When the householder returns home, he begins with reverence: bowing, he sprinkles the sacred fire with mantras, then performs the Vaiśvadeva rite and makes the daily offering, thus fulfilling his duties. After the Vaiśvadeva is complete, he gathers together his servants, sons, and relatives, and with them, as well as any guests, shares the food that was offered to the ancestors. This sacred sharing ensures that all are nourished by what has been dedicated to those who came before. This universal śrāddha, a rite honoring the ancestors, is so accessible that even one who has not undergone initiation may perform it on all festival days. Its power is great—it brings about the fulfillment of all desires. Even if a man is without a wife, or is traveling in distant lands, or even if he is a Śūdra or someone wise and devoted, he may perform this rite without the use of mantras, simply by following the prescribed procedures. There is a third type of śrāddha, known as the prosperity śrāddha. This is performed on joyful occasions—festivals, weddings, and other auspicious rituals that mark happiness and success. In this rite, the mothers are honored first, then the fathers, followed by the maternal grandfathers and, after them, all the gods. The offerings are made with deep respect: circumambulating, one presents curd, unbroken rice, fruits, and water, all facing east. The food balls are mixed with sacred grass and dūrvā, symbolizing purity and life. When the prosperity rite is complete, each pair—especially pairs of twice-born—is to be honored with arghya, and gifts of garments, gold, and other suitable items. The sesame offering is performed with barley, accompanied by the recitation of the Nandī verses in their proper order. Eminent Brāhmaṇas should recite all the auspicious rites, ensuring the ceremony’s sanctity. Even a Śūdra, at a general prosperity śrāddha, should always perform the rite with reverence, using the prescribed mantra and with humility. The venerable Lord has declared that the Śūdra should be devoted to giving, for by giving, all desires are fulfilled for him. Now, let us turn to the ekoddiṣṭa rite, as taught by the discus-bearing Lord. This rite is to be performed by sons for their departed father, and it prescribes the period of impurity to be observed. For Brāhmaṇas, this period lasts ten days; for Kṣatriyas, twelve days; for Vaiśyas, a fortnight. Among Śūdras, the impurity among sapiṇḍas—the close kin—lasts a month, though for one whose hair-cutting has not yet been performed, the impurity is said to last only three nights. These same rules apply at birth for all castes and at all times. After collecting the bones of the departed, touching the body is prescribed. For the soul’s journey, offerings of the funeral ball—piṇḍa—should be made for twelve days, as this provision brings great satisfaction to the departed on his way. During these twelve days, the departed is not yet taken to the city of the dead; instead, he remains near, observing his home, his son, and his wife. Therefore, for ten nights, milk should be left outside, always, to appease the funeral fire and to remove the fatigue of the soul’s journey. On the eleventh day, when the period of impurity is ending, eleven Brāhmaṇas—or Kṣatriyas and others, as appropriate—should be fed by someone who is not in mourning. Then, on the second day, the ekoddiṣṭa rite is performed again, in the same manner, with the summoning of fire, but omitting the divine portion as prescribed. The offerings are simple: one sacred thread, one arghya, and one ball of food. The words “let him approach” are spoken, and water mixed with sesame is given. The remnants are scattered, and the words “may it be pleasing at the departure” are said. As before, the rest of the rites for the father are performed by one who knows the Veda. This pattern continues for a month, with all rites performed as prescribed. On the second day after the period of impurity ends, a different bed should be given, symbolizing a new beginning. A golden figure of a man, adorned with fruits and garments, should be worshipped, and a Brahmin couple should be honored with various ornaments. The release of a bull is performed, and an auspicious tawny cow is given. A water pot filled with food and other edibles is also donated. For a full year, water with sesame seeds should be offered daily. When the year is complete, the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa rite is performed. After this, the departed becomes a participant in the fortnightly offerings; he is now eligible for rites of increase and is regarded as a householder among the ancestors. At the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa śrāddha, the deities are first assigned, the ancestors are seated, and the departed is designated separately. Four vessels are prepared with sandalwood, water, and sesame seeds; for the purpose of arghya, the vessel for the departed is poured into those for the ancestors. With resolve, four balls of food are prepared, saying, “Those who are equal.” Of the last two balls, the final one is divided into three parts. For the fourth, there is never any further rite; once this is done, the departed, now an ancestor, is completely satisfied. He attains the middle status among the Agniṣvāttas and other ancestor groups, and the highest immortality. After sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, nothing further is to be given to him directly; offerings are now made only to the ancestors in whom he is established. From then on, at eclipses and other festivals, the transfer of offerings takes place. On the day of death, one should perform the śrāddha with three balls of food for the departed. Abandoning the single-offering rite on this day is forbidden, for one who performs the fortnightly rite on the day of death is considered a destroyer of his ancestors, mother, and brother, and falls lower and lower. When the departed are mingled in the rites, confusion arises; therefore, the single-offering rite should be performed every year. Whoever, without envy, gives a water pot with food for the departed for a year attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice. When one who knows the rites performs the preliminary śrāddha, he should make the fire offering and present the balls of food accordingly. When, in the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, the father attains full connection with the three ancestral groups, then, in due time, he is released from bondage. Even after release, he receives a share of the residue through the cleansing with kuśa grass. From the fourth ancestor onward, those who share the balls of food are residue-sharers, and the seventh in the line is the giver of the balls—thus, the relationship of offerings extends up to seven generations.