रजतस्य कथा वापि दर्शनं दानमेव वा राजतैर् भाजनैरेषाम् अथवा रजतान्वितैः
Even the story, sight, or gift of silver, or vessels made of silver, or those adorned with silver, are considered suitable for them.
वार्यपि श्रद्धया दत्तम् अक्षयायोपकल्पते तथार्घ्यपिण्डभोज्यादौ पितॄणां राजतं मतम्
Water given with faith, even in a silver vessel, becomes inexhaustible; likewise, for arghya, piṇḍa, and food offerings to the ancestors, silver is considered proper.
शिवनेत्रोद्भवं यस्मात् तस्मात्तत्पितृवल्लभम् अमङ्गलं तद्यत्नेन देवकार्येषु वर्जयेत्
Because silver is said to have arisen from the eye of Śiva, it is dear to the ancestors; but as it is inauspicious, it should be carefully avoided in rites for the gods.
एवं पात्राणि संकल्प्य यथालाभं विमत्सरः या दिव्येति पितुर्नाम गोत्रैर्दर्भकरो न्यसेत्
Thus, having chosen the vessels according to availability, without envy, he should place them, reciting 'yā divyā,' with the ancestor’s name and lineage, holding darbha grass.
पितॄन् आवाहयिष्यामि कुर्वित्युक्तस्तु तैः पुनः उशन्तस्त्वा तथायन्तु ऋग्भ्याम् आवाहयेत्पितॄन्
Having declared, 'I will invoke the ancestors,' he should again, with those mantras, invite the ancestors with the two Ṛgvedic verses, 'uśantastvā' and 'tathāyantu.'
या दिव्येत्यर्घ्यमुत्सृज्य दद्याद्गन्धादिकांस्ततः हस्तात्तदुदकं पूर्वं दत्त्वा संस्रवमादितः
Having offered arghya with the mantra 'yā divyā,' he should then give fragrance and other offerings; having first poured water from the hand, he should begin the libation.
पितृपात्रे निधायाथ न्युब्जमुत्तरतो न्यसेत् पितृभ्यः स्थानमसीति निधाय परिषेचयेत्
Placing the vessel for the ancestors, he should set it down facing north; reciting 'pitṛbhyaḥ sthānam,' he should pour water around it.
तत्रापि पूर्ववत्कुर्याद् अग्निकार्यं विमत्सरः उभाभ्यामपि हस्ताभ्याम् आहृत्य परिवेषयेत्
There also, as before, he should perform the fire rite without envy; bringing the offerings with both hands, he should serve them.
प्रशान्तचित्तः सततं दर्भपाणिरशेषतः गुणाढ्यैः सूपशाकैस्तु नानाभक्ष्यैर्विशेषतः
With a mind always at peace, holding darbha grass in hand, one should offer, without omission, foods rich in virtues, including various soups, vegetables, and especially diverse edibles.
अन्नं तु सदधिक्षीरं गोघृतं शर्करान्वितम् मासं प्रीणाति वै सर्वान् पितॄनित्याह केशवः
Food prepared with curd, milk, cow’s ghee, and mixed with sugar, when offered, satisfies all the ancestors for a month—so declares Keshava.
द्वौ मासौ मत्स्यमांसेन त्रीन्मासान्हारिणेन तु औरभ्रेणाथ चतुरः शाकुनेनाथ पञ्च वै
With fish meat, the ancestors are satisfied for two months; with deer meat, for three months; with goat or sheep meat, for four; and with bird meat, for five months.
षण्मासं छागमांसेन तृप्यन्ति पितरस्तथा सप्त पार्षतमांसेन तथाष्टाव् एणजेन तु
With goat meat, the ancestors are satisfied for six months; with parṣata fish meat, for seven months; and with ena antelope meat, for eight months.
दश मासांस्तु तृप्यन्ति वराहमहिषामिषैः शशकूर्मजमांसेन मासानेकादशैव तु
With boar and buffalo meat, they are satisfied for ten months; with rabbit and tortoise meat, for eleven months.
संवत्सरं तु गव्येन पयसा पायसेन च रौरवेण च तृप्यन्ति मासान्पञ्चदशैव तु
With cow’s milk, with rice cooked in milk, and with the meat of the raurava animal, the ancestors are satisfied for a full year and for fifteen months.
वार्ध्रीणसस्य मांसेन तृप्तिर् द्वादशवार्षिकी कालशाकेन चानन्ता खड्गमांसेन चैव हि
With the meat of the vārdhrīṇasa (wild ox), satisfaction lasts for twelve years; with kālaśāka greens, endlessly; and likewise with swordfish meat.
यत्किंचिन्मधुसम्मिश्रं गोक्षीरं घृतपायसम् दत्तमक्षयमित्याहुः पितरः पूर्वदेवताः
Any offering of cow’s milk, ghee, or sweet rice mixed with honey is said by the ancestors and ancient deities to be inexhaustible.
स्वाध्यायं श्रावयेत्पित्र्यं पुराणान्यखिलानि च ब्रह्मविष्ण्वर्करुद्राणां सूक्तानि विविधानि च
One should have recited the svādhyāya (ancestral recitation), all the Purāṇas, and the various hymns to Brahmā, Viṣṇu, the Sun, and Rudra.
इन्द्राग्निसोमसूक्तानि पावनानि स्वशक्तितः बृहद्रथंतरं तद्वज् ज्येष्ठसाम सरौहिणम्
Hymns to Indra, Agni, and Soma, which are purifying, should be recited according to one’s ability, as well as the Bṛhat and Rathantara Sāmans, the Jyeṣṭha Sāman, and the Sarauhiṇa.
तथैव शान्तिकाध्यायं मधुब्राह्मणमेव च मण्डलं ब्राह्मणं तद्वत् प्रीतिकारि तु यत्पुनः
Likewise, the Śāntikādhyāya, the Madhu Brāhmaṇa, the Maṇḍala Brāhmaṇa, and whatever else brings satisfaction should be recited.
विप्राणामात्मनश्चैव तत्सर्वं समुदीरयेत् भुक्तवत्सु ततस्तेषु भोजनोपान्तिके नृप
All this should be proclaimed by the brāhmaṇas and by oneself, after the guests have eaten and while they are still near the food, O king.
सार्ववर्णिकमन्नाद्यं संनीयाप्लाव्य वारिणा समुत्सृजेद्भुक्तवताम् अग्रतो विकिरेद्भुवि
The food suitable for all castes, after being sprinkled with water, should be offered in front of those who have eaten, and scattered upon the ground.
अग्निदग्धास्तु ये जीवा ये ऽप्यदग्धाः कुले मम भूमौ दत्तेन तृप्यन्तु प्रयान्तु परमां गतिम्
May those beings of my lineage who were burned by fire and those not burned be satisfied by what is given on the earth, and may they attain the highest state.
येषां न माता न पिता न बन्धुर् न गोत्रशुद्धिर्न तथान्नम् अस्ति तत्तृप्तये ऽन्नं भुवि दत्तमेतत् प्रयान्तु लोकेषु सुखाय तद्वत्
For those who have neither mother, nor father, nor kin, nor purity of lineage, nor food—may this food given on the earth for their satisfaction lead them to happiness in the worlds.
असंस्कृतप्रमीतानां त्यक्तानां कुलयोषिताम् उच्छिष्टभागधेयः स्याद् दर्भे विकिरयोश्च यः
For those who died without rites, for abandoned women of the family, their share is what remains as leavings and whatever is scattered on darbha grass.
तृप्ताञ्ज्ञात्वोदकं दद्यात् सकृद्विप्रकरे तथा उपलिप्ते महीपृष्ठे गोशकृन्मूत्रवारिणा
One should offer water for the satisfaction of the unknown and the departed, once and in various ways, on ground smeared with cow dung, urine, and water.
निधाय दर्भान्विधिवद् दक्षिणाग्रान् प्रयत्नतः सर्ववर्णेन चान्नेन पिण्डांस्तु पितृयज्ञवत्
Having properly placed darbha grass with the tips to the south, with care, one should offer the ancestral balls of food with food suitable for all castes, as in the ancestral rite.
अवनेजनपूर्वं तु नामगोत्रेण मानवः गन्धधूपादिकं दद्यात् कृत्वा प्रत्यवनेजनम्
Before the ritual cleansing, a man should offer incense, fragrance, and similar items, stating his name and lineage, and then proceed with the cleansing.
जान्वाच्य सव्यं सव्येन पाणिनाथ प्रदक्षिणम् पित्र्यमानीय तत्कार्यं विधिवद्दर्भपाणिना
He should circumambulate, holding darbha grass in his left hand, and perform the prescribed actions for the ancestors, using the proper ritual method.
दीपप्रज्वालनं तद्वत् कुर्यात्पुष्पार्चनं बुधः अथाचान्तेषु चाचम्य वारि दद्यात्सकृत्सकृत्
The wise should light a lamp and offer flowers in the same manner; then, after rinsing his mouth, he should give water once or repeatedly at the end of the ritual.
अथ पुष्पाक्षतान् पश्चाद् अक्षय्योदकम् एव च सतिलं नामगोत्रेण दद्याच्छक्त्या च दक्षिणाम्
Afterwards, he should offer flowers, rice grains, and inexhaustible water with sesame, stating his name and lineage, and give a donation according to his ability.