Garuda Purana

कर्तव्यं वैष्णवं श्राद्धं प्रेतमुक्त्यर्थ मात्मवान् । प्रेतंमोक्षं ततः कुर्याद्धृदि विष्णुं प्रकल्प्य च

A Vaiṣṇava śrāddha should be performed for the release of the departed; then, meditating on Viṣṇu in the heart, one should effect the liberation of the deceased.

ओं विष्णुरिति संस्मृत्य प्रेतं तन्मृत्युमेव च । अग्निदाहं ततः कुर्यात्सूतकन्तु दिनत्रयम्

Remembering 'Oṃ Viṣṇu' and the death of the departed, one should then perform the cremation; the period of impurity lasts for three days.

दशाहकर्त्रा पिण्डाश्च कर्तव्याः प्रेतभुक्तये । सर्वं वर्षविधिं कुर्यादेवं प्रेतश्च मुक्तिभाक्

The performer of the ten-day rites should offer piṇḍas for the departed's sustenance; the entire annual observance should be performed, and thus the departed attains liberation.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् ४१ श्रीविष्णुरुवाच । वृषोत्सर्गं प्रकुर्वीत विधिपूर्वं खगेश्वर । कार्तिकादिषु मासेषु पौर्णमास्यां शुभे दिने ॥ २,४१.

Śrī Viṣṇu said: The ritual release of a bull should be performed according to rule, O Lord of Birds, on the full moon day during the auspicious months beginning with Kārtika.

विवाहोत्सर्जनं श्राद्धं नान्दीमुखमुपक्रमेत् । कुर्याद्भुवश्च संस्कारानग्निस्थापनमेव च ॥ २,४१.

One should begin the marriage release rite with the nāndīmukha śrāddha, and perform the purificatory rites of the earth and the establishment of fire.

वाप्यां कूपे गवां गोष्ठे स्थाप्याग्निं विधिवत्ततः । विवाहविधिना सर्वं कुर्याद्ब्राह्मणवाचनम् ॥ २,४१.

The fire should be properly established in a pond, well, or cowshed; then, all should be done according to the marriage rite, with recitation by a brāhmaṇa.

पात्रासादनं श्रपणमुपयमनकुशादिकम् । पुर्युक्षणान्ते होमं च कर्या द्वै ब्राह्मणेन तु ॥ २,४१.

The preparation of vessels, the heating, the bringing of sacred grass, and other such acts, and at the end of the sprinkling, the homa should be performed by two brāhmaṇas.

आघारावाज्यभागौ च चक्षुषी च प्रदा पयेत् । प्रथमेऽहरिति मन्त्रेण होतव्याश्च षडाहुतीः (तयः) ॥ २,४१.

The āghāra and ājya portions, and the offerings to the eyes, should be given; with the mantra 'on the first day,' six oblations should be offered.

आघारावाज्यभागौ तु पायसेनाङ्गदेवताः । अग्नये रुद्राय शर्वाय पशुपतये उग्राय शिवाय । भवाय महादेवायेशानाय यमाय च ॥ २,४१.

The āghāra and ājya portions are for the deities of the limbs with rice pudding: to Agni, Rudra, Śarva, Paśupati, Ugra, Śiva, Bhava, Mahādeva, Īśāna, and Yama.

पिष्टकेन सकृद्धोमं पूषागा इति मन्त्रतः । उभयोः स्विष्टिकूद्धोमश्चरुणा पायसेन च ॥ २,४१.

With a cake, one oblation is offered with the mantra 'Pūṣāgā'; for both, the sviṣṭakṛt oblation is made with gruel and rice pudding.

प्रथमं व्याहृतिहोमः प्रायश्चित्तं प्रजापतिः । संस्त्रवप्राशनं कुर्यात्प्रणीतापरिमोक्षणम् ॥ २,४१.

First, the vyāhṛti homa is performed, then the expiatory offering to Prajāpati; one should sip water, and then release the sacred thread.

पवित्रप्रतिपत्तिश्च ब्राह्मणे दक्षैणा ततः । षडङ्गरुद्रजाप्येन प्रोतो मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ॥ २,४१.

The establishment of a sacred thread for a Brahmin, along with the prescribed gift, and the recitation of the six-limbed Rudra hymn—by this, one attains liberation for the departed.

एकवर्णं वृषञ्चैव सकृद्वत्सतरीं खग । स्नापयित्वा ततः कुर्यात्सर्वालङ्कारभूषितम् ॥ २,४१.

A single-colored bull and a cow with a calf should be bathed, adorned with all ornaments, and then prepared accordingly.

प्रतिष्ठाप्य च तद्युग्मं प्रेतो मोक्षमवाप्नुयात् । पुच्छेच तर्पणं कार्यमुच्छ्रिते मन्त्रपूर्वकम् । ब्राह्मणान् भोजयेत्पश्चाद्दक्षिणाभिश्च तोषयेत् ॥ २,४१.

Having installed that pair, the departed attains liberation; oblations should be offered at the tail, with proper mantras, and afterwards Brahmins should be fed and gratified with gifts.

ततः श्राद्धं समुद्दिष्टमेकोद्दिष्टं यथाविधि । जलमन्नं तथा देयं प्रेतोद्धरणहेतवे ॥ २,४१.

Then, the prescribed śrāddha should be performed as for a single ancestor, and water and food should be given for the sake of uplifting the departed.

द्वादशाहे ततः कुर्यान्मासेमासे पृथक्पथक् । एवं विधिः समायुक्तः प्रेतमोक्षे करोति हि ॥ २,४१.

After twelve days, one should perform the rites monthly and separately each month; such a procedure, properly observed, indeed brings about the liberation of the departed.

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् ४२ श्रीविष्णुरुवाच । यथा धेनुसहस्रेषु वत्सो विन्दति मातरम् । तथा पूर्वकृतं कर्म कर्तारमनुगच्छति ॥ २,४२.

Śrī Viṣṇu said: Just as among a thousand cows, a calf finds its own mother, so too does the karma previously performed follow its doer.

आदित्यो वरुणो विष्णुर्ब्रह्मा सोमो हुताशनः । शूलपाणिश्च भगवानभिनन्दति भूमिदम् ॥ २,४२.

The Sun, Varuṇa, Viṣṇu, Brahmā, Soma, Fire, and the blessed wielder of the trident all rejoice in the gift of land.

नास्ति भूमिसमं दानं नास्ति भूमिसमो निधिः । नास्ति सत्यसमो धर्मो नानृतात्पातकं परम् ॥ २,४२.

There is no gift equal to land, no treasure equal to land; no righteousness equal to truth, and no sin greater than falsehood.

अग्नेरपत्यं प्रथमं सुवर्णं भूर्वैष्णवी सूर्यसुताश्च गावः । लोकत्रयं तेन भवेत्प्रदत्तं यः काञ्चनं गां च महीं च दद्यात् ॥ २,४२.

Gold is the first offspring of fire, the earth is Viṣṇu's, cows are the daughters of the sun; thus, whoever gives gold, cows, and land gives the three worlds.

त्रीण्याहुरतिदानानि गावः पृथ्वी सरस्वती । नरकादुद्धरन्त्येते जपपूजनहोमतः ॥ २,४२.

They declare three supreme gifts: cows, earth, and Sarasvatī; these rescue from hell through recitation, worship, and sacrifice.

कृत्वा बहूनि पापानि रौद्राणि विपुलानि च । अपि गोचर्ममात्रेण भूमिदानेन शुध्यति ॥ २,४२.

Even after committing many and terrible sins, one is purified by the gift of land, even if it is only as much as a cowhide.

हरन्तमपि लोभेन निरुध्यैनं निवारयेत् । स याति नरके घोरे यस्तं न परिरक्षति ॥ २,४२.

If someone tries to seize it out of greed, he should be restrained; the one who does not protect it goes to a dreadful hell.

अकर्तव्यं न कर्तव्यं प्राणैः कण्ठगतैरपि । कर्तव्यमेव कर्तव्यमिति धर्मविदो विदुः ॥ २,४२.

What should not be done must not be done, even at the risk of one's life; what ought to be done must indeed be done—so declare those who know dharma.

आकारप्रवर्तने पापं गोसहस्रवधैःसमम् । वृत्तिच्छेदे तथा वृत्तेः करणं लक्षधेनुकम् ॥ २,४२.

To initiate a wrongful act is a sin equal to killing a thousand cows; to deprive someone of their livelihood is as sinful as killing a hundred thousand cows.

वरमेकाप्यपहृता न तु दत्तं गवां शतम् । एकां हृत्वा शतं दत्त्वा न तेन समता भवेत् ॥ २,४२.

Better that even one cow be stolen than a hundred cows given and then reclaimed; taking back after giving does not equal the act of giving.

स्वयमेव तु यो दत्त्वा स्वयमेव प्रबाधते । स पापी नरकं याति यावदाभूतसंप्लवम् ॥ २,४२.

He who, having given with his own hand, later harasses the recipient, is sinful and goes to hell until the end of the cosmic dissolution.

न चाश्वमेधेन तथा विधिवद्दक्षिणावता । अवृत्तिकर्शिते दीने ब्राह्मणे रक्षिते यथा ॥ २,४२.

Not even the properly performed Aśvamedha sacrifice with gifts equals the merit of protecting a Brahmin who is deprived, emaciated, and in distress.

न तद्भवति वेदेषु यज्ञे सुबहुदक्षिणे । यत्पुण्यं दुर्बले त्रस्ते ब्राह्मणे परिरक्षिते ॥ २,४२.

The merit gained by protecting a weak and frightened Brahmin is not found in the Vedas, nor in sacrifices with abundant gifts.