क एते पितरो देव श्राद्धं भोक्ष्यन्ति योगतः
O God, who are these ancestors who partake of śrāddha by means of yoga?
कथं तं पिण्डसङ्कल्पं मासे मासे नियोजयेत्
How should one assign the intention for the rice-ball offering, month by month?
निश्चयं श्रोतुमिच्छामि परं कौतूहलं हि मे
I wish to hear the true determination; I have great curiosity indeed.
वराहरूपी भगवान्प्रत्युवाच वसुन्धराम् साधु भूमे वरारोहे सर्वधर्मव्यवस्थिते
The Blessed One, in the form of a Boar, replied to Vasundharā: 'Well asked, O Earth, of noble form, established in all dharma.'
कथयिष्यामि ते देवि यन्मां त्वं परिपृच्छसि
I shall tell you, O goddess, what you have asked me.
पिता पितामहश्चैव तथैव प्रपितामहः
The father, the grandfather, and likewise the great-grandfather—
ज्ञात्वा नक्षत्रसंयोगं पितृपक्षे ह्युपागते
Knowing the conjunction of the stars, when the fortnight of ancestors arrives—
करिष्यन्ति च ये श्राद्धं श्रद्धया ज्ञानिनो जनाः १९०.
Those wise people who perform śrāddha with faith will do so.
केचिद्यजन्ति यज्ञं वै ब्रह्मयज्ञं द्विजातयः
Some twice-born perform the sacrifice, indeed the Brahma-yajña.
केचिच्च भूतयज्ञेन वर्त्तयन्ति सुमध्यमे
And some maintain themselves, O slender-waisted one, by the bhūta-yajña.
पितृयज्ञं च भो देवि शृणु वक्ष्यामि निश्चयम्
And the pitṛ-yajña, O goddess, listen as I declare its true determination.
सर्वे ते मयि वर्त्तन्ते सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते
All of them abide in me; this is the truth I tell you.
उत्तरोऽग्निरहं चैव दक्षिणाग्निरहं तथा
I am the northern fire, and indeed I am the southern fire as well.
पावनः पावकश्चैव अहमेव व्यवस्थितः
I am established as the purifier and as the fire itself.
वैश्वदेवे नियुञ्जीत ब्रह्मचारी शुचिः सदा
A celibate, always pure, should be appointed at the Vaiśvadeva offering.
एतान्न भोजयेच्छ्राद्धे देवतीर्थेषु पूजयेत्
He should not feed these at śrāddha, but should worship them at divine sacred places.
उत्तमो गृहसन्तुष्टः क्षान्तो दान्तो जितेन्द्रियः
The highest is one content in his household, patient, self-controlled, and master of his senses.
वेदविद्याव्रतस्नातो सुविमृष्टान्नभोजकः १९०.
He is versed in the Vedas, devoted to vows, purified by sacred bathing, and eats well-prepared food.
दत्त्वा हुताशनायादौ देवतीर्थेषु सुन्दरि
Having offered first to the fire and at divine holy places, O beautiful one,
चतुर्णामेव वर्णानां यद्यथा श्राद्धमर्हति
He should perform the śrāddha for each of the four castes as is proper for them.
यन्न पश्यन्ति ते भोज्यं श्वानः कुक्कुटसूकराः
That food which is not seen by dogs, cocks, or pigs,
सर्वकर्मकरा ये च सर्वभक्षाश्च ये नराः
And by those who do all kinds of work, and by men who eat everything,
एते पश्यन्ति यच्छ्राद्धं तच्छ्राद्धं राक्षसं विदुः
Whatever śrāddha is seen by these, that śrāddha is known as demonic.
हृतं यदा तु त्रैलोक्यं शक्रस्यार्थे त्रिविक्रमे
When the three worlds were taken for the sake of Śakra in the stride of Viṣṇu,
वर्जनीया बुधैरेते पितृयज्ञेषु सुन्दरि
These are to be avoided by the wise in ancestral rites, O beautiful one.
पितॄंस्तत्राह्वयेद्भूमे मन्त्रेण विधिपूर्वकम्
There, one should invoke the ancestors on earth with the proper mantra and procedure.
पिता पितामहश्चैव तथैव प्रपितामहः
The father, the grandfather, and likewise the great-grandfather,
प्रणम्य शिरसा देवीर्निर्वापस्य च धारिणीः १९०.
Having bowed with the head to the goddesses and to the holders of the offering,
एवं दत्तेन प्रीयन्ते पितरश्च न संशयः
In this way, the ancestors are pleased by the offering; there is no doubt.
त्रयस्तत्र वरारोहे देवगात्राद्विनिस्सृताः
Three there, O lovely one, have arisen from the body of the gods.