शीघ्रप्रसादास्त्वक्रोधा निस्संगाः स्थिर सौहृदाः। शांतात्मानः शौचपराः सततं प्रियवादिनः
They are quickly pleased, free from anger, unattached, steadfast in friendship, peaceful in mind, devoted to purity, and always speak kindly.
भक्तानुरक्ताः सुखदाः पितरः पर्वदेवताः। हविष्मतामाधिपत्ये श्राद्धदेवः स्मृतो रविः
The ancestors, attached to their devotees and givers of happiness, are like festival deities; among those who offer oblations, the Sun is regarded as the deity of the śrāddha.
एतद्धि सर्वमाख्यातं पितृवंशानुकीर्त्तनम्। पुण्यं पवित्रमारोग्यं कीर्त्तनीयं नृभिः सदा
All this has been declared—the account of the ancestral lineage; it is meritorious, pure, health-giving, and should always be recited by men.
भीष्म उवाच। श्रुत्वैतदखिलं भूयः पराभक्तिरुपस्थिता। श्राद्धकालं विधिं चैव श्राद्धमेव तथैव च
Bhīṣma said: Having heard all this, my devotion has increased even more; tell me about the time and procedure for the śrāddha, and about the śrāddha itself.
श्राद्धेषु भोजनीया ये श्राद्धवर्ज्या द्विजातयः। कस्मिन्वासरभागे तु पितृभ्यः श्राद्धमारभेत्
Which twice-born are to be fed at śrāddhas, and which are to be avoided? At what time of day should one begin the śrāddha for the ancestors?
अन्नं दत्तं कथं याति श्राद्धे वै ब्रह्मवित्तम। विधिना केन कर्त्तव्यं कथं प्रीणाति तान्पितॄन्
How does the food given at a śrāddha reach the ancestors, O best of knowers of Brahman? By what procedure should it be done, and how does it please the ancestors?
पुलस्त्य उवाच। कुर्यादहरहः श्राद्धमन्नाद्येनोदकेन च। पयोमूलफलैर्वापि पितृभ्यः प्रीतिमावहन्
Pulastya said: One should perform the śrāddha every day with food and water, or with milk, roots, and fruits, bringing satisfaction to the ancestors.
नित्यं नैमित्तिकं काम्यं त्रिविधं श्राद्धमुच्यते। नित्यं तावत्प्रवक्ष्यामि अर्घ्यावाहनवर्जितम्
Śrāddha is said to be of three kinds: daily, occasional, and desired; now I will explain the daily one, which omits the arghya and the invocation.
अदैवतं विजानीयात्पार्वणं पर्व सुस्मृतम्। पार्वणं त्रिविधं प्रोक्तं शृणु यत्नान्महीपते
Know that a parva which is not connected to the gods is called 'adaivata,' and the parva is well remembered. Three kinds of parva are taught—listen to them carefully, O king.
पार्वणेय नियोज्यास्तु तान्शृणुष्व नराधिप। पंचाग्निः स्नातकश्चैव त्रिसौपर्णः षडंगवित्
Those who are to be appointed for the parva rites—hear of them, O ruler of men: one who maintains five fires, a snātaka, one who recites the three Sauparṇa hymns, and one learned in the six limbs of the Veda.
श्रोत्रियः श्रोत्रियसुतो विधिवाक्यविशारदः। सर्वज्ञो वेदवान्मंत्री ज्ञानवंशकुलान्वितः
A śrotriya, the son of a śrotriya, one skilled in the words of ritual, one who knows everything, versed in the Veda, a mantrin, and one born in a lineage of knowledge.
त्रिणाचिकेतस्त्रिमधुः श्रुतेष्वन्येषु संस्थितः। पुराणवेत्ता ब्रह्मज्ञः स्वाध्यायी जपतत्परः
One who has performed the three Nāciketa fires, the three Madhu sacrifices, established in other scriptural rites, a knower of the Purāṇas, knower of Brahman, devoted to self-study, intent on recitation.
ब्रह्मभक्तः पितृपरः सूर्यभक्तोथ वैष्णवः। ब्राह्मणो योगनिष्ठात्मा विजितात्मा सुशीलवान्
A devotee of Brahman, devoted to ancestors, a worshipper of the Sun, or a Vaiṣṇava; a brāhmaṇa steadfast in yoga, self-controlled, and of good character.
एते तोष्याः प्रयत्नेन वर्जनीयानिमान्शृणु। पतितस्तत्सुतः क्लीबः पिशुनो व्यंगरोगितः
These should be honored with effort; now hear those who must be avoided: one fallen from virtue, his son, an impotent man, a slanderer, one with visible disease.
सर्वे ते श्राद्धकाले तु त्याज्या वै धर्मदर्शिभिः। पूर्वेद्युरपरेद्युर्वा विनीतांश्च निमंत्रयेत्
All these must be rejected at the time of śrāddha by those who know dharma; on the previous or following day, one should invite those who are humble.
निमंत्रितांश्च पितर उपतिष्ठंति तान्द्विजान्। वायुभूतानि गच्छंति तथासीनानुपासते
When invited, the ancestors approach those brāhmaṇas; those who have become like air also come, and they attend upon those who are seated.
दक्षिणं जानुचालभ्य वामं पात्यनिमंत्रयेत्। अक्रोधनैः शौचपरैः सुस्नातैर्ब्रह्मवादिभिः
Having touched the right knee, one should invite with the left hand; with those who are free from anger, devoted to purity, well-bathed, and speakers of Brahman.
भवितव्यं भवद्भिस्तु मया च श्राद्धकर्मणि। पितृयज्ञं विनिर्वर्त्य तर्पणाख्यं तु योग्निमान्
Thus it should be done by you and by me in the śrāddha rite; having completed the pitṛ-yajña, known as tarpaṇa, with proper fire.
पिंडान्वाहार्यकं कुर्याच्छ्राद्धमिंदुक्षये तथा। गोमयेनानुलिप्ते तु दक्षिणाप्लवनस्थले
One should prepare the piṇḍa offering and the vāhāryaka śrāddha at the waning of the moon, on a spot smeared with cow dung, at the southern bathing place.
श्राद्धं समारभेद्भक्त्या गोष्ठे वा जलसन्निधौ। अग्निमान्निर्वपेत्पित्र्यं चरुं वा सक्तुमुष्टिभिः
With devotion, one should begin the śrāddha in a cowshed or near water; with fire, one should offer the pitṛ caru, or with handfuls of parched grain.
पितृभ्यो निर्वपामीति सर्वं दक्षिणतो न्यसेत्। अभिघार्य ततः कुर्यान्निर्वापत्रयमग्रतः
Saying, 'I offer to the ancestors,' one should place everything to the south; after washing the hands, one should then make the three offerings in front.
ते वितस्त्यायताः कार्याश्चतुरङ्गुलविस्तृताः। दर्वीत्रयं च कुर्वीत खादिरं रजतान्वितम्
They should be made a span long and four fingers wide; one should prepare three ladles of khadira wood with silver inlay.
रत्निमात्रं परिश्लक्ष्णं हस्ताकाराग्रमुत्तमम्। उदपात्राणि कांस्यस्य मेक्षणं च समित्कुशम्
Each should be the size of a ratni, smooth, with the tip shaped like a hand; water vessels of bronze, a strainer, sacrificial sticks, and kuśa grass.
तिलपात्राणि सद्वासो गंधधूपानुलेपनम्। आहरेदपसव्यं च सर्वं दक्षिणतः शनैः
Sesame-leaf plates, clean garments, fragrant incense, and ointments should be brought, and everything should be placed to the south, gently.
एवमासाद्य तत्सर्वं भवनस्योत्तरेंतरे। गोमयेनानुलिप्तायां गोमूत्रेण च मंडलम्
Having thus arranged everything in the northern part of the house, on a spot smeared with cow dung, one should make a circle with cow urine.
साक्षताभिः सपुष्पाभिरद्भिः सव्यापसव्यवत्। विप्राणां क्षालयेत्पादावभिवंद्य पुनःपुनः
With pure water adorned with flowers, both with the right and left hand, one should wash the feet of the brāhmaṇas, bowing to them again and again.
आसनेषूपविष्टेषु दर्भवत्सु विधानतः। उपस्पृष्टोदकान्विप्रानुपवेश्यानुमंत्रयेत्
When the seats are properly arranged with darbha grass and the Brahmins have purified themselves with water, seat them and recite the appropriate mantras.
द्वौ दैवे पितृकृत्ये त्रीनेकैकं चोभयत्र वा। भोजयेदीश्वरोपीह न कुर्याद्विस्तरं बुधः
For divine rites, two; for ancestral rites, three; or one each for both, or as appropriate—let the wise person serve food to the Brahmins, but should not make the offering elaborate.
दैवपूर्वं निवेद्याथ विप्रानर्घादिना बुधैः। अग्नौ कुर्यादनुज्ञातो विप्रैर्विप्रो यथाविधि
First, present the offering for the divine purpose; then, according to tradition, honor the Brahmins with arghya and other rites; with their permission, perform the ritual in the fire as prescribed.
स्वगृह्योक्तेन विधिना काले कृत्वा समंततः। अग्नीषोममयाभ्यां तु कुर्यादाप्यायनं बुधः
According to the rules of one's own tradition, at the proper time and place, the wise person should perform the āpyāyana rite with the Agni and Soma fires.