At the time prescribed, the blazing fire is placed at the position of the head, marking a pivotal moment in the rite. This, my son, is the rite of purification for all four classes, ensuring that each follows the sacred tradition. Calling the name of the deceased, one offers the funeral cake upon the earth, honoring their memory and fulfilling the ritual obligation. With this, the chapter entitled "The Origin of Śrāddha" concludes in the divine scripture of the Śrī Varāha Purāṇa. Now begins the section describing the origin of the piṇḍa-rite of śrāddha. O Lord of gods, master of worlds, unattached and supreme, listen to the instructions as Śrī Varāha speaks. When a person’s lifespan has ended, the third ceremonial bath is to be performed in the pure waters of a river. There, a ball of food is offered, accompanied by thirty handfuls of water, signifying sustenance and purification. In other places, offerings are made on the seventh day after the bath, marking the passage of time and the completion of initial rites. On the tenth day, garments are purified using substances like alkali, cleansing them of impurity. Then, on the eleventh day, the ekoddiṣṭa rite is performed according to rule, a ritual appropriate for people of all four varṇas, O Mādhavi. After bathing and attaining purity, the departed soul is joined with the ancestors, completing the cycle of familial connection. Gathering impure substances, one acts in accordance with the word of Brahmā, following the divine instructions. By serving those who have fallen and the Śūdras, O beautiful one, and by reciting the name of the deceased for whom the rite is performed, the ritual gains its intended merit. Approaching the invited Brāhmaṇa humbly and with concentration, the performer acknowledges that the deceased has gone to the heavenly world, as ordained by Death. After the sun has set, one proceeds to the house of a Brāhmaṇa, continuing the observances. Desiring benefit for the departed, one massages the feet of the Brāhmaṇa. As long as this service is rendered, the performer observes the enjoyment of the departed soul. When the night passes and the sun rises, the remains are taken to a pure place with focused attention. A share, properly made, is prescribed to be sixty-four times as much as the good deed, amplifying the merit of the offering. Even in the shade of an elephant, at the riverside, or beneath a tree, the ritual should be performed, but only in lands not seen by chickens, dogs, or pigs. The wind from a chicken’s wings, or the touch of a caṇḍāla upon the earth, must be avoided by the wise during funeral rites, O beautiful one. Serpents, spirits, sacrifices, and all that is movable and immovable are sustained by the power of Viṣṇu, O lovely-hipped one, extending the world in divine order. Immediately thereafter, let the participants bathe on the ground, O Earth, completing the purification. The world depends on you, O auspicious one; if it is your remnant, it becomes destroyed. Those who partake of such remnants fall into terrible hell, O beautiful one. Therefore, making the offering with intention, name, and lineage, O Mādhavi, one should not give to other lineages those who do not partake there. By such giving, those who have entered the realm of the departed are pleased. He who performs the rite should proceed to the great river and bathe with his garments, purifying himself further. Then, he should quickly bring the Brāhmaṇas to the ritual site. With boldness and nourishment, O Mādhavi, he should offer arghya and pādya, honoring the guests. Reciting the mantra, “This seat is given to you; let rest be taken, O twice-born,” he seats the Brāhmaṇa respectfully. Once seated, he arranges an umbrella, providing comfort and completing the ritual hospitality, thus fulfilling the sacred duties with reverence and care.