शान्तात्मानः शौचपराः सततं प्रियवादिनः भक्तानुरक्ताः सुखदाः पितरः पूर्वदेवताः
Peaceful in mind, devoted to purity, always speaking kindly, attached to their devotees, bringers of happiness—the ancestors are the primordial deities.
हविष्मतामाधिपत्ये श्राद्धदेवः स्मृतो रविः एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं पितृवंशानुकीर्तनम् पुण्यं पवित्रम् आयुष्यं कीर्तनीयं सदा नृभिः
The sun is regarded as the deity presiding over offerings of oblations; all this has been told to you—the recounting of the ancestral lineage, which is holy, purifying, life-giving, and always to be praised by people.
श्रुत्वैतत् सर्वम् अखिलं मनुः पप्रच्छ केशवम् श्राद्धकालं च विविधं श्राद्धभेदं तथैव च
Having heard all this, Manu questioned Keshava about the various times for performing śrāddha and the different types of śrāddha rites.
श्राद्धेषु भोजनीया ये ये च वर्ज्या द्विजातयः कस्मिन्वासरभागे वा पितृभ्यः श्राद्धमाचरेत्
Which twice-born should be fed at śrāddha, and which should be avoided? At what time of day should one perform śrāddha for the ancestors?
कस्मिन्दत्तं कथं याति श्राद्धं तु मधुसूदन विधिना केन कर्तव्यं कथं प्रीणाति तत्पितॄन्
O Madhusudana, when and how does the offering at śrāddha reach its destination? By what method should it be performed, and how does it please the ancestors?
कुर्यादहरहः श्राद्धम् अन्नाद्येनोदकेन वा पयोमूलफलैर् वापि पितृभ्यः प्रीतिमावहन्
One should perform śrāddha daily, using food, water, milk, roots, or fruits, thereby bringing satisfaction to the ancestors.
नित्यं नैमित्तिकं काम्यं त्रिविधं श्राद्धमुच्यते नित्यं तावत्प्रवक्ष्यामि अर्घ्यावाहनवर्जितम्
Śrāddha is said to be of three kinds: regular, occasional, and desired. I will now explain the regular śrāddha, which omits the offering of water and welcoming rites.
अदैवं तद्विजानीयात् पार्वणं पर्वसु स्मृतम् पार्वणं त्रिविधं प्रोक्तं शृणु तावन्महीपते
Know that this is not for the gods; it is called pārvaṇa and is remembered on festival days. Pārvaṇa is described as threefold; listen to this, O king.
पार्वणे ये नियोज्यास्तु ताञ्शृणुष्व नराधिप पञ्चाग्निः स्नातकश्चैव त्रिसुपर्णः षडङ्गवित्
Hear which persons are to be appointed for pārvaṇa, O ruler of men: one who maintains five fires, one who has completed his studies, one versed in the three suparṇas, and one who knows the six limbs of the Vedas.
श्रोत्रियः श्रोत्रियसुतो विधिवाक्यविशारदः सर्वज्ञो वेदविन्मन्त्री ज्ञातवंशः कुलान्वितः
A Vedic scholar, his son, one skilled in ritual texts, one who knows all, a Veda-knower and mantra-reciter, one familiar with his lineage, and one belonging to a noble family.
पुराणवेत्ता धर्मज्ञः स्वाध्यायजपतत्परः शिवभक्तः पितृपरः सूर्यभक्तो ऽथ वैष्णवः
One versed in the Purāṇas, knowledgeable in dharma, devoted to recitation and study, a worshiper of Shiva, dedicated to ancestors, a devotee of the sun, and a follower of Vishnu.
ब्रह्मण्यो योगविच्छान्तो विजितात्मा च शीलवान् भोजयेच्चापि दौहित्रं यत्नतः स्वसुहृद्गुरून्
One devoted to Brahman, tranquil in yoga, self-controlled, virtuous; one should also carefully feed a grandson, one's own friends, and teachers.
विट्पीतं मातुलं बन्धुम् ऋत्विगाचार्यसोमपान् यश्च व्याकुरुते वाक्यं यश्च मीमांसते ऽध्वरम्
A wit, maternal uncle, relative, officiating priest, teacher, soma-drinker, one who expounds doctrine, and one who investigates the sacrifice.
सामस्वरविधिज्ञश्च पङ्क्तिपावनपावनः सामगो ब्रह्मचारी च वेदयुक्तो ऽथ ब्रह्मवित्
One skilled in the tones and methods of the Sāma Veda, purifier of the ritual line, singer of Sāma, celibate student, versed in the Vedas, and knower of Brahman.
यत्रैते भुञ्जते श्राद्धे तदेव परमार्थवत् एते भोज्याः प्रयत्नेन वर्जनीयान्निबोध मे
Where these persons partake in śrāddha, that is considered of the highest value. These should be fed with care; now learn from me who should be avoided.
पतितो ऽभिशस्तः क्लीबः पिशुनव्यङ्गरोगिणः कुनखी श्यावदन्तश्च कुण्डगोलाश्वपालकाः
One fallen, accused, impotent, slanderous, deformed, diseased, with bad nails, dark teeth, and those who tend pigs, donkeys, or horses.
परिवित्तिर्नियुक्तात्मा प्रमत्तोन्मत्तदारुणाः बैडाली बकवृत्तिश्च दम्भी देवलकादयः
Those whose minds are engaged in others' wealth, who are careless, mad, fierce, who have the habits of cats and herons, who are hypocrites—such as the Devalakas and others—
कृतघ्नान्नास्तिकांस् तद्वन् म्लेच्छदेशनिवासिनः त्रिशङ्कुर् बर्बरद्राववीतद्रविडकोङ्कणान्
Those who are ungrateful, atheists, and likewise those dwelling in the lands of the Mlecchas—Triśaṅku, the Barbarians, Dravidas, Dravidas, and Konkans—
वर्जयेल्लिङ्गिनः सर्वाञ् श्राद्धकाले विशेषतः पूर्वेद्युरपरेद्युर्वा विनीतात्मा निमन्त्रयेत्
One should avoid all those with marks of heretics, especially at the time of a śrāddha; but on the previous or following day, a disciplined person may invite them.
निमन्त्रितान्हि पितर उपतिष्ठन्ति तान्द्विजान् वायुभूता नु गच्छन्ति तथासीनानुपासते
For when invited, the ancestors indeed approach those Brāhmaṇas; becoming like wind, they go there and, as they are seated, they are attended to.
दक्षिणं जानुमालभ्य त्वं मया तु निमन्त्रितः एवं निमन्त्र्य नियमं श्रावयेत्पितृबान्धवान्
Touching the right knee, say: 'You have been invited by me.' Thus inviting, one should announce the rules to the relatives of the ancestors.
अक्रोधनैः शौचपरैः सततं ब्रह्मचारिभिः भवितव्यं भवद्भिश्च मया च श्राद्धकारिणा
You and I, as performers of the śrāddha, must always be free from anger, devoted to purity, and steadfast in celibacy.
पितृयज्ञं विनिर्वर्त्य तर्पणाख्यं तु यो ऽग्निमान् पिण्डान्वाहार्यकं कुर्याच् छ्राद्धमिन्दुक्षये सदा
Having completed the ancestral sacrifice called tarpaṇa, one who maintains the sacred fire should always perform the śrāddha with piṇḍas at the waning of the moon.
गोमयेनोपलिप्ते तु दक्षिणप्रवणे स्थले श्राद्धं समाचरेद्भक्त्या गोष्ठे वा जलसंनिधौ
On a spot smeared with cow dung, sloping to the south, one should devoutly perform the śrāddha, either in a cowshed or near water.
अग्निमान्निर्वपेत्पित्र्यं चरुं च सममुष्टिभिः पितृभ्यो निर्वपामीति सर्वं दक्षिणतो न्यसेत्
Having fire, one should offer the ancestral oblation and the rice cake with equal handfuls, saying, 'I offer this to the ancestors,' placing everything to the south.
अभिघार्यं ततः कुर्यान् निर्वापत्रयमग्रतः ते ऽपि तस्यायताः कार्याश् चतुरङ्गुलविस्तृताः
Then, having sprinkled, one should make three offerings in front; these should be made elongated and four fingers wide.
दर्वीत्रयं तु कुर्वीत खादिरं रजतान्वितम् रत्निमात्रं परिश्लक्ष्णं हस्ताकाराग्रमुत्तमम्
One should prepare three ladles of khadira wood, adorned with silver, each the size of a finger, well-smoothed, and with a handle shaped like a hand.
उदपात्रं च कांस्यं च मेक्षणं च समित्कुशान् तिलाः पात्राणि सद्वासो गन्धधूपानुलेपनम्
A water vessel, a bronze vessel, a strainer, sacred sticks, sesame seeds, vessels, clean garments, fragrant incense, and ointments should be brought.
आहरेदपसव्यं तु सर्वं दक्षिणतः शनैः एवमासाद्य तत्सर्वं भवनस्याग्रतो भुवि
All these, held in the left hand, should be brought slowly from the south; thus, having approached, all these are placed on the ground before the house.
गोमयेनोपलिप्तायां गोमूत्रेण तु मण्डलम् अक्षताभिः सपुष्पाभिस् तदभ्यर्च्यापसव्यवत्
On a spot smeared with cow dung, a circle is drawn with cow urine, and it is worshipped with unbroken rice and flowers, with the left hand.