In the sacred tradition, it is prescribed that pairs of twice-born individuals—those belonging to the Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, and Vaiśya castes—should be honored with garments, suitable clothing, and other offerings in due sequence. The tilakārya, a ritual marking, is to be performed with barley, following proper order. All auspicious rites during such ceremonies must be recited by eminent Brāhmaṇas, ensuring the sanctity of the proceedings. Remarkably, even a Śūdra may always perform the general śrāddha and vṛddhi-śrāddha rites, thus maintaining his connection to the ancestors. When making gifts, the wise should do so with respectful salutations and mantras. The Lord has declared that giving is especially important for the Śūdra, for through acts of generosity, all his desires may be fulfilled. Pulastya then spoke, saying, “Now I shall explain the ekoddiṣṭa rite, as taught by Brahmā, which is to be performed by sons upon the death of their father, including the rules of impurity.” For a Brāhmaṇa, the period of impurity following a death lasts ten days; for Kṣatriyas, twelve days; for Vaiśyas, a fortnight. Among Śūdras, impurity among close relatives (sapiṇḍas) lasts a month, while for more distant relatives, it lasts three nights. These same periods apply at birth for all castes. After collecting the bones, touching the body becomes permissible. For twelve days following death, the offering of rice-balls (piṇḍas) should be performed for the departed. This is called pātheya, and it brings great satisfaction to the soul. During these twelve days, the departed soul is led to the city of the dead, and in this period, he beholds his sons and wife at home. To ease the soul’s journey and fatigue, milk should be placed in the open for ten nights to appease the fire. On the eleventh day, one should feed eleven Brāhmaṇas; at the end of the impurity period for the lineage, feeding Brāhmaṇas is prescribed. On the second day, the ekoddiṣṭa rite is performed, but without invocation of deities or fire rituals, as prescribed. Only one pure seat, one arghya, and one rice-ball are used. The host says, “Let him approach,” and offers water mixed with sesame. At the conclusion and dismissal, the host says “Svasti,” wishing, “May it be pleasing.” The rest of the procedure follows what has been previously described by those learned in the Veda. All these rites are to be performed for a full month. On the second day after the period of impurity, a new bed should be given. A golden figure of a man, adorned with fruits and garments, is respectfully offered to a twice-born couple, decorated with various ornaments. After seating them upon the bed, madhuparka—a mixture of honey, curd, and milk in a silver vessel—is given. Then, taking a small piece of bone from the forehead of the deceased, making it fine, and mixing it, the twice-born couple is given this to drink with devotion to the ancestors. This 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, for the Vedas and the Purāṇas everywhere condemn the use of a bed woven with wealth and used by a couple. Those who take such a bed, or touch it unknowingly, become destined for hell. After consuming food at a new śrāddha, the Chandrayana vow should be observed. Out of devotion to the ancestors, it is always the duty of sons to perform these rites. One should also perform the release of a bull and give an auspicious tawny cow. A water-pot filled with food, eatables, and fruits should be given for a year, preceded by water with sesame seeds. After a year is complete, the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa rite should be performed, after which the departed eats at the parvaṇa śrāddha. In the rites for prosperity that follow, the householder should perform the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa śrāddha, beginning with the worship of the gods. Here, the ancestors are invoked, and the departed is separately designated. Four vessels are prepared, with fragrance, water, and sesame seeds. For arghya, the vessel for the departed is poured into the vessels for the ancestors. Then, four balls of rice are offered to the ancestors. Saying, “These are equal,” the food is divided into three parts with two, and the arghya is first offered. The fourth, having attained the status of ancestor among the Agniṣvāttas and others, obtains the highest immortality. After sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, nothing is given separately to him; the rice-ball is given only among the ancestors with whom he is now joined. From that time onward, at solstices, eclipses, and other sacred occasions, the tripiṇḍa śrāddha should be performed, and on the day of death, the ekoddiṣṭa rite. Whoever neglects the ekoddiṣṭa rite and performs rituals on the day of death is considered a slayer of ancestors and a destroyer of brothers. A man who performs the parvaṇa śrāddha on the day of death descends to a lower state; if he does so in conjunction with the path to heaven, he attains release from the state of a departed spirit. At that time, one who knows the proper rites should perform the āmaśrāddha, followed by the regular śrāddha, making the fire offering and offering the rice-balls accordingly. When, in the course of three months, the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa is performed with three, then, at the proper time, the departed is released from bondage. Even after release, the departed attains a share of the residue due to the sweeping with kuśa grass; from the fourth onward, three share in the residue, and the rest partake of the rice-balls. The seventh is the giver of the rice-balls among them; the sapiṇḍas are seven ancestors. At this point, Bhīṣma asked, “How should offerings to the gods and ancestors be given by people here? Who receives them in the world of the ancestors? If a twice-born eats them on earth, or if they are offered into the fire, what happens? How do the departed, who possess both auspicious and inauspicious natures, partake of that food?” Pulastya replied, “The ancestors are in the form of Vasus, and the grandfathers are Rudras.