Garuda Purana

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.

प्रेतपिण्डं प्रदद्याच्च दाहार्तिशमनं खग । ततः प्रदक्षिणं कृक्त्वा चिताप्रस्थानवीक्षकाः

One should offer the funeral rice-ball, O bird, to soothe the pain of burning; then, having circumambulated, those who witnessed the cremation depart.

कनिष्ठपूर्वाः स्नानार्थं गच्छेयुः सूक्तजापकाः । ततो जालसमीपे तु गत्वा प्रक्षाल्य चांशुकम्

The youngest first, those who recite the hymns, should go to bathe; then, going near the water's edge, they should wash their garments.

परिधाय पुनस्तच्च ब्रृयुस्तं पुरुषं प्रति । उदकं तु करिष्यामः सचैलं पुरुषास्ततः

Having put on those garments again, they should say to that person: 'We will perform the water-rite, with garments, O men.'

कुरुध्वमित्येव वदेच्छतवर्षावरे मृते । पुत्राद्या वृद्धपूर्वास्ते एकवस्त्राः शिखां विना

One should say only, 'Do it,' when a person of a hundred years has died; sons and others, beginning with the eldest, should enter the water in a single cloth, without the topknot.

प्राचीनावीतिनः सर्वे विशेयुर्मौनिनो जलम् । अपनः शोशुचदघमनेन पितृदिङ्मुखाः

All, facing the south, silent, with the sacred thread over the right shoulder, should enter the water; thus, facing the ancestors' direction, they remove their sins and grief.

जलावघट्टनं चव न कुर्युः स्नानकारकाः । ततस्तटे समागत्य शिखां बद्ध्वा ऋजून् कुशान्

Those performing the bathing should not strike the water; then, coming to the bank, tying up their hair, and holding straight blades of kuśa grass.

दक्षिणाग्रहस्तयोस्तु कृत्वाथ सतिलं जलम् । आदायाञ्जलिना याम्यां दुः खी पैतृकतीर्थतः

With both hands to the south, taking water with sesame in the joined palms, they should offer it in the southern direction, at the ancestral ford, with sorrow.

एकवारं त्रिवारं वा दशवारमथापि वा । भूमावश्मनि वा सर्वे क्षिपेयुर्वाग्यताः खग

Once, thrice, or even ten times, all should silently pour it on the ground or on a stone, O bird.

तृप्यन्तु तृप्यतां वापि तर्पयाम्युपतिष्ठताम् । प्रेतैतदमुकगोत्रेत्युक्तेष्वेवं समुच्चरेत्

Let them be satisfied, or may they be satisfied; I offer to those who are present—thus, saying, 'For this departed one of such a lineage,' one should perform accordingly.

जलाञ्जलौ कृते पश्चाद्विधेयं दन्तधावनम् । त्यजन्ति गोत्रिणः सर्वे दिनानि नव काश्यप

After making the water offering, tooth-cleaning should be done; all those of the same lineage abstain for nine days, O Kāśyapa.

तत उत्तीर्योदकाद्वै वस्त्राणि परिधाय च । स्नानवस्त्रं सकृत्पीड्य विशेयुः शुचिभूतले

Then, having crossed out of the water and put on their garments, wringing out the bathing cloth once, they should enter a clean place.

अश्रुपातं न कुर्वीत दत्त्वा दाहजलाञ्जलिम् । श्लेष्माश्रु बान्धवैर्मुक्तं प्रेतो भुङ्क्ते यतोऽवशः

One should not weep after offering the water oblation for the burning; for the departed helplessly partakes of the phlegm and tears shed by relatives.

अतो न रोदितव्यं हि क्रियाः कार्याः स्वशक्तितः । ततस्तेषूपविष्टेषु पुराणज्ञः सुकृत्स्वकः

Therefore, one should not weep; the rites should be performed according to one's ability. Then, when they are seated, one who knows the ancient tradition, who is virtuous, should speak.

शोकापनोदं कुर्वीत संसारानित्यतां ब्रुवन् । मानुष्ये कदलीस्तन्भे असारे सारमार्गणम्

He should dispel grief, speaking of the impermanence of worldly existence: 'In humanity, as in the stem of a plantain, there is no substance in what seems substantial.'

करोति यः स संमूढो जलबुद्वद्रसन्निभे । पञ्चधा संभृतः कायो यदि पञ्चत्वमागतः

He who acts thus is deluded, like a bubble on water; though the body is composed of five elements, when it meets its end—

कर्मभिः स्वशरीरोत्थैस्तत्र का परिदेवना । गन्त्री वसुमती नाशमुदधिर्दैवतानि च

—what is the use of lamenting for a body perished through its own deeds? The earth, the ocean, and the gods themselves all come to destruction.

फेनप्रख्यः कथं नाशं मर्त्यलोको न यास्यति । एवं संश्रावयेत्तत्र मृदुशाद्वलसंस्थितान्

How could the world of mortals, which is like foam, not come to an end? Thus should one instruct those seated on the soft grass there.

तेऽयि संश्रुत्य गच्छेयुर्गृहं बालपुरः सराः । विदश्य र्निबपत्राणि नियता द्वारि वेश्मनः

Hearing this, they should return home, led by the children, scattering darbha grass leaves, and stand firmly at the doorway of the house.

आचम्य वह्निसलिलं गोमयं गौरसर्षपान् । दूर्वाप्रवालं वृषभमन्यदप्यथ मङ्गलम्

After sipping water, they should bring fire, water, cow dung, cow's milk, mustard seeds, sacred grass, coral, a bull, and other auspicious items.

प्रविशेयुः समालभ्य कृत्वाश्मनि पदं शनैः । श्रौतेन तु विधानेन आहिताग्निं देहद्वधः

They should enter, having touched these, and step gently on a stone; then, according to the Vedic rite, the householder whose fire is maintained is to be cremated.