Garuda Purana

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.

ऊनद्विवर्षं निखनेन्न कुर्यादुदकं ततः । योषित्पतिव्रता या स्याद्भर्तारं यानुगच्छति

One who is less than ten years old should be buried, and then water should be offered; but a wife who is devoted to her husband follows him.

प्रयोग पूर्वं भर्तारं नमस्कृत्यारुहेच्चितिम् । चितिभ्रष्टा तु या मोहात्सा प्राजापत्यमाचरेत्

Having first saluted her husband, she should ascend the funeral pyre; but if, out of delusion, she falls from the pyre, she should perform the Prajapatya vow.

तिस्रः कोट्योर्धकोटी य यानि लोमानि मानुषे । तावत्कालं वसेत्स्वर्गे भर्तारं यानुगच्छति

For as many hairs as there are on a human body—thirty million and more—so many years does she dwell in heaven, who follows her husband.

व्यालग्राही यथा व्यालं बिलादुद्धरते बलात् । तद्वदुद्धृत्य सा नारी तेनैव सह मोदते

Just as one who seizes a snake drags it forcibly from its hole, so does that woman lift her husband up and enjoys with him.

तत्र सा भर्तृपरमा स्तूयमानाप्सरोगणैः । क्रीडते पतिना सार्धं यावदिन्द्राश्चतुर्दश

There, devoted to her husband, praised by hosts of celestial nymphs, she sports with her husband as long as the fourteen Indras reign.

ब्रह्मघ्नो वा कृघ्नो वा मित्त्रिघ्नो वा भवेत्पतिः । पुनात्यविधवा नारी तमादाय मृता तु या

Whether the husband was a slayer of a Brahmin, a murderer, or a betrayer of friends, the widow who follows him purifies him by her act.

मृते भर्तरि या नारी समारोहेद्धुताशनम् । सारन्धतीसमाचारा स्वर्गलोके महीयते

A woman who ascends the blazing fire upon her husband's death, following the conduct of Arundhati, is honored in the world of heaven.

यावच्चाग्नौ मृते पत्यौ स्त्री नात्मानं प्रदाहयेत् । तावन्न मुच्यते सा हि स्त्रीशरीरात्कथञ्चन

As long as her husband is burning in the fire, if the wife does not burn herself, she is not released from her female body by any means.

मातृकं पैतृकं चैव यत्र चैव प्रदीयते । कुलत्रयं पुनात्येषा भर्तारं यानुगच्छति

She who follows her husband purifies the maternal, paternal, and in-law lineages—three families—by her act.

आर्तार्ते मुदिते हृष्टा प्रोषिते मलिना कृशा । मृते म्रियेत या पत्यौ सा स्त्री ज्ञेया पतिव्रता

Whether in suffering, distress, joy, delight, or when her husband is away, if she is pale and emaciated, and dies when her husband dies, she is known as a devoted wife.