ग्रहीतारस्तु जायन्ते सर्वे नरकगामिनः। ग्रथितां वसुजालेन शय्यां दांपत्यसेविताम्
All those who take such a bed, woven with a net of wealth and used by a couple, become destined for hell.
ये स्पृशंति न जानंतः सर्वे नरकगामिनः। नवश्राद्धेन भोक्तव्यं भुक्त्वा चांद्रायणं चरेत्
Those who touch it unknowingly also all go to hell; after consuming food at a new śrāddha, one should observe the Chandrayana vow.
पितृभक्त्या तु पुत्राणां कार्यमेव सदा भवेत्। वृषोत्सर्गं च कुर्वीत देया च कपिला शुभा
Out of devotion to the ancestors, it is always the duty of sons to perform the rites; one should also perform the release of a bull and give an auspicious tawny cow.
उदकुंभश्च दातव्यो भक्ष्यभोज्यफलान्वितः। यावदब्दं नरश्रेष्ठ सतिलोदकपूर्वकम्
A water-pot should also be given, filled with food, eatables, and fruits, O best of men, for a year, preceded by water with sesame seeds.
ततः संवत्सरे पूर्णे सपिंडीकरणं भवेत्। सपिंडीकरणादूर्द्ध्वं प्रेतः पार्वणभुग्यतः
Then, when a year is complete, the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa rite should be performed; after sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, the departed eats at the parvaṇa śrāddha.
वृद्धिपूर्वेषु कार्येषु गृहस्थस्य भवेत्ततः। सपिंडीकरणं श्राद्धं देवपूर्वं नियोजयेत्
In the rites for prosperity that follow, the householder should then perform the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa śrāddha, beginning with the worship of the gods.
पितॄनावाहयेत्तत्र पृथक्प्रेतं विनिर्दिशेत्। गंधोदकतिलैर्युक्तं कुर्यात्पात्रचतुष्टयम्
There, one should invoke the ancestors and separately designate the departed; one should prepare four vessels, with fragrance, water, and sesame seeds.
अर्घ्यार्थं पितृपात्रेषु प्रेतपात्रं प्रसेचयेत्। तद्वत्संकल्प्य चतुरः पिंडान्पितृपरस्तदा
For the purpose of arghya, the vessel for the departed should be poured into the vessels for the ancestors; likewise, having resolved, four balls of rice should then be offered to the ancestors.
ये समाना इति द्वाभ्यामन्नं तु विभजेत्त्रिधा। अनेन विधिना चार्घ्यं पूर्वमेव प्रदापयेत्
Saying, 'These are equal,' one should divide the food into three parts with two; and by this procedure, the arghya should first be offered.
ततः पितृत्वमापन्नस्स चतुर्थस्तदा त्वनु। अग्निष्वात्तादि मध्ये तु प्राप्नोत्यमृतमुत्तमम्
Then, the fourth, having attained the status of ancestor, among the Agniṣvāttas and others, obtains the highest immortality.
सपिण्डीकरणादूर्ध्वं पृथक्तस्मै न दीयते। पितृष्वेव च दातव्यं तत्पिंडं येषु संस्थितम्
After sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, nothing is given separately to him; the rice-ball should be given only among the ancestors with whom he is now joined.
ततः प्रभृति संक्रान्तावुपरागादि पर्वसु। त्रिपिंडमाचरेच्छ्राद्धमेकोद्दिष्टं मृतेहनि
From that time onward, at the solstices, eclipses, and other sacred occasions, one should perform the tripiṇḍa śrāddha, and on the day of death, the ekoddiṣṭa rite.
एकोद्दिष्टं परित्यज्य मृताहे यः समाचरेत्। स दैवं पितृहा स स्यात्तथा भ्रातृविनाशकः
Whoever, neglecting the ekoddiṣṭa rite, performs rituals on the day of death, is considered a slayer of ancestors by fate, and likewise a destroyer of brothers.
मृताहे पार्वणं कुर्वन्नधो याति स मानवः। संपृक्ते स्वर्गती भावे प्रेतमोक्षो यतो भवेत्
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.
आमश्राद्धं तदा कुर्याद्विधिज्ञः श्राद्धदस्ततः। तेनाग्नौकरणं कुर्यात्पिंडांस्तेनैव निर्वपेत्
At that time, one who knows the proper rites should perform the āmaśrāddha, and then the regular śrāddha; with that, he should make the fire offering and offer the rice-balls accordingly.
त्रिभिः सपिंडीकरणं मासैक्ये त्रितये तथा। यदा प्राप्स्यति कालेन तदा मुच्येत बंधनात्
When, in the course of three months, the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa is performed with three, then, when the proper time arrives, the departed is released from bondage.
मुक्तोपि लेपभागित्वं प्राप्नोति कुशमार्जनात्। लेपभाजश्चतुर्थाद्यास्त्रयः स्युः पिंडभागिनः
Even after being released, one 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.
पिण्डदः सप्तमस्तेषां सपिंडाः सप्तपूरुषाः। भीष्म उवाच। कथं हव्यानि देयानि कव्यानि च जनैरिह
The seventh is the giver of the rice-balls among them; the sapiṇḍas are seven ancestors. Bhīṣma said: How should offerings to the gods and to the ancestors be given by people here?
गृह्णंति पितृलोके वा प्रायः के कैर्निगद्यते। यदि मर्त्ये द्विजो भुंक्ते हूयते यदि वानले
Who, it is said, 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?
शुभाशुभात्मकाः प्रेतास्तदन्नं भुंजते कथम्। पुलस्त्य उवाच। वसुस्वरूपाः पितरो रुद्राश्चैव पितामहाः
How do the departed, who possess both auspicious and inauspicious natures, partake of that food? Pulastya said: The ancestors are in the form of Vasus, and the grandfathers are Rudras.
प्रपितामहास्तथादित्या इत्येषा वैदिकी श्रुतिः। नामगोत्रं पितॄणां तु प्रापकं हव्यकव्ययोः
The great-grandfathers are likewise Ādityas—so declares the Vedic tradition. The name and lineage of the ancestors are the means by which the offerings to gods and ancestors reach them.
श्राद्धस्य मन्त्रतस्तत्वमुपलभ्येत भक्तितः। अग्निष्वात्तादयस्तेषामाधिपत्ये व्यवस्थिताः
The true nature of the śrāddha is understood through the mantra and with devotion; among them, the Agniṣvāttas and others are established as the presiding deities.
नामगोत्रास्तदा देशा भवंत्युद्भवतामपि। प्राणिनः प्रीणयत्येतदर्हणं समुपागतं
At that time, the names, lineages, and places of those who have arisen become manifest; this honor, when properly performed, satisfies living beings.
दिव्यो यदि पिता माता गुरुः कर्मानुयोगतः। तस्यान्नममृतं भूत्वा दिव्यत्त्वेप्यनुगच्छति
If the father, mother, or teacher is divine by virtue of their deeds, their food, having become immortal, follows them even in a divine state.
दैत्यत्वे भोगरूपेण पशुत्वेपि तृणं भवेत्। श्राद्धान्नं वायुरूपेण नागत्वेप्युपतिष्ठति
In the state of a demon, it becomes enjoyment; in the state of an animal, it becomes grass; the śrāddha food, in the form of wind, attends even those who have not returned.
पानं भवति यक्षत्वे राक्षसत्वे तथामिषं। दानवत्वे तथा पानं प्रेतत्वे रुधिरोदकम्
In the state of a Yakṣa, it becomes drink; in the state of a Rākṣasa, it becomes meat; in the state of a Dānava, it is also drink; in the state of a departed spirit, it is blood and water.
मनुष्यत्वेन्नपानादि नानाभोगवतां भवेत्। रतिशक्तिस्त्रियः कान्तेऽन्येषां भोजनशक्तिता
In human form, it becomes various enjoyments such as food and drink; for women, it becomes the power of pleasure and beauty; for others, it becomes the power to eat.
दानशक्तिः स विभवा रूपमारोग्यमेव च। श्राद्धपुष्पमिदं प्रोक्तं फलं ब्रह्मसमागमः
It is the power of giving, wealth, form, and health; this is said to be the flower of śrāddha, and its fruit is union with Brahman.
आयुः पुत्रान्धनं विद्यां स्वर्गं मोक्षं सुखानि च। प्रयच्छन्ति तथा राज्यं प्रीताः पितृगणा नृप
Long life, sons, wealth, knowledge, heaven, liberation, and happiness are granted, as well as sovereignty, by the satisfied hosts of ancestors, O king.
श्रूयते च पुरा मोक्षं प्राप्ताः कौशिकसूनवः। पंचभिर्जन्मसंबंधैः प्राप्ता ब्रह्मपरं पदम्
It is also heard that, in ancient times, the sons of Kauśika attained liberation; through five generations of connection, they reached the supreme state of Brahman.