देवतासुरगन्धर्वा यक्षराक्षसपन्नगाः
The gods, demons, gandharvas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, and serpents,
पितृयज्ञं विशालाक्षि ये कुर्वन्ति विदो जनाः
Those wise people, O wide-eyed one, who perform the ancestral rite,
ददन्ते पितरस्तस्य आरोग्यं नात्र संशयः
The ancestors grant him health; there is no doubt about this.
तिर्यग्भ्यश्च विमुच्यन्ते प्रेतभावेन मानवाः
Men are released from animals and from the state of departed spirits.
पूजकः पितृदेवानां सर्वकालं गृहाश्रमे
One who worships the ancestors and gods at all times in the householder stage,
अक्षय्यं तस्य मन्यन्ते पितरः श्राद्धतर्पिताः
His ancestors, satisfied by the śrāddha offerings, regard his merit as inexhaustible.
सात्विकं शुक्लपन्थानमेते यान्ति विदो जनाः
Those learned ones who follow the sattvic, pure path, attain it.
अज्ञानतमसारूढा निकृतिज्ञाः शठास्तथा १९०.
Those who are steeped in ignorance and darkness, who are deceitful and cunning,
कल्पान्तं पच्यमानापि त्रायन्ते येन मानवाः
Even when being tormented until the end of the age, people are rescued by him.
मुंचन्ति जलबिन्दूंश्च अमां प्राप्य जलाशये
They release drops of water, having reached the water-reservoir without flesh.
ये वै श्राद्धं प्रकुर्वन्ति तर्पयित्वा द्विजातयः
Those who perform śrāddha, having satisfied the twice-born,
निरयात्तेऽपि मुच्यन्ते तृप्तिर्भवति चाक्षया
Even if they are in hell, they are released, and their satisfaction becomes inexhaustible.
विप्राणां वचनं कृत्वा यथाशक्त्या च दक्षिणा
Having followed the words of the Brahmins and given gifts according to ability,
देयो नीलो वृषस्तत्र नरकार्त्तिविनाशनः
A black bull should be given there, which destroys the sufferings of hell.
षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि पितरस्तेन तर्पिताः
By this, the ancestors are satisfied for sixty thousand years.
उद्धृतो यदि सुश्रोणि पंकः शृङ्गेण तेन च
If, O beautiful one, the mud is lifted by its horn,
तानुद्धृत्य वरारोहे सोमलोकं स गच्छति
Having lifted them, O lovely one, he goes to the realm of Soma.
षष्टिवर्षसहस्राणि षष्टिवर्षशतानि च १९०.
For sixty thousand years and sixty hundred years.
एष धर्मो गृहस्थानां पुत्र पौत्रसमन्विताः
This is the dharma of householders, accompanied by sons and grandsons.
पिपीलिकादिभूतानि जङ्गमाश्च विहङ्गमाः
Creatures such as ants and others, as well as moving beings and birds,
एवं गृहाश्रमो मूलं धर्मस्तत्र प्रतिष्ठितः
Thus, the householder stage is the root; dharma is established there.
तिथौ पर्वणि ये चैव स्वपितॄंस्तारयन्ति वै
On the lunar day or festival, those who indeed deliver their ancestors.
न यज्ञदानाध्ययनोपवासैस्तीर्थाभिषेकैरपि चाग्निहोत्रैः
Not by sacrifices, charity, study, fasting, ablutions at sacred places, nor by offerings to the fire,
पितरो निर्गतास्तत्र ब्रह्मविष्णुशरीरगाः
The ancestors departed there, those who had entered the bodies of Brahma and Vishnu.
एवं क्रमेण वै तत्र पितृदेवा वसुन्धरे
Thus, in succession, O Earth, the ancestral deities dwelled there.
तत एते न जानन्ति देवाः शक्रपुरोगमाः
Then, these gods, with Indra at their head, do not know this.
न च ब्रह्मा विजानाति निःसृतो मम मायया
Nor does Brahma know, who has emerged by my power of illusion.
पुनश्चान्यत्प्रवक्ष्यामि पितृयज्ञेषु सुन्दरि १९०.
Again, I shall speak of another matter concerning ancestral sacrifices, O beautiful one.
कृत्वा वै पिण्डसङ्कल्पं दर्भानास्तीर्य भूतले
Having made the intention for the offering, and spread darbha grass upon the ground,
अजीर्णेनाभिपीड्यन्ते भुज्यन्ते न च सुन्दरि
They are afflicted by indigestion, and are not consumed, O beautiful one.