With reverence and care, the man begins the sacred rite for his ancestors. Before washing his hands, he recites his name and family lineage, offering flowers and similar tokens, and then performs the final cleansing. Mindful of what is to be placed on the left, he uses his right hand to circumambulate the offerings three times. Just as he does for the fathers, so too must he honor the mothers, performing every act properly while holding darbha grass in his hand. In the same manner, the wise person lights a lamp and offers flowers. At the conclusion, after sipping water in purification, he offers water to the ancestors once and then again. Thereafter, he presents flowers, rice grains, and inexhaustible water with sesame seeds, again reciting the name and lineage. According to his means, he gives gifts. He is to offer cows, land, gold, garments, and fine beds, as he is able and as is desired, to the Brahmins—for himself and for his father. Free from any miserliness, he should seek to satisfy the ancestors. Then, reciting the svadhā invocation, he offers water to the universal gods. Having received blessings from the Brahmins, as is proper, he says, “May the ancestors be gentle,” and the Brahmins respond in turn. Likewise, when he says, “May the lineage increase,” and they reply, “So be it,” he completes the benediction, respectfully removing the rice balls. The remnants of the offerings are to remain on the ground until the Brahmins are dismissed; only then does he perform the household offering, as the established rule dictates. The remnants left on the ground are considered the share of those who are honest and without deceit, as well as the servant class. This nourishment, established by the ancestors of old, is always meant for those without vows, without sons, and even for women. Standing before the place of offering, having received the water vessel, he recites “May it be well” and dismisses with the tip of the kusa grass. He circumambulates outside, proceeding eight steps, accompanied by his relatives, his son, and his wife. Upon returning, after bowing, he kindles the fire with mantras, performs the Vaiśvadeva rite, and also the daily household offering. At the end of the Vaiśvadeva, together with servants, sons, and relatives, he eats, along with guests, all that was offered to the ancestors. Even one who is not initiated should perform this common śrāddha on all festival days, for it grants all desired results. Even if he has no wife, or is living abroad, he should do this if he is devoted. O King, even a Śūdra may perform the amāntaraka rite according to this procedure; the third rite is the vṛddhi-śrāddha, which is prescribed on occasions of prosperity. During festivals, joyful ceremonies, sacrifices, weddings, and auspicious events, mothers are to be worshipped first, and fathers thereafter. Then, O King, maternal grandfathers and the Viśvedevās are likewise honored, with circumambulation and offerings of curds, unbroken rice, fruits, and water. Facing east, one should offer the rice-balls to the ancestors, beginning with the earliest; when prosperity is attained, arghya should be given to each pair in turn. Pairs of twice-born are to be honored with garments and suitable clothing; the tilakārya should be performed with barley, and all this in proper sequence. All auspicious rites should be recited by eminent Brāhmaṇas; thus, even a Śūdra may always perform the general and vṛddhi-śrāddha rites. With respectful salutation and mantra, the wise should make gifts; the Lord has declared that giving is foremost for the Śūdra, for through giving, all desires are fulfilled. Pulastya then spoke: “Now I shall explain the ekoddiṣṭa rite as formerly taught by Brahmā—what is to be done by sons when the father dies, and the rules of impurity. For a Brāhmaṇa, the period of impurity due to death is ten days; for Kṣatriyas, twelve days; for Vaiśyas, a fortnight is prescribed. For Śūdras, impurity among sapiṇḍas lasts a month; for more distant relatives, impurity is said to last three nights. The same applies at birth for all castes at all times; after collecting the bones, touching the body is permitted. One should perform the offering of rice-balls to the departed for twelve days; this is called pātheya, as it brings great satisfaction to the departed. Because the departed soul is led to the city of the dead in twelve days, during this time he beholds his sons and wife at home. Therefore, milk should be placed in the open for ten nights, always for the appeasement of the fire and to remove the fatigue of the journey. On the eleventh day, one should feed eleven Brāhmaṇas; at the end of the impurity period for the lineage, a man should feed the Brāhmaṇas. On the second day, likewise, one should perform the ekoddiṣṭa rite; there should be no invocation of deities or fire-ritual, as prescribed. One pure seat, one arghya, and one rice-ball are prescribed; one should say, ‘Let him approach,’ and then offer water mixed with sesame. One should say ‘Svasti’ at the conclusion and at the dismissal, with the wish, ‘May it be pleasing’; the rest of the procedure here too is as previously described by those learned in the Veda. In this manner, one should perform all the rites for a full month; on the second day after the period of impurity, a different bed should be given. A golden figure of a man, adorned with fruits and garments, should be respectfully offered to a twice-born couple, decorated with various ornaments. Having seated them upon the bed, one should then give them madhuparka, in a silver vessel, mixed with curd and milk. Taking a small piece of bone from the forehead, making it fine, and mixing it, one should give it to the twice-born couple to drink, with devotion to the ancestors. This very procedure is prescribed by the foremost twice-born of the Parvatiya tradition; therefore, a defiled bed should not be accepted by the best of the twice-born. If such a bed is taken, it must be purified again; in the Vedas and the Puranas, such a bed is everywhere condemned.