Varaha Purana

ते स्वधापूजितैः पुत्रैर्गच्छन्ति परमां गतिम् 180.

They attain the highest state through sons who honor them with offerings of svadhā.

दृष्टास्त्वया त्रिकालज्ञ दिव्यदृष्ट्या दिवं गताः

You have seen them, O knower of the three times, with divine vision, those who have gone to heaven.

प्रतिलोमानुलोमानां शूद्राणां श्राद्धकर्मिणाम्

Of those who perform śrāddha among the śūdras, whether born in direct or reverse lineage—

एवं पृष्टः स विप्रेण कथयामास कारणम्

Thus questioned by the brāhmaṇa, he began to explain the reason.

तवापि सन्ततिस्तात नास्ति दैवाद्यथोचिता

O dear one, your lineage too does not exist as prescribed by fate.

वद सर्वं करिष्यामि यदि सत्यं वचो मम

Tell me everything; I will do it, if my word is true.

इमे ये मम देहे तु भवन्ति मशकाः कृशाः

These who are in my body, thin mosquitoes—

तन्तुमन्त्रमहं तेषां मम तन्तुमयी सकृत्

I am their thread-mantra; I am made of thread for them, once.

महिष्याः प्रेषणे नित्यं दासी नाम्ना प्रभावती

For sending messages to the queen, always, there is a maid named Prabhāvatī.

अस्माकं सन्ततेस्तन्तुस्तस्य श्राद्धकृते वयम्

Our lineage is the thread of hers; for the sake of śrāddha, we—

स्थिता एतावदेवं तु कालं यास्यामहेऽम्बुधौ 180.

We remain only for this period; then we will go to the ocean.

श्रुत्वैतत्स त्रिकालज्ञो मोहाविष्टोऽब्रवीदिदम्

Hearing this, the knower of the three times, overwhelmed by delusion, spoke thus:

विधिरत्र कथं तस्या येन यूयं सपुत्रिणः

What is the rule here for her, by which you all, with sons, exist?

पूर्वकर्मविपाकेन यां यां गतिमधोमुखीम्

By the result of previous actions, whichever downward path one attains,

श्राद्धं पिण्डोदकं दानं नित्यं नैमित्तिकं तथा

Offerings of śrāddha, food, water, gifts—both regular and occasional—

अपि स्यात्स कुलेऽस्माकं यो नो दद्याज्जलाञ्जलिम्

Perhaps someone in our lineage may exist who would give us a handful of water.

विशेषात्तीर्थमध्ये तु तिलमिश्रं जलाञ्जलिम्

Especially, in the midst of a sacred place, a handful of water mixed with sesame seeds,

दर्भपाणिस्त्रिस्त्रिगोत्रे पितृनाम समुच्चरन्

Holding darbha grass in hand, reciting the three gotras and the names of the ancestors,

आदावेकाञ्जलिर्द्वे तु तिस्रो वै तर्पणे स्मृताः

One handful is taken first, then two, and three are remembered for the act of tarpaṇa.

तृप्यध्वमिति चान्ते वै मन्त्रं मन्त्रप्रतिक्रियाः

At the end, recite the mantra 'Be satisfied,' along with the prescribed mantras.

पित्रे प्रथमतो दद्यान्मात्रे दद्यात्तथाचरन् 180.

First, one should offer to the father; then, acting likewise, to the mother.

एवं मातामहः शर्मा गोत्रे पितामहस्तथा

In this way, to the maternal grandfather, to the ancestor in the gotra, and likewise to the paternal grandfather.

मधुवातेत्यृचं तद्वत्पूर्ववत्समुदीरयेत्

Recite the ṛc 'madhuvātā' in the same manner as before, following the earlier order.

एवं मातामहानां च पूर्ववत्क्रमशो बुधः

Thus, for the maternal ancestors also, the wise should proceed in the same sequence as before.

गोत्रोच्चारं प्रकुर्वीत असूर्यान्नाशयामहे

One should pronounce the gotra, saying 'We destroy those who eat without the sun.'

गोत्रायै मात्रे मह्यै तु देव्यै चासनकर्मणि

For the gotra, the mother, the great mother, and the goddess, in the act of seating,

अर्घ्यपात्रसंकल्पे तु पिण्डदानेऽवनेजने

In the intention for the arghya vessel, in the offering of the rice ball, and in the act of washing,

गोत्रायै मातुर्महायै देव्याश्चाज्ञेयकर्मणि

For the gotra, the great mother, and the goddess, in the prescribed ritual acts,

प्रथमा चाशिषि प्रोक्ता दत्तस्याक्षय्यकारिका

The first blessing is spoken, which ensures the imperishability of what is given.