Garuda Purana

एतस्मात्पातकात्प्रेतो लेखको नामतोऽस्म्यहम् । आसीन्नरकभोगान्ते नः प्रेतत्वमिदं द्विज ॥ २,७.

Because of this sin, I am called 'Lekhaka' among the departed; at the end of my experience in hell, this ghosthood has come to me, O twice-born.

ब्राह्मण उवाच । संज्ञास्तादृश्य आख्याता यथैता भवता दशाः । वदन्त्वाचारमात्रं मे प्रेता आहारमप्युत ॥ २,७.

The Brahmin said: Such names and conditions as you have described, tell me only of your conduct, O ghosts, and also of your food.

प्रेता ऊचुः । वेदमार्गानुसरणं लज्जा धर्मो दमः क्षमा । धृतिर्ज्ञानं नैव यत्र वयं तत्र वसामहे ॥ २,७.

The ghosts said: Where there is no following of the Vedic path, no modesty, no righteousness, no self-restraint, no patience, no fortitude, no knowledge, there we dwell.

तस्य पीडां वपं कुर्मो नैव श्राद्धं न तर्पणम् । यस्य गेहे तदङ्गात्तु मांसञ्च रुधिरं क्रमात् ॥ २,७.

We inflict suffering upon his body, and neither śrāddha nor libation is performed; from the limbs in his house, gradually, flesh and blood.

जक्षामश्च पिबामश्च उक्त आचार एष नः । शृणु चाहारमस्माकं सर्वलोकविगर्हितम् ॥ २,७.

We eat and drink thus; this is our conduct. Listen to our food, which is despised by all the worlds.

दृष्टस्त्वया च किञ्चिद्वै ब्रूमोज्ञातं त्वयानघ । वमनं विडू दूषिका च श्लेष्मा मूत्राश्रुणी तथा ॥ २,७.

You have seen something, and we tell you what you know, O sinless one: vomit, excrement, filth, phlegm, urine, and tears as well.

एतद्भक्ष्यञ्च पानञ्च मा पृच्छातः परं द्विज । लज्जा नो जायते स्वामिन्नाहारं वदतां स्वकम् ॥ २,७.

This is our food and drink; do not ask further, O twice-born. Shame arises in us, master, when speaking of our own sustenance.

अज्ञानास्तामसा मन्दा कान्दिशीका वयं विभो । अकस्माज्जन्मनां विप्र स्मृतिः प्राप्ता तु पौर्विकी ॥ २,७.

We are ignorant, dull, and of dark nature, O lord; by chance, O Brahmin, memory of previous births has come to us.

विनीतत्वाविनीतत्वे जानीमो नैव नः प्रभो । श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । एवं वदत्सु प्रेतेषु तथा श्रुतवति द्विजे ॥ २,७.

We do not know the distinction between humility and lack of humility, O lord. Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: While the ghosts spoke thus, and the twice-born listened,

अदर्शयमहं रूपं तदा तार्क्ष्येदमेव वै । स तु दृष्ट्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठो हृद्गतं पुरुषं पुरः ॥ २,७.

I then revealed that form to Tārkṣya; and seeing it, the foremost Brahmin beheld the person within his heart before him.

स्तोत्रैस्तुष्टाव पक्षीश दण्डवत्प्रणनाम माम् । तेऽपि तेपुस्ततः प्रेता आश्चर्योत्फुल्लचक्षुषः ॥ २,७.

The lord of birds praised me with hymns and bowed to me in reverence; the ghosts too were amazed, their eyes wide with wonder.

प्रणयेन स्खलद्वाचः खग नोचुः किमप्युत । रजसा गोरचित्तानां तमसा मूढचेतसाम् । कृपया यः समुद्धारं कुरुषे वै नमोऽस्त ते ॥ २,७.

With affection and faltering speech, the birds said nothing; for those whose minds are clouded by passion and darkness, you, by compassion, grant deliverance—salutations to you.

एवं द्विजातौ ब्रुवति प्रभू तप्रभैश्च मुख्यांबरचारियुक्तैः । तदा मदिच्छाप्रभवैर्विमानैः षड्भिः समन्ताद्रुरुचे गिरिः सः ॥ २,७.

As the twice-born spoke thus, the mountain shone all around with six celestial chariots, arising from my will, accompanied by the chief attendants of the mighty.

इत्थं विमानेन मदीयलोकं गतो द्विजरसोऽप्यथ पञ्चमिस्तैः । प्रेता ययुः स्वर्गमगण्यपुण्यं सत्सङ्गसंसर्गवशात्सुपर्णम् ॥ २,७.

Thus, in a celestial chariot, the twice-born went to my world with five others; the ghosts attained heaven, immeasurable merit, through the influence of association with the virtuous, O Suparṇa.

प्रेताः संगवशेन नाकमवन्सन्तप्तको ब्राह्मणो विष्वक्सन इति प्रसिद्धविभवो नाम्ना गणे मेऽभवत् । एतत्ते सकलं मया निगादितं यश्चैतदुत्कीर्तयेद्यश्चेदं शृणुयान्न सोऽपि पुरुषः प्रेतत्वमाप्नोति हि ॥ २,७.

By the power of association, the ghosts ascended to heaven; the Brahmin, known as Viṣvaksena, renowned for his wealth, became one among my retinue. All this I have told you; whoever recites or hears this will not attain ghosthood.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् ८ गरुड उवाच । स्वामिन्कस्याधिकारोऽत्र सर्व एवौर्ध्वदेहिके । क्रियाः कतिविधाः प्रोक्ता वदैतत्सर्वमेव मे ॥ २,८.

Śrī Garuḍa Mahāpurāṇa 8 Garuḍa said: Who has authority here over all matters concerning the departed? How many kinds of rites are prescribed? Tell me everything.

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । पुत्रः पौत्रः प्रपौत्रो वा तद्भ्राता भ्रातृसन्ततिः । सपिण्डसन्ततिर्वापि क्रियार्हाः खग ज्ञातयः ॥ २,८.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: Son, grandson, great-grandson, brother, brother's descendants, or those of the same lineage, O bird, are eligible to perform the rites.

तेषामभावे सर्वेषां समानोदकसन्ततिः । कुलद्वयेऽपि चोच्छिन्ने स्त्रीभिः कार्याः क्रियाः खग ॥ २,८.

If none of them are present, the same water-offering lineage applies to all; and even when both family lines are extinct, the rites should be performed by women, O Bird.

इच्छयोच्छिन्नबन्धश्च कारयेदवनीपतिः । पूर्वाः क्रिया मध्यमाश्च तथा चैवोत्तराः क्रियाः ॥ २,८.

If the connection is severed by choice, the king should arrange for the earlier, intermediate, and later rites to be performed.

प्रतिसंवत्सरं पक्षिन्नेकोद्दिष्टविधानतः । श्राद्धं तत्र प्रकर्तव्यं फलं तस्य शृणुष्व मे ॥ २,८.

Every year, according to the prescribed rule, a śrāddha should be performed there for the departed; listen to the fruit of this.

ब्रह्मेन्द्ररुद्रनासत्यसूर्याग्निवसुमारुतान् । विश्वेदेवान्पितृ गणान्वयांसि मनुजान्पशून् ॥ २,८.

Brahmā, Indra, Rudra, the Aśvins, Sūrya, Agni, the Vasus, the Maruts, all the Viśvadevas, the groups of ancestors, lineages, humans, and animals—

सरीसृपान्मातृगणान्यच्चान्यद्भूतसंज्ञितम् । श्राद्धं श्रद्धान्वितः कुर्वन्प्रीणयत्यखिलं जगत् ॥ २,८.

Serpents, groups of Mothers, and all other beings called bhūtas—by performing śrāddha with faith, one satisfies the entire universe.

ते तृप्तास्तर्पयन्त्येनं पुत्रदारधनैस्तथा । अधिकारः क्रियाभेदः समासात्ते निरूपितः ॥ २,८.

When they are satisfied, they in turn gratify him with sons, wives, and wealth; the eligibility, the distinctions of rites, and the summary have thus been explained.

गरुड उवाच । उक्तेष्वेकोऽपि चेन्न स्यादधिकारी सुरोत्तम । कर्तव्यं किं तदा विष्णो पुरुषेण विजानता ॥ २,८.

Garuda said: If, among those mentioned, not even one eligible person remains, O best of gods, what should a knowledgeable man do then, O Viṣṇu?

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । अधिकारो यदा नास्ति यदि नास्ति च निश्चयः । जीविते सति जीवाय दद्याच्छ्राद्धंस्वयं नरः ॥ २,८.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: When there is no eligible person and no certainty, as long as he lives, a man should himself offer śrāddha for the living.

कृतोपवासः सुस्नातः कृष्णासङ्गः समाहितः । कर्तारमथ भोक्तारं विष्णुं सर्वेश्वरं यजेत् ॥ २,८.

Having fasted, bathed well, worn black garments, and being concentrated, he should worship Viṣṇu, the Lord of all, as the performer and the recipient.

सदक्षिणाश्च सतिलास्तिस्त्रश्च जलधेनवः । निवेदयेत्पितृभ्यश्च स्वधेति सुसमाहितः ॥ २,८.

With proper gifts and with sesame, and three water-cows, he should offer to the ancestors, saying 'svadhā,' with full attention.

अग्नये कव्यवाहनाय स्वधा नम इति स्मरन् । सोमायत्वा पितृमते स्वधा नम इति स्मरन् ॥ २,८.

Remembering, 'Obeisance with svadhā to Agni, the carrier of offerings,' and 'Obeisance with svadhā to Soma, the lord of ancestors,' he should recite thus.

दक्षिणेन तु दद्याच्च तृतीयां दक्षिणायुताम् । यमायाङ्गिरसे चाथ स्वधा नम इति स्मरन् ॥ २,८.

He should give the third, accompanied by a gift, to the south; to Yama and Aṅgiras, reciting 'Obeisance with svadhā,' he should offer.