देवानां चापि दृश्यंते प्रत्यक्षाः प्रत्ययाः सदा ४०.
The gods also are seen here, always directly perceivable and evident.
योनिरेवंविदा तेषां पितॄणां च दिवौकसाम् ४०.
Such is the origin for those ancestors and the dwellers in heaven.
भव्यं भूतं भविष्यच्च सर्वं जानंति यांति च ४०.
They know and go to all that is present, past, and future.
नवतत्त्वमयं देहं दशमः पुरुषो मतः ४०.
The body composed of nine principles is considered the tenth, the person.
शब्दतत्त्वेन तुष्यंति स्पर्शतत्त्वं च गृह्णते ४०.
They are satisfied by the principle of sound and grasp the principle of touch.
यथा तृणं पशूनां च नराणामन्नमुच्यते ४०.
Just as grass is said to be food for animals, so is food for men.
शक्तयः सर्वभावानामचिंत्या ज्ञानगोचराः ४०.
The powers of all beings are inconceivable and accessible to knowledge.
पितृभ्यो दीयते श्राद्धं स्वकर्मवशगाश्च ते ४०.
Śrāddha is offered to the ancestors, and they are subject to their own actions.
अथ स्वर्गेऽथ नरेक स्थिताः कर्माभियंत्रिताः ४०.
Whether they are established in heaven or in hell, they are constrained by their actions.
आयुः प्रजां धनं विद्यां स्वर्गं मोक्षं सुकानि च ४०.
Lifespan, offspring, wealth, knowledge, heaven, liberation, and pleasures—
सत्यमेततस्वकर्मस्थाः पितरो यन्नृपोत्तम ४०.
O best of kings, it is true that the ancestors remain established in their own actions.
मूर्ताश्चतुर्णां वर्णानां पितरः सप्तधा स्मृताः ४०.
The ancestors, manifest in form, are remembered as sevenfold for the four classes.
एकत्रिंशद्गणा येषां पितॄणां प्रबला नृप ४०.
There are thirty-one powerful groups among those ancestors, O king.
ते तृप्तास्तर्पयन्त्यस्य पूर्वजान्यत्र संस्थितान् ४०.
When they are satisfied, they gratify their forebears who reside elsewhere.
भूतादिभ्यो यथा विप्र नाम्ना वोद्दिश्य दीयते ४०.
Just as, O Brahmin, offerings are given to beings and others, mentioning their names,
इदं पितृभ्यो देवेभ्यो द्विजेभ्यः पावकाय च ४०.
So too, this is to be given to the ancestors, the gods, the twice-born, and to fire.
उचिता प्रतिपत्तिश्च कार्या सर्वेषु नित्यशः ४०.
Proper conduct should always be observed toward all of them.
यथा श्वा गृहद्वारस्थो बलिं गृह्णाति किं तथा ४०.
Just as a dog at the house door takes the offering, is it the same?
एवं ते भूतवद्देवा न हि गृह्णन्ति कर्हिचित् ४०.
In this way, the gods, like beings, never accept it at any time.
विना मंत्रैश्च यद्दत्तं न तद्गृह्णन्ति तेऽमलाः ४०.
Whatever is given without mantras, those pure ones do not accept.
"मंत्रा दैवता यद्यद्विद्वान्मन्त्रवत्करोति देवताभिरेव तत्करोति यद्ददानि देवताभिरेव तद्ददाति यत्प्रतिगृह्णाति देवताभिरेव तत्प्रतिगृह्णाति तस्मान्नामन्त्रवत्प्रतिगृह्णीयात् नामन्त्रवत्प्रतिपद्यते" इति॥ ४०.
"Mantras are deities. Whatever the learned one does with mantras, he does it with the deities alone. Whatever he gives, he gives with the deities alone. Whatever he receives, he receives with the deities alone. Therefore, one should not receive without mantras; one does not act properly without mantras."
तस्मान्मंत्रैः सदा देयं पौराणैर्वैदिकैरपि ४०.
Therefore, offerings should always be made with mantras, both from the Purāṇas and the Vedas.
दर्भांस्तिलानक्षतांश्च तोयं चैतैः सुसंयुतम् ४०.
Darbha grass, unbroken sesame seeds, and water should be properly combined with these.
पुरा किल प्रदत्तानि भूमेर्दानानि भूरिशः ४०.
Long ago, indeed, many gifts were given from the earth.
ततो देवाश्च पितरः प्रत्यूचुः पद्मसंभवम्॥ ४०.
Then the gods and ancestors addressed the lotus-born one.
स्वामिन्नः पश्यतामेव सर्वं दैत्यैः प्रगृह्यते ४०.
"Lord, as we watch, everything is being seized by the demons."
ततो विमृश्यैव विधी रक्षोपायमचीकरत् ४०.
Then, after considering, the Creator devised a means of protection.
तोयं दर्भांश्च सर्वत्र एवं गृह्णन्ति नासुराः ४०.
The demons do not take water and darbha grass everywhere in this way.
निःश्वस्य पितरो देवा यांति दातुः फलं न हि ४०.
The ancestors and gods, having exhaled, do not attain the fruit of the giver.
चतुर्युगव्यवस्थानं श्रोतुमिच्छमि तत्त्वतः ४०.
I wish to hear, in truth, the arrangement of the four ages.