In the sacred tradition of honoring one’s ancestors, the wise are instructed to appoint for the śrāddha ceremony those who are worthy: a Brahmin engaged in the five sacred fires, a devoted disciple, a close relative, or one who is sincerely dedicated to serving mother and father. These individuals are considered fit to partake in the ritual and receive the offerings. However, there are those who must not be chosen for this sacred duty. Among them are betrayers of friends, persons with deformed nails, Brahmins with blackened teeth, those who defile maidens, neglect the sacred fire, or sell Soma. Likewise, the cursed, thieves, slanderers, village priests, those who teach or study the Vedas for hire, are all deemed unfit. One who marries another’s former wife, neglects their parents, supports or marries a woman of lower caste, or serves as a temple priest, should also not be appointed for the śrāddha. On the first day of the ceremony, the wise host should invite the foremost Brahmins. If none are invited, he should instead feed ascetics who come to his home. When Brahmins arrive, they should be welcomed after they have washed their feet, seated respectfully, and served with pure hands in a state of cleanliness. For the ritual, the host should appoint pairs for the ancestors and pairs for the gods, ensuring there is no union between them, or assign one for each god and one for each ancestor. The śrāddha for the maternal grandfather should be performed with the Vaiśvadeva rite, or the Vaiśvadeva alone, according to the prescribed rules. Brahmins representing the gods should be seated facing east, while those representing the ancestors and grandfathers should face north. Some sages say the śrāddha should be performed separately for the two groups, while others, of great wisdom, declare it may be done together with a single cooking. When preparing the seats, the host should offer kuśa grass and honor the Brahmins with offerings before invoking the gods, seeking their permission. Arghya, a respectful offering of barley-water, should be presented to the gods, along with fragrant incense and lamps, as prescribed. For the ancestors, all preparations should be made with the sacred thread worn in the apasavya manner. With permission, and after offering darbha grass split in two, the host should invoke the ancestors with mantras, presenting arghya and other offerings with sesame-water, again observing apasavya. If, during this time, a guest arrives seeking food—a Brahmin traveler—the host, with the Brahmins’ approval, may honor him as he wishes. Yogis, it is said, roam the earth in various forms to benefit people, their true nature hidden. Therefore, at the time of śrāddha, a wise person should always honor a guest who arrives. Should such a guest, the best among the twice-born, not be worshipped, the fruit of the śrāddha is destroyed. The host should offer seasoned food, free from salt and alkaline substances, into the fire, with the Brahmins’ permission, three times. The first oblation is made with the mantra “Svāhā” to Agni, the divine carrier of offerings to the ancestors. Immediately after, an offering is made to Soma, who is associated with the ancestors. The third oblation goes to Vaivasvata. Any small portion remaining from the offerings is then placed in the Brahmins’ vessels. Next, the host should serve well-cooked, desirable, and properly prepared food, inviting the Brahmins to enjoy as they wish, with gentle and respectful words. The Brahmins should eat with focused minds, in silence, with pleasant expressions and contentment. The offerings are to be given with devotion, never with anger or haste. After reciting mantras for protection from evil and spreading sesame seeds upon the ground, the Brahmins recite the ancestral verses, praying for the satisfaction of the father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, whose forms are nourished by the offerings. They seek satisfaction for the ancestors present in the Brahmins’ bodies, from the rice balls offered on the earth, and from all that has been devotedly declared. They pray, too, for the maternal grandfather, his father, and his father’s father, that they may all be content, the gods be pleased, and evil spirits destroyed. Hari, the Lord of sacrifice, the imperishable soul, the enjoyer of all oblations to gods and ancestors, is present at the ceremony. By His presence, may all demons and asuras be driven away at once. Once the Brahmins are satisfied, the host offers them any remaining food on the earth and water for sipping, once or as often as needed. When the Brahmins are fully content and grant permission, the host, with focused mind, gathers the rice balls from the earth along with water. With water from the ancestral site, and a handful of sacred water, the host offers rice balls to the maternal ancestors, placing them on darbha grass to the south, adorned with flowers, incense, and the like. The first rice ball is given to one’s father, another to the grandfather, and another to the great-grandfather, in the presence of the remnants. At the base of the darbha grass, the host anoints the arms with fragrant unguents and ointments, as is pleasing, and does likewise for the maternal ancestors, offering garlands and other fragrant substances. Having worshipped the foremost Brahmins, the wise host offers water for sipping, first with devotion to the paternal ancestors, with a focused mind. With the blessing, “May it be well with you,” the host gives a gift according to his ability. After the gift is bestowed, the Vaiśvadeva mantras are recited: “May all the Viśve Devas be pleased,” as is proper. When the Brahmins respond, “So be it,” the host requests their blessings. Afterwards, he respectfully dismisses first the gods, then the paternal ancestors. In the same way, he honors and dismisses the maternal grandfathers along with the gods, following this order in feeding, giving, and dismissal, all before the ritual bath for purity, as prescribed for the twice-born. The host first dismisses the paternal ancestors, then the maternal grandfathers, with affectionate words. Having honored and requested their leave, he follows them to the doorway before departing himself. Afterwards, the host performs the daily Vaiśvadeva rite, and then partakes of food together with those worthy of honor, attendants, relatives, and himself. Thus, the wise should perform the śrāddha for both paternal and maternal ancestors. Nourished by these offerings, the grandfathers bestow all blessings and fulfill all desires.