नैमिषीया ऊचुः - गत्वायोध्यां महातेजाः समस्तमुनिसंयुतः । किं चकार ततो रामः स च शंभुर्महायशाः
The Naimishiyas said: Having gone to Ayodhya, the great and radiant one, accompanied by all the sages, what did Rama do then, and what did the illustrious Shambhu do?
सूत उवाच- कौसल्या मासिकश्राद्धमपरेऽहनि राघवः । चिकीर्षुर्द्विजप्रवरानृषिकल्पान्न्यमंत्रयत्
Suta said: On another day, Raghava wished to perform the monthly shraddha for Kausalya and summoned the foremost Brahmins, who were like sages.
शंभुं समस्तत्त्वज्ञं नारदं रोमशं भृगुम् । विश्वामित्रमथो राम एकभक्तव्रती ततः
He invited Shambhu, knower of all truths, Narada, Romasha, Bhrigu, and Vishvamitra; then Rama, steadfast in devotion, did so.
भूमौ सुखास्तृतायां च सुष्वापा व्याकुलेंद्रियः । परेद्युरथ संप्राप्ते प्रातःस्नात्वा विधानवित्
On a bed spread comfortably on the ground, he slept, his senses troubled; when the next day arrived, he bathed in the morning, knowing the proper rites.
अन्नं शाकादिकं शुद्धं जनैरेवान्वकारयत् । नानान्नानि विचित्राणि चोष्याद्यानि तथैव च
He had pure food prepared, such as vegetables, by the people; various foods, both for eating and sipping, likewise.
वटकादींस्तथा भक्ष्यानष्टत्रिंशदकल्पयत् । पायसं षड्विधं चैव पक्वशाकशतद्वयम्
He arranged thirty-eight kinds of snacks such as vata, six kinds of rice pudding, and a hundred varieties of cooked vegetables.
अपक्वमिश्रकाणां च शतत्रयमकल्पयत् । कालशाकादिकं शाकं फलानि विविधानि च
He arranged three hundred varieties of uncooked mixtures, as well as vegetables like kala-shaka and various fruits.
मूलानि चैककंदानि वल्कलानि च राघवः । कारयित्वा नदीं गत्वा सहभ्रातृपुरोहितः
Raghava had roots, single-tuber plants, and bark prepared; then, going to the river with his brothers and the family priest.
सरयूसलिले स्नात्वा हुत्वाग्निं स्वागतान्द्विजान् । उक्त्वा तु स्वागतं तांस्तु कृतदेवार्चनो नृपः
Having bathed in the waters of the Sarayu and offered fire, the king welcomed the Brahmins, and after greeting them, performed worship of the gods.
प्राणानायम्य संकल्प्य क्षणं चैव प्रदत्तवान् । रोमशं नारदं रामो वैश्वदेवे न्यमंत्रयत्
Controlling his breath and making a resolve, Rama gave offerings for a moment, and invited Romasha and Narada for the Vaiśvadeva rite.
शंभुं भृगुं कौशिकं च मातृस्थाने न्यमंत्रयत् । गोमयेन ततः कृत्वा मंडलं पूज्य चार्हतः
He invited Shambhu, Bhrigu, and Kaushika in the place of mothers; then, having made a circle with cow dung, he worshipped them with proper offerings.
पादप्रक्षालनं चक्रे सीतादत्तोदकेन च । आचामयित्वा तान्विप्रान्गृहं गंतुमथोद्यतः
He washed their feet with water given by Sita, and after making the Brahmins sip water, prepared to go to the house.
अभ्यागतः समायातः स्थविरो विकृताकृतिः । कृशः संप्रचलद्गात्रो वेपितांघ्रिशिरास्तथा
Then an old man arrived, with a distorted appearance, thin, his limbs trembling, and his feet and head shaking.
लंबमानत्वगुत्कर्षच्छ्वासकासादिपीडितः । दूषिकाक्लिन्नगंडश्च लालासंपृक्तकूर्चकः
He was afflicted by drooping stature, excessive breathing, coughing, and other ailments; his cheeks were damp with mucus, and his mouth was smeared with saliva.
उवाच रामं राजानमहमेको द्विजः स्थितः । ममापि भोजनं देयं स्थविरस्य कृशस्य च
He spoke to Rama, the king: 'I am a lone Brahmin standing here; food should be given to me also, who am old and thin.'
रामोऽपि तद्वचः श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणं वाक्यमब्रवीत् । पादौ प्रक्षालयास्य त्वमहमभ्यर्चये द्विजम्
Rama, hearing those words, said to Lakshmana: 'Wash his feet, and I will worship the Brahmin.'
अभ्यागतोऽपि वचनमाह राममथाकुलम् । त्वया प्रक्षालिते पादे मम भोजनमिष्यते
The newcomer then spoke anxiously to Rama: 'If you wash my feet, my food will be desired.'
मत्तोऽधिका द्विजाः किं ते येन मामवमन्यसे । श्राद्धधर्मं न जानीषे महर्षिगणसेवितम्
'Are the other Brahmins superior to me, that you disregard me? You do not know the rite of Śrāddha, honored by the great sages.'
ममावमानतः सर्वविप्राणामवमाननम् । श्राद्धं विहन्यते चापि नरकं च गमिष्यसि
'By disrespecting me, you disrespect all Brahmins; the Śrāddha is ruined, and you will go to hell.'
अथ रामः स्वयं विप्रपादौ प्राक्षालयत्तदा । आचामयित्वा तं विप्रं गृहं प्रावेशयत्ततः
Then Rama himself washed the Brahmin's feet, made him sip water, and brought him into the house.
आचान्तश्च स्वयं रामो विष्टरं दत्तवानथ । आसीनेषु च विप्रेषु प्राणवायुं निरुध्य च
Rama himself, having purified himself, gave a seat; when the Brahmins were seated, he restrained his breath.
स्वकर्मकरणानुज्ञां लब्ध्वाऽथ सतिलं जलम् । अपहतेति मन्त्रेण द्वारदेशे विचिक्षिपेत्
Having obtained permission to perform his duties, he sprinkled water with sesame at the doorway, reciting the mantra 'Let it be removed.'
उदीरतामिति तथा पितृपात्रस्थले क्षिपेत् । गायत्र्या चाक्षतजलं देवपात्रस्थले क्षिपेत् । पाकजातं तथाऽभ्युक्ष्यम न्त्रमेतदुदीरयेत्
He threw water onto the ancestral vessel, reciting 'Let it be uttered'; and with the Gayatri, sprinkled water onto the divine vessel; then, after sprinkling the cooked food, he recited this mantra.
श्राद्धभूमिं गयां ध्यात्वा ध्यात्वा देवं जनार्दनम् । वस्वादींश्च पितॄन्ध्यात्वा ततः श्राद्धं प्रवर्तयेत्
Meditating on Gaya, the Śrāddha ground, and on Janardana the deity, and on the Vasus and other ancestors, he then began the Śrāddha rite.
विश्वेदेवार्चनं कुर्याद्यवैर्वा तण्डुलैरथ । मूलाग्रयोजितौ दर्भौ गृहीत्वा साक्षतावथ
He should worship the Viśvedevas with barley or rice; taking two darbha blades joined at the root and tip, he then makes them manifest.
भूस्पृष्टदक्षजानुस्तु द्विजहस्ते जलार्पणम् । पुरूरवार्द्रवाणां वै देवानामिदमासनम्
He should offer water with the right hand touching the earth, into the Brahmin's hand; this is the seat for the gods Pururavas and Dravanas.
इति दत्त्वाऽसनं तेषां श्राद्धदः प्रार्थयेत्क्षणम्
Having given seats to them, the performer of the Śrāddha should request them to wait for a moment.
अर्घं कृत्वा ततः पश्चादुत्तराग्रकुशेष्वथ । न्युब्जं पात्रं ततः कृत्वा कुशग्रन्थिमथोपरि
After preparing the arghya, then, on the northern tips of the kuśa grass, place a vessel face down, and tie a knot of kuśa grass above it.
उत्तानं तु ततः कृत्वा जलैरभ्युक्ष्यरौक्मकैः । पवित्रान्तर्हिते पात्रे शं नो देव्या जलं क्षिपेत्
Then, turning it upright, sprinkle it with water using gold, and in the vessel with the sacred thread inside, pour water for the goddess, saying 'śaṃ no devyā'.
वैश्वदेव्याऽखिलं कर्म यावत्तद्विधिचोदितम् । यवोऽसि धान्यराजो वा इति पात्रे क्षिपेद्यवान्
All the rites for Vaiśvadeva, as prescribed by the rules, should be performed; barley, rice, or the king of grains should be placed in the vessel, saying 'barley'.