Vasundharā, the Earth herself, approached the divine Boar incarnation of the Blessed One with deep reverence and curiosity. She respectfully inquired, “O Lord, who are these ancestors that partake of the śrāddha offerings through the power of yoga? And how should one, month by month, dedicate the intention for the rice-ball offerings? I am eager to hear the true determination of these rites.” The Blessed One, in his Boar form, smiled kindly upon the noble Earth and replied, “Your question is well asked, O goddess of beautiful form, steadfast in dharma. Listen as I reveal this truth to you. “The ancestors who receive the śrāddha are the father, the grandfather, and the great-grandfather. When the auspicious fortnight dedicated to the ancestors arrives, and the conjunction of the stars is known, the wise perform śrāddha with unwavering faith. Among the twice-born, some perform the Brahma-yajña, the sacred sacrifice to Brahman, while others sustain themselves through the bhūta-yajña, the offering to all beings. “Now, hear the true determination of the pitṛ-yajña, the ancestral rite. All these offerings—know that they abide in me. This is the truth I speak: I am both the northern fire and the southern fire. I am established as the purifier and as the very fire itself. “At the Vaiśvadeva offering, a celibate who is ever pure should be appointed. Such a person is not to be fed at śrāddha, but honored at sacred divine places. The highest recipient is one who is content in his household, patient, self-controlled, and master of his senses—versed in the Vedas, devoted to vows, purified by sacred bathing, and who partakes of well-prepared food. “First, offerings should be made to the fire and at holy places. Then, śrāddha must be performed for each of the four castes according to their proper rites. The food offered should not be seen by dogs, cocks, or pigs, nor by those who perform all kinds of menial work, nor by men who eat indiscriminately. If the śrāddha is witnessed by such beings, it is considered demonic and unworthy. “In the time when Viṣṇu, for the sake of Śakra, measured the three worlds in his great stride, these unfit recipients were to be avoided in ancestral rites by the wise. Instead, invoke the ancestors upon the earth with the proper mantras and procedures. The father, grandfather, and great-grandfather are to be honored after bowing with the head to the goddesses and those who hold the offerings. “In this way, the ancestors are truly pleased by the offerings—there is no doubt. Three principal ancestors have arisen from the very body of the gods. The gods, demons, gandharvas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, and serpents—all these beings exist, yet it is the wise who perform the ancestral rites who truly honor their forebears. “When the śrāddha is performed properly, the ancestors grant health to the performer—this is certain. Through these offerings, men are released from the states of animals and of wandering spirits. One who worships both ancestors and gods at all times, especially in the householder stage of life, ensures that his ancestors, satisfied by his śrāddha, regard his merit as inexhaustible. “Those who walk the pure, sattvic path, guided by wisdom, attain the highest goal. But those who remain in ignorance, darkness, deceit, and cunning, even if tormented until the end of the age, are rescued by the merit of such offerings. The ancestors, having reached the pure water-reservoir, release drops of water, free from flesh, bestowing blessings upon their lineage.” Thus, the Blessed Boar instructed Vasundharā, illuminating the sacred path of honoring the ancestors through śrāddha.