सपिण्डीकरणं श्राद्धं देवपूर्वं विधीयते
The shraddha for joining with the ancestors is prescribed, preceded by offerings to the gods.
यस्तु कुर्यात् पृथक् पिण्डं पितृहा सो ऽभिजायते
He who offers a separate rice-ball becomes a slayer of ancestors.
दद्याच्चान्नं सोदकुम्भं प्रत्यहं प्रेतधर्मतः
One should give food with a water-pot daily, according to the rites for the departed.
प्रतिसंवत्सरं कार्यं विधिरेष सनातनः
This eternal rule is to be performed every year.
पत्नी कुर्यात् सुताभावे पत्न्य भावे सहोदहः
If there is no son, the wife should perform it; if there is no wife, the brother should do so.
कृत्वा दानादिकं सर्वं श्रद्धायुक्तः समाहितः
Having performed all acts of giving and the like, one should be endowed with faith and concentration.
स्त्रीणां तु भर्तृशुश्रूषा धर्मो नान्य इहेष्यते
For women, service to the husband is the only duty recognized here.
प्राप्नोति तत् परं स्थानं यदुक्तं वेदवादिभिः
By that, she attains the supreme state spoken of by the teachers of the Veda.
दर्शेन चैव पक्षान्ते पौर्णमासेन चैव हि
At the end of each fortnight, and indeed on the full moon day,
पशुना त्वयनस्यान्ते समान्ते सौमिकैर्मखैः
And at the end of the year, with a beast, and at the end of the season, with gentle sacrifices,
नवान्नमद्यान्मांसं वा दीर्घमायुर्जिजीविषुः
He who desires long life should not eat new grain, wine, or meat.
प्राणानेवात्तुमिच्छन्ति नवान्नामिषगृद्धिनः
Those greedy for new grain or meat wish only to sustain their own lives.
पितॄंश्चैवाष्टकास्वर्चन् नित्यमन्वष्टकासु च
And one should always honor the ancestors at the Aṣṭakā rites and at the recurring Anvaṣṭakā rites.
त्रयाणामिह वर्णानां गृहस्थाश्रमवासिनाम्
Of the three classes here, those who dwell in the householder stage,
यजेत वा न यज्ञेन स याति नरकान् बहून्
If he does not perform sacrifice, he goes to many hells.
कुम्भीपाकं वैतरणीमसिपत्रवनं तथा
To Kumbhīpāka, Vaitaraṇī, and also the forest of sword-leaves.
अन्त्यजानां कुले विप्राः शूद्रयोनौ च जायते
O Brahmins, he is born in the family of outcastes, or in the womb of a Śūdra.
आधायाग्निं विशुद्धात्मा यजेत परमेश्वरम्
Having established the sacred fire, with a purified mind, he should worship the Supreme Lord.
तस्मादाराधयेन्नित्यमग्निहोत्रेण शाश्वतम्
Therefore, one should always worship the eternal with the Agnihotra sacrifice.
सो ऽसौ मूढो न संभाष्यः किं पुनर्नास्तिको जनः
Such a fool is not to be spoken with, much less a person who is an atheist.
अधिकं चापि विद्येत स सोमं पातुमर्हति
And if he knows more, he is worthy to drink Soma.
सोमेनाराधयेद् देवं सोमलोकमहेश्वरम्
With Soma, he should worship the god, the great lord of the Soma world.
समो वा विद्यते तस्मात् सोमेनाभ्यर्चयेत् परम्
Or if he is equal, therefore he should worship the supreme with Soma.
धर्मो विमुक्तये साक्षाच्छ्रौतः स्मार्तो द्विधा पुनः
Dharma is directly for liberation; Vedic and Smṛti rites are its twofold form.
श्रेयस्करतमः श्रौतस्तस्माच्छ्रौतं समाचरेत्
Of all, the Vedic rite is the most beneficial; therefore, one should perform the Vedic rite.
शिष्टाचारस्तृतीयः स्याच्छ्रतिस्मृत्योरलाभतः
The conduct of the learned is the third authority, in the absence of Veda and Smṛti.
ते शिष्टा ब्राह्मणाः प्रोक्ता नित्यमात्मगुणान्विताः
Those are called learned Brāhmaṇas who are always endowed with inner virtues.
स धर्मः कथितः सद्भिर्नान्येषामिति धारणा
That is called dharma by the virtuous; not that of others—this is the understanding.
एकस्माद् ब्रह्मविज्ञानं धर्मज्ञानं तथैकतः
From one comes knowledge of Brahman, and likewise, knowledge of dharma from one source.
धर्मशास्त्रं पुराणं तद् ब्रह्मज्ञाने परा प्रमा
The Dharmaśāstra and Purāṇa are the highest authority regarding knowledge of Brahman.