Varaha Purana

रक्षोघ्नमन्त्रपठनं भूमेरास्तरणं तिलैः । कृत्वाऽध्येयाश्च पितरस्त एव द्विजसत्तमाः ।। १४.

After reciting mantras for protection from evil and spreading sesame seeds on the ground, those excellent Brāhmaṇas should recite the ancestral verses.

पिता पितामहश्चैव तथैव प्रपितामहः । मम तृप्तिं प्रयान्त्वद्य होमाप्यायितमूर्त्तयः ।। १४.

May my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, whose forms are nourished by the offerings, attain satisfaction today.

पितापितामहश्चैव तथैव प्रपितामहः । मम तृप्तिं प्रयान्त्वद्य विप्रदेहेषु संस्थिताः ।। १४.

May my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, who are present in the bodies of the Brāhmaṇas, attain satisfaction today.

पिता पितामहश्चैव तथैव प्रपितामहः । तृप्तिं प्रयान्तु पिण्डेषु मया दत्तेषु भूतले ।। १४.

May my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather attain satisfaction from the rice balls I have offered on the earth.

पिता पितामहश्चैव तथैव प्रपितामहः । तृप्तिं प्रयान्तु मे भक्त्या यन्मयैतदुदाहृतम् ।। १४.

May my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather be satisfied by what I have declared here with devotion.

मातामहस्तृप्तिमुपैतु तस्य तथा पिता तस्य पिता ततोऽन्यः । विश्वेऽथ देवाः परमां प्रयान्तु तृप्तिं प्रणश्यन्तु च यातुधानाः ।। १४.

May my maternal grandfather, his father, and his father's father attain satisfaction; may all the gods attain supreme contentment, and may the evil spirits be destroyed.

यज्ञेश्वरो हव्यसमस्तकव्य- भोक्ताऽव्ययात्मा हरिरीश्वरोऽत्र । तत्सन्निधानादपयान्तु सद्यो रक्षांस्यशेषाण्यसुराश्च सर्वे ।। १४.

Hari, the Lord of sacrifice, the imperishable soul, the enjoyer of all oblations to gods and ancestors, is present here; by his presence, may all demons and asuras instantly depart.

तृप्तेष्वेतेषु विप्रेषु किरेदन्नं महीतले । दद्यादाचमनार्थाय तेभ्यो वारि सकृत्सकृत् ।। १४.

When these Brāhmaṇas are satisfied, one should give them food remaining on the earth, and water for sipping, once or repeatedly.

सुतृप्तैस्तैरनुज्ञातः सर्वेणान्नेन भूतले । सलिलेन ततः पिण्डान् समागृह्य समाहितः ।। १४.

When they are fully satisfied and have given permission, one should, with concentration, gather the rice balls from the earth along with water.

पितृतीर्थेन सलिलं तथैव सलिलाञ्जलिम् । मातामहेभ्यस्तेनैव पिण्डांस्तीर्थेन निर्वपेत्। दक्षिणाग्रेषु दर्भेषु पुष्पधूपादिपूजिताम् ।। १४.

With water from the ancestral site, and likewise with a handful of water, one should offer rice balls to the maternal ancestors with that same sacred water, placing them on darbha grass to the south, adorned with flowers, incense, and the like.

स्वपित्रे प्रथमं पिण्डं दद्यादुच्छिष्टसन्निधौ । पितामहाय चैवान्यं तत्पित्रे च तथाऽपरम् ।। १४.

The first rice ball should be given to one's own father, in the presence of the remnants; another to the grandfather, and another likewise to the great-grandfather.

दर्भमूले लेपभुजः प्रीणयेल्लेपघर्षणात् । पिण्डे मातामहे तद्वद् गन्धमाल्यादिसंयुतैः ।। १४.

At the base of the darbha grass, one should anoint the arms with unguent, pleasing by the rubbing of the ointment; similarly, for the maternal ancestors, one should offer with fragrant substances, garlands, and the like.

पूजयित्वा द्विजाग्र्याणां दद्यादाचमनं बुधः । पैत्रेभ्यः प्रथमं भक्त्या तन्मनस्को द्विजेश्वर ।। १४.

Having worshipped the foremost of the twice-born, the wise should offer water for sipping, first with devotion to the paternal ancestors, with a focused mind, O best of the twice-born.

सुस्वधेत्याशिषा युक्तां दद्याच्छक्त्या च दक्षिणाम् । दत्त्वा च दक्षिणां तेभ्यो वाचयेद् वैश्वदेविकान् । प्रीयन्तामिति ये विश्वे देवास्तेन इतीरयेत् ।। १४.

With the blessing 'May it be well with you,' one should give a gift according to ability; and having given the gift to them, one should recite the Vaiśvadeva mantras: 'May all the Viśve Devas be pleased,' thus should it be declared.

तथेति चोक्ते तैर्विप्रैः प्रार्थनीयास्तथाशिषः । पश्चाद् विसर्जयेद् देवान् पूर्वं पैत्रान्महामते ।। १४.

When the Brahmins say, 'So be it,' one should request their blessings accordingly; afterwards, O wise one, one should dismiss the gods, and first the paternal ancestors.

मातामहानामप्येवं सह देवैः क्रमः स्मृतः । भोजने च स्वशक्त्या च दाने तद्वद् विसर्ज्जने । आपादशौचनात् पूर्वं कुर्यादेव द्विजन्मसु ।। १४.

In the same way, for the maternal grandfathers, together with the gods, this order is prescribed: in feeding, in giving according to one's ability, and in dismissal; before the ritual bath for purity, one should do this for the twice-born.

जानन्तं प्रथमं पित्र्यं तथा मातामहेषु च । विसर्जयेत् प्रीतिवचः संमान्याभ्यर्थितांस्ततः । निवर्त्तेताभ्यनुज्ञात आद्वारान्तमनुव्रजेत् ।। १४.

One should first dismiss the paternal ancestors, and likewise the maternal grandfathers, with words of affection; having honored and requested them, one should depart when permitted, following them to the doorway.

ततस्तु वैश्वदेवाख्यां कुर्यान्नित्यक्रियां ततः । भुञ्जीयाच्च समं पूज्य भृत्यबन्धुभिरात्मना ।। १४.

Then one should perform the daily rite called Vaiśvadeva, and afterwards eat together with those worthy of honor, attendants, relatives, and oneself.

एवं श्राद्धं बुधः कुर्यात् पित्र्यं मातामहं तथा । श्राद्धैराप्यायिता दद्युः सर्वान् कामान् पितामहाः ।। १४.

Thus should the wise perform the śrāddha for the paternal and maternal ancestors; nourished by śrāddha offerings, the grandfathers grant all desires.

त्रीणि श्राद्धे पवित्राणि दौहित्रः कुतपस्तिलाः । रजतस्य तथा दानं तथा संदर्शनादिकम् ।। १४.

Three things are pure in the śrāddha: the daughter's son, the sacred grass, and sesame seeds; likewise, the gift of silver, and also the showing of respect and the like.

वर्ज्यस्तु कुर्वता श्राद्धं क्रोधोऽध्वगममं त्वरा । भोक्तुरप्यत्र विप्रेन्द्र त्रयमेतन्न संशयः ।। १४.

Anger, a journey, and haste must be avoided by one performing śrāddha; these three also apply to the eater, O best of the twice-born, of this there is no doubt.

विश्वेदेवाः सपितरस्तथा मातामहा द्विज । कुलं चाप्यायते पुंसां सर्वं श्राद्धं प्रकुर्वताम् ।। १४.

The Viśve Devas, the ancestors, and the maternal grandfathers, O twice-born, and the entire lineage of men are nourished by those who properly perform śrāddha.

सोमाधारः पितृगणो योगाधारश्च चन्द्रमाः । श्राद्धं योगिनियुक्तं तु तस्मद् विप्रेन्द्र शस्यते ।। १४.

The group of ancestors is sustained by Soma, and the moon is the support of yoga; therefore, O best of the twice-born, śrāddha performed with yogic discipline is praised.

सहस्त्रस्यापि विप्राणां योगी चेत् पुरतः स्थितः । सर्वान् भोक्तॄंस्तारयति यजमानं तथा द्विज ।। १४.

Even if there are a thousand Brahmins, if a yogi stands before them, he delivers all the recipients and also the sacrificer, O twice-born.

मह्यं सनत्कुमारेण पूर्वकल्पे द्विजोत्तम । कथितं वायुना चापि देवानां शंभुना तथा ।। १४.

This was told to me by Sanatkumāra in a previous age, O best of the twice-born, and also by Vāyu, by Śaṃbhu among the gods.

ऋषीणां शक्तिपुत्रेण तथा मैत्रेयसंज्ञिते । भविष्यति क्रमाद् यावन् मया ते कथितं द्विज ।। १४.

And by the son of the Ṛṣis, known as Maitreya; as it will be in due order, so I have related it to you, O twice-born.

) इयं सर्वपुराणेषु सामान्या पैतृकी क्रिया । एतत् क्रमात् कर्मकाण्डं ज्ञात्वा मुच्येत बन्धनात् ।। १४.

This is the general ancestral rite in all the Purāṇas; knowing this sequence of rituals, one is freed from bondage.

एतदाश्रित्य निर्वाणं ऋषयः संशितव्रताः । प्राप्ता गौरमुखेदानीं त्वमप्येवं परो भव ।। १४.

Relying on this, the sages of firm vows have attained liberation; now, by the path of the cow's mouth, you too should become supreme in this way.

इति ते कथितं भक्त्या पृच्छतो द्विजसत्तम । पितॄन् यष्ट्वा हरिं ध्यायेद् यस्तस्य किमतः परम् । न तस्मात् परतः पित्र्यं तन्त्रमस्तीति निश्चयः ।। १४.

Thus, O best of the twice-born, I have told you with devotion as you asked; having worshipped the ancestors, one should meditate on Hari—what more is there than this? There is nothing higher than this ancestral rite, this is certain.