Garuda Purana

मृत्तिकाभिस्तु दर्भैर्वा वृषं कृत्वा विमोचयेत् । यदिष्टं जीवतस्तस्य दद्यादेकादशेऽहनि ॥ २,५.

By making a bull from clay or darbha grass, one should release it; if desired, while the person is still alive, this may be given on the eleventh day.

मृतमुद्दिश्य दातव्यं शय्याधेन्वादिकं तथा । विप्रान्बहून् भोजयीत प्रेतस्य क्षुद्विशान्तये ॥ २,५.

In honor of the deceased, one should give a bed, a cow, and similar gifts; and feed many Brahmins to satisfy the hunger of the departed.

तृतीयां षोडशीं वच्मि वैनतेय शृणुष्व ताम् । द्वादश प्रतिमास्यानि आद्यं षाण्मासिकं तथा ॥ २,५.

I will tell you, O son of Vinatā, about the third and sixteenth rites; listen to them: there are twelve memorial offerings, the first being at six months.

सपिण्डीकरणं चैव तृतीया षोडशी मता । द्वादशाहे त्रिपक्षे च षण्मासे मासिकेऽब्दिके ॥ २,५.

The third and sixteenth rites are considered to be the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa; these are performed on the twelfth day, after three fortnights, at six months, monthly, and yearly.

तृतीयां षोडशीमेनां वदन्ति मतभेदतः । यस्यैतानि न दत्तानि प्रेतश्राद्धानि षोडश ॥ २,५.

This third and sixteenth rite is described differently according to various opinions; if these sixteen funeral offerings are not given,

पिशाचत्वं स्थिरं तस्य दत्तैः श्राद्धशतैरपि । एकादशे द्वादशे वा दिने आद्यं प्रकीर्तितम् ॥ २,५.

He remains firmly in the state of a ghost, even if hundreds of funeral rites are performed; the first is prescribed on the eleventh or twelfth day.

मासादौ प्रतिमासञ्च शुद्धं मृततिथौ खग । एकेनाह्ना त्रिभिर्वापि हीनेषु विनतासुत ॥ २,५.

At the beginning of the month, and monthly, the pure rite is performed on the date of death, O bird; if missed, it may be done in one or three days, O son of Vinatā.

मासषण्मासवर्षेषु त्रिपक्षेषु भवन्ति हि । श्राद्धान्यथस्यात्सापिण्ड्यं पूर्णे वर्षे तदर्धके ॥ २,५.

In the month, six months, year, and three fortnights, the funeral rites are performed; sapiṇḍīkaraṇa is done at the completion of the year or at half a year.

त्रिपक्षेऽभ्युदये वापि द्वादशाहेऽथ वा नृणाम् । आनन्त्यात्कुलधर्माणां पुंसाञ्चैवायुषः क्षयात् ॥ २,५.

In the case of three fortnights, or at the twelfth day, or for men, due to the endlessness of family duties and the brevity of human life,

अस्थिरत्वाच्छरीरस्य द्वादशाहे प्रशस्यते । सपिण्डीकरणेष्वेवं विधिं पक्षीन्द्र मे शृणु ॥ २,५.

Because of the impermanence of the body, the twelfth day is recommended; now listen to the procedure for sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, O king of birds.

एकोद्दिष्टविधानेन कार्यं तदपि काश्यप । तिलगन्धोदकैर्युक्तं कुर्यात्पात्रचतुष्टयम् ॥ २,५.

That too should be performed according to the rite for a single offering, O Kāśyapa; one should prepare four vessels with sesame, fragrance, and water.

पात्रं प्रेतस्य तत्रैकं पित्र्यं पात्रत्रयं तथा । सेचयेत्पितृपात्रेषु प्रेतपात्रं खग त्रिषु ॥ २,५.

Of these, one vessel is for the departed, and three are for the ancestors; the vessel for the departed should be poured into the three ancestor vessels, O bird.

चतुरो निर्वपेत्पिण्डान्पूर्वन्तेषु समापयेत् । ततः प्रभृति वै प्रेतः पितृसामान्यमश्नुते ॥ २,५.

One should offer four balls (piṇḍas) and complete the rite as previously described; from that moment, the departed attains equality with the ancestors.

ततः पितृत्वमापन्ने तस्मिन्प्रेते खगेश्वर । श्राद्धधर्मैरशेषैस्तु तत्पूर्वानर्चयेत्पितॄन् ॥ २,५.

Then, when the departed has attained the state of an ancestor, O lord of birds, he should worship his forefathers with all the funeral rites.

एकचित्यारोहणे च एकाह्नि मरणे तथा । सापिण्ड्यन्तु स्त्रिया नास्ति मृते भर्तुः स्त्रियो भवेत् ॥ २,५.

When cremation is done in a single pyre, or when death occurs in a single day, sapiṇḍīkaraṇa is not performed for a woman; but when her husband dies, it is performed for her.

पाकैक्यमथ कालैक्यं कर्त्रैक्यञ्च भवेत्खग । श्राद्धादौ सह दाहे च पतिपत्न्योर्न संशयः ॥ २,५.

Unity in cooking, unity in timing, and unity in the act itself must be observed, O bird, both at the śrāddha and during the cremation of husband and wife together—of this there is no doubt.

भर्तुर्मृततिथेरन्यतिथौ चितिमथारुहेत् । तांमृताहनि तु सम्प्राप्ते पृथक्पिण्डेन योजयेत् ॥ २,५.

If the husband dies as a guest, the wife should ascend the funeral pyre with him; but when the day of her own death arrives, she should be joined to him with a separate offering.

प्रत्यब्दञ्च युगपत्तु समापयेत् ॥ २,५.

And each year, these rites should be completed together and at the same time.

यस्य संवत्सरादर्वाक्सपिण्डीकरणं भवेत् । मासिकञ्चोदकुम्भञ्च देयं तस्यापि वत्सरम् ॥ २,५.

If the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa (joining of offerings) occurs before a full year has passed, then for that person, monthly rites and the water-pot offering should still be performed for the remainder of the year.

नवश्राद्धं सपिण्डत्वं श्राद्धान्यपि च षोडश । एकेनैव तु कार्याणि संविभक्तधनेष्वपि ॥ २,५.

The nine śrāddhas, the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, and also the sixteen śrāddhas—all these should be performed by one person alone, even when the inheritance is divided.

पितामहीभिः सापिण्ड्यं तथा मातामहैः सह । उक्तं भर्त्रापि सापिण्ड्यं स्त्रिया वेषयभेदतः ॥ २,५.

Sapiṇḍya (kinship by offering) is with the paternal grandmothers and likewise with the maternal grandfathers; it is also said that a wife shares sapiṇḍya with her husband, depending on the distinction of dress.

नवश्राद्धस्य ते कालं वक्ष्यामि शृणु काश्यप । मरणाह्नि मृतिस्थाने श्राद्धं पक्षिन्प्रकल्पयेत् ॥ २,५.

Now I shall tell you the timing of the nine śrāddhas, O Kāśyapa; on the day of death, at the place of death, the śrāddha should be arranged, O bird.

द्वितीयञ्च ततो मार्गे विश्रामो यत्र कारितः । ततः सञ्चयनस्थाने तृतीयं श्राद्धमुच्यते ॥ २,५.

The second is to be performed at the place along the way where a rest was taken; then, at the place where the bones are gathered, the third śrāddha is prescribed.

पञ्चमे सप्तमे तद्वदष्टमे नवमे तथा । दशमैकादशे चैव नव श्राद्धानि वै खग ॥ २,५.

On the fifth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh days likewise, O bird, nine śrāddhas are to be performed.

श्राद्धानि नव चैतानि तृतीया षोडशी स्मृता । एकोद्दिष्टविधानेन कार्याणि मनुजैस्तथा ॥ २,५.

These nine śrāddhas, with the third being considered the sixteenth, should be performed by men according to the rules for the ekoddiṣṭa (single-offering) rite.

प्रथमेऽह्नि तृतीये वा पञ्चमे सप्तमे तथा । नवमैकादशे चैव नवश्राद्धं प्रकीर्तितम् ॥ २,५.

On the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and eleventh days, the nine śrāddhas are prescribed.

उच्यन्ते षडिमानीह नव स्युरपि यागेतः । उक्तानि ते मया तानि ऋषीणां मतभेदतः ॥ २,५.

Here, six are sometimes mentioned, but nine may also be performed according to desire; I have told you these, as they are taught by the sages according to their differing opinions.

रूढिपक्षो ममाभीष्टो योगः कैश्चिदिहेष्यते । आद्ये द्वितीये दातव्यस्तथैवैकं पवित्रकम् ॥ २,५.

The established tradition is my preference, though some desire the yogic method; on the first and second days, one should also give a single piece of sacred cloth.

प्रेताय पिण्डो दातव्यो भुक्तवत्सु द्विजातिषु । प्रश्रस्तत्राभिरण्येति यजमानद्विजन्मना ॥ २,५.

A ball of rice should be offered to the departed, after the twice-born have eaten; there, the sacrificer and the twice-born should declare, 'It has been properly given.'