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'.
मधुमिश्रांस्तु करकान्गन्धपुष्पैस्ततो ददेत् । द्विज तेऽस्त्वर्घ इत्युक्त्वा त्वस्त्वर्घोत्तरतस्ततः
Then, offer the karaka vessels mixed with honey, along with fragrant flowers; say, 'O twice-born, here is your arghya,' and then, after the arghya, proceed further.
आवाहयिष्ये तान्देवानिति पृष्ट्वा तदुत्तरम् । विश्वेदेवास इत्युक्त्वा विप्रमूर्ध्नि कुशान्क्षिपेत्
Having asked, 'I will invoke those gods,' and receiving the reply, say 'Viśvedevāḥ,' and place kuśa grass on the head of the brāhmaṇa.
विश्वेदेवाः शृणुतेममागच्छन्त्विति संजपेत् । समागतो निषण्णोऽथ सदर्भं पात्रमाहरेत्
Recite, 'May the Viśvedevāḥ hear this, may they come,' and when they have assembled and are seated, bring the vessel with darbha grass.
दक्षिणे चरणे क्षिप्त्वा मुख्यपात्रोदकं ततः । विप्रस्य दक्षिणे हस्ते प्रागग्रेऽथ पवित्रके
Having placed the main vessel of water at the right foot, then in the right hand of the brāhmaṇa, and at the eastern tip of the sacred thread.
या दिव्या इति मंत्रेण निक्षिपेत्पात्रवारितत् । इदं भो अर्घमित्युक्त्वा ह्यस्त्वर्घोत्तरतस्ततः
With the mantra 'yā divyā', place it in the vessel covered, and saying 'Here is your arghya,' proceed after the arghya.
पात्रे धृत्वाऽर्घतोयं च तत्पात्रं स्थापयेत्क्वचित् । अथ दत्त्वा करे तोयं यवैरेतानथार्चयेत्
Having held the arghya water in the vessel, place that vessel somewhere; then, giving water in the hand, worship them with barley.
अर्चत प्रार्चत इति पृष्ट्वा चोत्तरतस्ततः । पादादिमूर्धपर्यन्तमभ्यर्च्य जलदस्ततः
Having asked, 'Have you worshipped, have you worshipped?' and after receiving the reply, worship from the feet up to the head, then give water.
गन्धद्वारेति मन्त्रेण तथेत्युक्त्वोत्तरस्ततः । पितॄणामर्चनं कुर्यादेवमेवापसव्यकम्
With the mantra 'gandhadvāre', and saying 'so be it', proceed further; then perform the worship of the ancestors in the same manner, but with the sacred thread over the left shoulder.
उपवीतं द्विजं कृत्वा कुशान्भग्नांस्तिलान्वितान् । वामजानुं भूमिगतं कृत्वा दद्यात्तदासनम् 5.117.
Having made the brāhmaṇa wear the sacred thread, and kuśa grass broken and mixed with sesame seeds, with the left knee touching the ground, offer him a seat.
दक्षिणाभिमुखो भूत्वा क्षणप्रश्नमथो वदेत् । दक्षिणाग्रेषु दर्भेषु न्युब्जं पात्रत्रयं न्यसेत्
Facing south, ask the momentary question, then on the southern tips of the darbha grass, place three vessels face down.
त्रिकुशग्रन्थिसंयुक्तमुत्तानमथ कल्पयेत् । ततः संप्रोक्ष्य पात्रेषु सपवित्रतिलेषु च
Prepare them upright, joined with three knots of kuśa grass; then sprinkle the vessels and the sesame seeds with water using the sacred thread.
शं नो देव्या जलं क्षिप्त्वा तिलोऽसीति तिलान्क्षिपेत् । गन्धपुष्पमथो दत्त्वा स्वधार्घ इति पृच्छति
Pour water for the goddess, saying 'śaṃ no devyā', then place sesame seeds, saying 'these are sesame seeds'; after offering fragrant flowers, ask, 'Is this the ancestral arghya?'
दत्तोत्तरोऽस्त्वर्घ इति पितॄनावाहयेत्ततः । तिलपुष्पकुशैस्तिष्ठन्कल्पितार्घं करे दधत्
After receiving the reply, 'Here is your arghya,' then invoke the ancestors; standing with sesame, flowers, and kuśa grass, holding the prepared arghya in the hand.
उशन्तस्त्वेति मन्त्रेण त्रिरर्घोदकमर्पयेत् । अर्चनं तु तदा तेषामपसव्यं तु पूवर्वत्
With the mantra 'uśantastv', offer the arghya water three times; then worship them, as before, with the sacred thread over the left shoulder.
प्रक्षाल्य भाजनं स्वर्णं देवानां परिकल्पयेत् । पितॄणां राजतं कुर्याद्यथासंभवमेव वा
After thoroughly cleansing the vessel, one should prepare a golden vessel for the gods; for the ancestors, a silver one should be used, or whatever is available.
तदभावे तु कांस्यं स्यादनन्याशितमुत्तमम् । पात्राणि तदभावे स्युः पालाशानि न मध्यमम्
If that is not available, a bronze vessel is best, provided it has not been used for anything else; if even that is lacking, then vessels made of palāśa wood may be used, though they are not of the highest quality.
रम्भाणि चूतपत्राणि जम्बूपुंनागकानि च । पराकान्यथ चाम्पानि मधूककुटजान्यपि
Vessels made from the leaves of banana, mango, jambū, puṇḍarīka, or from the bark of the campaka, madhūka, or kuṭaja trees may also be used.
मातुलुङ्गस्य पत्राणि श्राद्धे देयानि वै नृभिः । दर्व्यामन्नमथाऽदाय कराभ्यामाज्यमेव च
Leaves of the mātuluṅga tree should be given at the śrāddha by men; after taking the food with a ladle, and the ghee with the hands.
प्रवेषणं ततः पृच्छेत्प्राचीनावीतवान्द्विजम् । करिष्येऽग्नौकरणमिति कुरुष्वेति तदुत्तरम्
After this, one should ask the twice-born wearing the sacred thread over the right shoulder for permission to begin the offering into the fire, saying, 'I will perform the ritual in the fire,' to which the reply should be, 'Proceed.'
परिविष्योपवीती स्यादभिघार्य समाहरेत् । हुनेत्सोमाय पितृमते स्वधा नम इतीरयन्
Having served the food, the sacrificer, wearing the sacred thread properly, should perform the abhighāra (sprinkling), collect the offerings, and offer them into the fire to Soma, the Lord of the ancestors, reciting 'Svadhā, obeisance.'