question, 'What is between burning and death?'

गतप्राणं ततो ज्ञात्वा स्नात्वा पुत्रादिराशु तम् । शवं जलेन शुद्धेन क्षालयेदविचारयन्

Then, knowing that life has departed, after bathing, the son and others should quickly wash the corpse with pure water, without hesitation.

परिधाप्याहते वस्त्रे चन्दनैः प्रोक्षयेत्तनुम् । ततो मृतस्य स्थाने वै एकोद्दिष्टं समाचरेत्

Clothing the body in clean garments, sprinkling it with sandalwood, then, at the place of the dead, one should perform the ekoddiṣṭa rite.

प्रयोगपूर्वं दाहस्य योग्यतादिर्यथा भवेत् । आंसनं प्राक्षण च स्यान्न स्यादेतच्चतुष्टयम्

Before the funeral rite, whatever is proper regarding fitness and so on, there should be carrying and placing, but not these four things.

आवाहनार्चन चैव पान्त्रालम्भावगाहने । भवेद्दानान्नसङ्कल्पः पिण्डदानं सदा भवेत्

There should be invocation and worship, as well as taking up the vessel and immersion; the resolve for giving food should be made, and the offering of rice-balls should always be performed.

पदार्थपञ्चकं न स्याद्रेखा प्रत्यवनेजनम् । दद्यादक्षय्यमुदकं न स्यादेतत्त्रयं पुनः

The fivefold substance should not be used, nor the drawing of lines or wiping; one should give inexhaustible water, and these three should not be done again.

स्वधावाचनमाशीश्च तिलकं च खगोत्तम । घटं दद्यात्समाषान्नं दद्याल्लोहस्य दक्षिणाम्

O best of birds, one should recite the svadhā, offer blessings, and a tilaka; one should give a pot, cooked food, and a gift of iron.

पिण्डस्य चालनं प्रोक्तं नैव प्रोक्तमिदं त्रिकम् । प्रच्छादनविसर्गौ च स्वस्तिवाचनकं तथा

The movement of the rice-ball is prescribed, but these three are not: covering, releasing, and the recitation for auspiciousness.

एषु षट्सु विधिः प्रोक्तः श्राद्धेषु मलिनेषु ते । षडेव मरणस्थाने द्वारि चात्वरिके तथा

These six rites are prescribed for impure śrāddha ceremonies: only six at the place of death, at the door, and at the crossroads.

विश्रामे काष्ठचयने तथा सञ्चयने खग । मृतिस्थाने शवो नाम भूमिस्तुष्यति देवता

At the resting place, on the wooden platform, and at the gathering place, O bird, at the place of death, the earth is called 'corpse' and the deities are satisfied.

पान्थो द्वारि भवेत्तेन प्रीता स्याद्वास्तुदेवता । चत्वरे खेचरस्तेन तुष्येद्भृतादिदेवता

A traveler stands at the door, and thus the house-deity is pleased; at the crossroads, a sky-roaming being, and thus the carrier-deities are satisfied.

विश्रामे भूतसंज्ञोऽयं तुष्टस्तेन दिशो दश । चितायां साधक इति सञ्चितौ प्रेत उच्यते

At the resting place, this is called 'spirit', and thus the ten directions are satisfied; at the funeral pyre, 'sādhaka', and at the gathering, 'preta' is said.

तिलदर्भघृतेधांसि गृहीत्वा तु सुतादयः । गाथां यमस्य सूक्तं वाप्यधीयाना व्रजन्ति हि

Taking sesame, darbha grass, clarified butter, and lamps, the sons and others recite a verse of Yama or a hymn, and proceed.

अहरहर्नीयमानो गामश्वं पुरुषं वृषम् । वैवस्वतो न तृप्येत सुरया त्विव दुर्मतिः

Even if a cow, horse, man, or bull is offered daily, Vaivasvata would not be satisfied, just as a fool is never satisfied with liquor.

इमां गाथमपेतेति सूक्तं वा पथि संपठेत् । दक्षिणस्यां दिश्यरण्यं व्रजेयुः सर्वबान्धवाः

Recite this verse or hymn on the path; all relatives should proceed to the southern direction, to the forest.

पथि श्राद्धद्वयं कुर्यात्पूर्वोक्तविधिना खग । ततः शनैर्भूतले वै दक्षिणाशिरसं शवम्

On the path, two śrāddha rites should be performed according to the previously stated method, O bird; then, slowly place the corpse on the ground with its head to the south.

स्थापयित्वा चिताभूमौ पूर्वोक्तं श्राद्धमाचरेत् । तृणकाष्ठतिलाज्यादि स्वयं निन्युः सुतादयः

After placing it on the funeral ground, perform the śrāddha as previously described; the sons and others themselves bring grass, wood, sesame, clarified butter, and so on.

शूद्रानीतैः कृतं कर्म सर्वं भवति निष्फलम् । प्राचीनावीतिना भाव्यं दक्षिणाभिमुकेन च

All rites performed by Śūdras become fruitless; it should be done with the prācīnāvīta and facing south.

वेदी तत्र प्रकर्तव्या यथाशास्त्रमथाण्डज । प्रतेवस्त्रं द्विधा कृत्वार्धेन तं छादयेत्ततः

There, an altar should be constructed according to the scriptures, O egg-born; the shroud should be divided in two, and half should be used to cover it.

अर्धं श्मशानवासार्थं भूमावेव विनिः क्षिपेत् । ततः पूर्वोक्तविधिना पिण्डं प्रेतकरे न्यसेत्

Half is for the use of the cremation ground, and should be placed on the earth; then, according to the previously stated method, place the rice-ball in the hand of the deceased.

आज्येनाभ्यञ्जनं कार्यं सर्वाङ्गेषु शवस्य च । दाहमृत्योरन्तराले विधिः पिण्डस्य तं शृणु

Anoint the entire body of the corpse with clarified butter; listen to the rite for the rice-ball between the placing and the burning.

पूर्वोक्तैः पञ्चभिः पिण्डैः शवस्याहुतियोग्यता । अन्यथा चोपघाताच्च राक्षसाद्या भवन्ति हि

With the five rice-balls previously mentioned, the corpse becomes fit for offering; otherwise, due to error, beings like demons arise.

संमृज्य चोपलिप्याथ उल्लिख्योद्धृत्य वेदिकाम् । अभ्युक्ष्योपसमाधाय वह्निं तत्र विधानतः

After cleaning, smearing, marking, and raising the altar, sprinkle and arrange the fire there according to the prescribed method.

पुष्पाक्षतैश्च संपूज्य देवं क्रव्यादसंज्ञकम् । श्रौतेन तु विधानेन ह्याहिताग्निं दहेद्वुधः

Worship the deity called 'devourer of flesh' with flowers and unbroken rice; then, according to the Vedic method, burn the corpse with the sacred fire.

चण्डालाग्निं चिताग्निं च पतिताग्निं परित्यजेत् । त्वं भूतकृज्जगद्योनिस्त्वं लोकपरिपालकः

One should avoid the fire of outcastes, the funeral fire, and the fire of the fallen; you are the creator of beings, the origin of the world, and the protector of the realms.

उपसंहर तस्मात्त्वमेनं स्वर्गं नयामृतम् । इति क्रव्यादमभ्यर्च्य शरीराहुतिमाचरेत्

Therefore, withdraw him and lead him to heaven, to immortality; having thus worshipped the devourer of flesh, one should offer the body as an oblation.

अर्धदग्धे तथा देहे दद्यादाज्याहुतिं ततः । अस्मात्त्वमधिजातोऽसि त्वदयं जायतां पुनः

When the body is half-burnt, then one should offer a libation of ghee, saying: 'From this you have arisen; from you may this be born again.'

असौ स्वर्गाय लोकाय स्वाहेत्युक्त्वा तु नामतः । एवमाज्याहुतिं दत्त्वा तिलमिश्रां समन्त्रकम्

Saying, 'This one, for the heavenly world, svāhā,' and naming him, thus offering a ghee oblation mixed with sesame and mantra.

रोदितव्यं ततो गाढमेवं तस्य सुखं भवेत् । दाहस्यानन्तरं तत्र कृत्वा सञ्चयनिक्रियाम्

Then, one should weep deeply; in this way, happiness comes to him. After the burning, there, the gathering of the remains should be performed.