Garuda Purana

ऊढामेव स्वकां भार्यामुद्वहेद्विधिवत्पुमान् । वर्षे पञ्चदशे पक्षिन् द्वादशे वा गते सति

A man should remarry his own wife according to rule, O bird, in the fifteenth year, or after twelve years have passed.

अज्ञातस्य प्रोषितस्य कृत्वा प्रतिकृतिं दहेत् । रजस्वलासूतिकयोर्विशेषं मरणे शृणु

For one unknown or gone abroad, after making an effigy, it should be cremated; now hear the distinction in the death of a menstruating woman or one in childbirth.

सूतिकायां मृतायान्तु एवं कुर्वन्ति याज्ञिकाः । कुम्भे सलिलमादाय पञ्चगव्यं तथैव च

When a woman dies in childbirth, the ritualists perform thus: taking water in a pot, and also the five products of the cow.

पुण्याभिरभिमन्त्र्यापो वाचा शुद्धिं लभेत्ततः । शतसूर्पोदकेनादौ स्नापयित्वा यथाविधि

After sanctifying the water with auspicious mantras, one should attain purity through speech; then, first, the body should be bathed properly with water from a hundred pots.

तेनैव स्नापयित्वा तु दाहं कुर्यात्स्वगेश्वर । पञ्चभिः स्नापयित्वा तु गव्यैः प्रेतां रजस्वलाम्

Having bathed the body in this way, the cremation should be performed by the head of the family; after bathing with five products of the cow, the bodies of the deceased and menstruating women should be purified.

वस्त्रान्तराकृतिं कृत्वा दाहयेद्विधिपूर्वकम् । मृतस्य पञ्चके दाहविधिं वच्मि शृणुष्व मे

After making an effigy out of cloth, it should be burned according to the prescribed procedure; now I will explain the rules for cremation during the five nakṣatras—listen to me.

आदौ कृत्वा धनिष्ठार्धमेतन्नक्षत्रपञ्चकम् । रेवत्यन्तं सदा दूष्यमशुभं सर्वदा भवेत्

First, having marked half of Dhaniṣṭhā, this group of five nakṣatras up to Revati is always considered inauspicious and should always be avoided.

दाहस्तत्र न कर्तव्यो विषादः सर्वजन्तुषु । न जलं दीयते तेषु अशुभं सर्वदा भवेत्

Cremation should not be performed during that period; grief arises among all beings, water should not be offered then, and it is always considered inauspicious.

पञ्चकानन्तरं सर्वं कार्यं कर्तव्यमन्यथा । पुत्त्राणां गोत्रिणां तस्य सन्तापोऽप्युपजायते

All rites should be performed after the five nakṣatras have passed; otherwise, suffering will arise even for the sons and relatives of the deceased.

गृहे हानिर्भवत्येव ऋक्षेष्वेषु मृतस्य च । अथ वा ऋक्षमद्ये च दाहस्तु विधिपूर्वकः

Loss occurs in the household and among the stars for the deceased; however, if cremation must be done during these stars, it should be performed according to the prescribed rules.

क्रियते मानुषाणान्तु स वा आहुतिपूर्वकः । विप्रैर्विधिरतः कार्यो मन्त्रैस्तु विधिपूर्वकम्

For humans, the rite is performed with offerings into the fire; the procedure should be carried out by brāhmaṇas with mantras, according to the proper method.

शवस्थानसमीपे तु क्षेप्तव्याः पुत्तलास्ततः । दर्भकॢप्तास्तु चत्वार ऋक्षमन्त्राभिमन्त्रिताः

Near the place where the body lies, four effigies made of darbha grass, consecrated with nakṣatra mantras, should be placed.

ततो दाहः प्रकर्तव्यस्तैश्च पुत्तलकैः सह । सूतकान्ते तदा पुत्त्रैः कार्यं शान्तिकपौष्टिकम्

Then the cremation should be performed together with those effigies; at the end of the impurity period, the sons should perform rites for peace and prosperity.

पञ्चकेषु मृतो योऽसौ न सतिं लभते नरः । तिलान् गाञ्च सुवर्णञ्च तमुद्दिश्य घृतं ददेत्

A man who dies during the five nakṣatras does not obtain a wife in the next life; for him, sesame seeds, cows, gold, and ghee should be offered.

विप्राणां दापयेद्दानं सर्वविघ्नविनाशनम् । भोजनोपानहौच्छत्त्रं हेममुद्रा च वाससी

One should give gifts to brāhmaṇas to remove all obstacles: food, footwear, umbrellas, gold coins, and garments.

दक्षिणा दीयते विप्रे पातकस्य प्रमोचनः । मयातेऽयं समाख्यातो विधिः पञ्चहरः स्थितः । संयमिन्यां यथायानं यथावर्षं मृतक्रिया

A fee should be given to the brāhmaṇa for the release from sin; thus I have explained the procedure for the five nakṣatras, as established, and the rites for the deceased according to the season and the journey of the soul.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् ५ श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । एवं दग्ध्वा नरं प्रेतं स्नात्वा कृत्वा तिलोदकम् । अग्रतः स्त्रीजनो गच्छेद्व्रजेयुः पृष्ठतो नराः ॥ २,५.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: After burning the dead body, having bathed and performed the water offering with sesame, the women should go in front and the men should follow behind.

प्राशयेन्निम्बपत्राणि रुदन्तो नामपूर्वकम् । विधातव्यं चाचमनं पाषाणोपरि संस्थिते ॥ २,५.

They should chew neem leaves, weeping and reciting the name of the deceased; then, purification should be performed while standing on a stone.

ते प्रविश्य गृहं सर्वे सुताद्याश्च सपिण्डकाः । भवेयुर्दशरात्रं वै यत आशौचकं खग ॥ २,५.

All the sons and other relatives, having entered the house, should observe the ten-day period of impurity, O bird.

क्रीतलब्धाशनाः सर्वे स्वपेयुस्ते पृथक्पृथक् । अक्षारलवणान्नाः स्युर्निमज्जेयुश्च ते त्र्यहम् ॥ २,५.

All should eat food that is purchased or obtained, and sleep separately; their food should be without salt or spices, and they should bathe for three days.

अमांसभोजनाश्चाधः शयीरन्ब्रह्मचारिणः । परस्परं न संस्पृष्टा दानाध्ययनवर्जिताः ॥ २,५.

They should eat no meat, sleep on the ground, observe celibacy, avoid touching each other, and refrain from giving gifts or studying.

मलिनाश्चाधोमुखाश्च दीना भोगविवर्जिताः । अङ्गसंवाहनं केशमार्जनं वर्जयन्ति ते ॥ २,५.

They are unclean, downcast, dejected, and deprived of enjoyment; they avoid massaging the body and combing the hair.

मृन्मये पत्रजे वापि भुञ्जीरंस्ते च भाजने । उवासन्तु ते कुर्युरेकाहमथ वा त्र्यहम् ॥ २,५.

They should eat from clay or leaf vessels, and remain apart for one or three days.

गरुड उवाच । आशौचिन इति प्रोक्तमाशौचस्य च वै प्रभो । लक्षणं किं कियत्कालं भाव्यं वा तद्युतैर्नरैः ॥ २,५.

Garuḍa said: 'This is called impurity. O Lord, what are the signs of impurity, how long should it last, and who should observe it?'

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । अपनोद्यन्त्विदं कालादिभिराशु निषेधकृत् । पिण्डाध्ययनदानादेः पुङ्गतोऽतिशयो हि तत् ॥ २,५.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: 'This is quickly removed by the prescribed periods and prohibitions; it is especially so regarding offerings, study, and gifts.'

दशाहं शावमाशौचं सपिण्डेषु विधीयते । जननेऽप्येवमेव स्यान्निपुणं शुद्धिमिच्छताम् ॥ २,५.

For those sharing the same funeral cake, impurity due to death lasts ten days; it is the same at birth for those who desire thorough purity.

जन्मन्येकोदकानान्तुत्रिरात्राच्छुद्धिरिष्यते । शावस्य शेषाच्छुध्यन्ति त्र्यहादुदकदायिनः ॥ २,५.

For those related only by shared water, purity is attained after three nights at birth; for the rest at death, those who offer water become pure after three nights.

आदन्तजननत्सद्य आ चौलान्नैशिकी स्मृता । त्रिरात्रमा व्रतादेशाद्दशरात्रमतः परम् ॥ २,५.

At the birth of a child with teeth, or after the first tonsure, impurity lasts for one night; for those under vows, three nights, and for others, ten nights.

आशौचं ते समाख्यातं संक्षेपात्प्रकृतं ब्रुवे । जलं त्रिदिवमाकाशे स्थाप्यं क्षीरञ्च मृन्मये ॥ २,५.

I have briefly described the essential rules of impurity; water should be placed in the open air, and milk in a clay vessel.