एकं पवित्रमेको ऽर्घ एकः पिण्डो विधीयते उपतिष्ठतामित्येतद् देयं पश्चात्तिलोदकम्
One sacred thread, one arghya, and one ball of food are prescribed; the phrase 'let him approach' should be said, and then the water mixed with sesame is to be given.
स्वदितं विकिरेद्ब्रूयाद् विसर्गे चाभिरम्यताम् शेषं पूर्ववदत्रापि कार्यं वेदविदा पितुः
He should scatter the remnants, say 'may it be pleasing at the departure,' and as before, the rest of the rites for the father should be performed by the knower of the Veda.
अनेन विधिना सर्वम् अनुमासं समाचरेत् सूतकान्ताद्द्वितीये ऽह्नि शय्यां दद्याद्विलक्षणाम्
In this manner, one should perform all the rites for a month; on the second day after the period of impurity ends, a different bed should be given.
काञ्चनं पुरुषं तद्वत् फलवस्त्रसमन्विताम् संपूज्य द्विजदाम्पत्यं नानाभरणभूषणैः
A golden figure of a man, adorned with fruits and garments, should be worshipped, and a Brahmin couple should be honored with various ornaments.
वृषोत्सर्गं प्रकुर्वीत देया च कपिला शुभा उदकुम्भश्च दातव्यो भक्ष्यभोज्यसमन्वितः
The release of a bull should be performed, and an auspicious tawny cow should be given; a water pot filled with food and edibles should also be donated.
यावदब्दं नरश्रेष्ठ सतिलोदकपूर्वकम् ततः संवत्सरे पूर्णे सपिण्डीकरणं भवेत्
For a full year, O best of men, one should offer water with sesame seeds; after the year is complete, the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa rite should be performed.
सपिण्डीकरणादूर्ध्वं प्रेतः पार्वणभाग्भवेत् वृद्धिपूर्वेषु योग्यश्च गृहस्थश्च भवेत्ततः
After sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, the departed becomes a participant in the fortnightly offerings; thereafter, he is eligible for rites of increase and is considered a householder.
सपिण्डीकरणे श्राद्धे देवपूर्वं नियोजयेत् पितॄन् निवासयेत्तत्र पृथक्प्रेतं विनिर्दिशेत्
At the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa śrāddha, one should first assign the deities; the ancestors should be seated there, and the departed should be designated separately.
गन्धोदकतिलैर्युक्तं कुर्यात्पात्रचतुष्टयम् अर्घार्थं पितृपात्रेषु प्रेतपात्रं प्रसेचयेत्
One should prepare four vessels with sandal, water, and sesame seeds; for the purpose of arghya, the vessel for the departed should be poured into the vessels for the ancestors.
तद्वत्संकल्प्य चतुरः पिण्डान्पिण्डप्रदस्तथा ये समाना इति द्वाभ्याम् अन्त्यं तु विभजेत्त्रिधा
Likewise, having made the resolve, the giver of the offerings should prepare four balls of food, saying, 'Those who are equal'; of the last two, the final one should be divided into three parts.
चतुर्थस्य पुनः कार्यं न कदाचिदतो भवेत् ततः पितृत्वमापन्नः सर्वतस्तुष्टिमागतः
There is never again any further rite for the fourth; thereafter, having attained the status of ancestor, he becomes completely satisfied.
अग्निष्वात्तादिमध्यत्वं प्राप्नोत्यमृतमुत्तमम् सपिण्डीकरणादूर्ध्वं तस्मै तस्मान्न दीयते
He attains the middle status among the Agniṣvāttas and others, and the highest immortality; after sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, nothing further is to be given to him.
पितृष्वेव तु दातव्यं तत्पिण्डो येषु संस्थितः ततः प्रभृति संक्रान्ताव् उपरागादिपर्वसु
That offering should be given only to the ancestors in whom he is now established; from that time onward, at eclipses and other festivals, the transfer takes place.
त्रिपिण्डमाचरेच्छ्राद्धम् एकोद्दिष्टे मृते ऽहनि एकोद्दिष्टं परित्यज्य मृताहे यः समाचरेत्
One should perform the śrāddha with three balls of food on the day of death for one who has died; abandoning the single-offering rite, whoever performs it on the day of death—
सदैव पितृहा स स्यान् मातृभ्रातृविनाशकः मृताहे पार्वणं कुर्वन् नधो ऽधो याति मानवः
He is always an ancestor-killer, a destroyer of mother and brother; a man who performs the fortnightly rite on the day of death goes lower and lower.
संपृक्तेष्वाकुलीभावः प्रेतेषु तु गतो भवेत् प्रतिसंवत्सरं तस्माद् एकोद्दिष्टं समाचरेत्
When the departed are mingled, confusion arises; therefore, one should perform the single-offering rite every year.
यावदब्दं तु यो दद्याद् उदकुम्भं विमत्सरः प्रेतायान्नसमायुक्तं सो ऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत्
Whoever, without envy, gives a water pot with food for the departed for a year obtains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.
आमश्राद्धं यदा कुर्याद् विधिज्ञः श्राद्धदस्तदा तेनाग्नौकरणं कुर्यात् पिण्डांस्तेनैव निर्वपेत्
When one who knows the rites performs the preliminary śrāddha, he should make the fire offering and offer the balls of food accordingly.
त्रिभिः सपिण्डीकरणे अशेषत्रितये पिता यदा प्राप्स्यति कालेन तदा मुच्येत बन्धनात्
When, in the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, the father attains the full connection with the three groups, then, in due time, he is released from bondage.
मुक्तो ऽपि लेपभागित्वं प्राप्नोति कुशमार्जनात् लेपभाजश्चतुर्थाद्याः पित्राद्याः पिण्डभागिनः पिण्डदः सप्तमस्तेषां सापिण्ड्यं साप्तपौरुषम्
Even when released, he attains 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—this is the relationship up to seven generations.
कथं कव्यानि देयानि हव्यानि च जनैरिह गच्छन्ति पितृलोकस्थान् प्रापकः को ऽत्र गद्यते
How do offerings of cooked food and oblations, given by people here, reach the ancestors in their world? Who is said to be the means for this?
यदि मर्त्यो द्विजो भुङ्क्ते हूयते यदि वानले शुभाशुभात्मकैः प्रेतैर् दत्तं तद्भुज्यते कथम्
If a mortal twice-born eats, or if it is offered into fire, how is it that what is given to the departed, whether auspicious or inauspicious, is enjoyed by them?
वसून्वदन्ति च पितॄन् रुद्रांश्चैव पितामहान् प्रपितामहांस्तथादित्यान् इत्येवं वैदिकी श्रुतिः
The Vedic revelation declares that the Vasus are called the ancestors, the Rudras as the grandfathers, the great-grandfathers likewise, and the Adityas.
नाम गोत्रं पितॄणां तु प्रापकं हव्यकव्ययोः श्राद्धस्य मन्त्राः श्रद्धा च उपयोज्यातिभक्तितः
The name and lineage of the ancestors are the means for cooked and fire offerings; the mantras of the śrāddha and faith, applied with utmost devotion, are to be used.
अग्निष्वात्तादयस्तेषाम् आधिपत्ये व्यवस्थिताः नामगोत्रकालदेशा भवान्तरगतानपि
The Agniṣvāttas and others are established as their lords; even those ancestors who have entered other existences are reached by name, lineage, time, and place.
प्राणिनः प्रीणयन्त्येते तदाहारत्वमागतान् देवो यदि पिता जातः शुभकर्मानुयोगतः
These satisfy living beings who have assumed those forms for that meal; if the father has become a god due to virtuous deeds,
तस्यान्नममृतं भूत्वा दिव्यत्वे ऽप्यनुगच्छति दैत्यत्वे भोगरूपेण पशुत्वे च तृणं भवेत्
For him, the food becomes immortal nectar and follows him even in divinity; in demonhood, it becomes enjoyment, and in animal form, it becomes grass.
श्राद्धान्नं वायुरूपेण सर्पत्वे ऽप्युपतिष्ठति पानं भवति यक्षत्वे राक्षसत्वे तथामिषम्
The śrāddha food, in the form of wind, attends even in the state of a serpent; in the state of a Yakṣa, it becomes drink, and in the state of a Rākṣasa, it becomes meat.
दनुजत्वे तथा माया प्रेतत्वे रुधिरोदकम् मनुष्यत्वे ऽन्नपानानि नानाभोगरसं भवेत्
In the state of a Dānava, it becomes illusion; in the state of a ghost, it becomes blood and water; in human form, it becomes various foods and drinks, with diverse tastes of enjoyment.
रतिशक्तिः स्त्रियः कान्ता भोज्यं भोजनशक्तिता दानशक्तिः सविभवा रूपमारोग्यमेव च
Pleasure is the power of enjoyment, women are beloved, food is the capacity to eat, giving is the power of generosity with wealth, and beauty and health as well.