When all sins have been worn away and the senses are brought under control, the pure self finds perfect stillness, just as fire becomes tranquil when its fuel is exhausted. Through the practice of yoga, the wise one separates the knower of the field—the true self—from all causes and qualities, from the manifest and the unmanifest, remaining untouched by them. For such a knower, there is no longer movement or fixation in any place; the distinction between manifest and unmanifest vanishes, leaving no room for doubt. He is both near and far, both existent and non-existent—nothing remains fixed for him. Now, let me declare the nature of gifts and their results, the śrāddha rites that are pure, and those which must be avoided. One should perform the Agnihotra, the sacred fire offering, particularly at the time of snowfall or during the winter season, for the merit gained from this is considered supreme. Śrāddha should never be performed at night, except at the rare appearance of Rāhu. If Rāhu is seen, the rite must be completed swiftly, even at the cost of all one’s wealth. During an eclipse, rites should generally be avoided, for performing them at such a time is like sinking into mud as a cow does. Yet, if performed, these rites can rescue the fallen from sin, just as a boat saves one adrift at sea. When making offerings to Viśvadeva and Soma, one should provide abundant meat, but must avoid horned animals and sword-bearing creatures, for these are destined for those who are jealous or destructive. There is a tale of Tvaṣṭṛ, who, restrained by the mighty lord of the gods, drank the Soma of Śacī’s husband and was cast down to earth. In this way, śyāmāka grains came into being and were honored for the sake of the ancestors, as were the drops from Tvaṣṭṛ’s nostrils, which became attached in the same way. Śleṣmāṇa, śītalā, hṛdyā, and sweet sugarcane are also pleasing to the ancestors. By offering śyāmāka and sugarcane, one fulfills all the ancestors’ desires, and whoever performs the āgrayaṇa with these achieves success swiftly. Further, śyāmāka, hastināmā, paṭola, and bṛhatī fruit, as well as Agastya’s crest, are all intensely astringent. There are also other sweet and pleasant items, but ginger and long-rooted plants must not be given in these rites. Bamboo shoots, surasā, sarjjaka, and various grasses of the earth are also forbidden in śrāddha rites. Garlic, coriander, onions, radish, and other items like karambha are considered inferior due to their taste and smell, and these too are forbidden. The reason for this is rooted in ancient times: in the great battle between gods and demons, when Bali was defeated, drops of his blood fell to the earth, and from these, such items arose. Therefore, they are always to be avoided in śrāddha rites. Similarly, extracts prescribed in the Vedas, salts, alkaline substances, and the presence of menstruating women are forbidden during śrāddha. Water that is foul-smelling, foamy, marshy, unsatisfactory even to cows, or collected at night, should never be used. The wise should avoid the milk of sheep, wild animals, camels, single-hoofed creatures, buffalo, and yak. Now, let me describe the regions that must be carefully avoided. Śrāddha should not be seen or performed in such places, nor should any acts of purity or impurity take place there. If one performs śrāddha with wild roots and fruits, with true devotion, one attains the desired land, heaven, liberation, and fame. However, for the śrāddha rite, one must avoid ground that is unpleasant, noisy, infested with creatures, or foul-smelling. From the river all the way to the ocean, in the region facing southeast, the entire land of Triśaṅku for twelve yojanas must be avoided. The region called Traiśaṅkava, lying north of the great river and south of Kaikaṭa, is also unsuitable for śrāddha. Kāraṅkarā, Kaliṅga, the land north of the Sindhu, and regions where the āśrama-dharma has perished—these must all be diligently avoided. Naked ascetics and those of similar ways should not witness the śrāddha, for if they do, the ancestors and grandfathers will not partake of the offerings. When asked about these naked ascetics and others, the wise and radiant Bṛhaspati explained: for all beings, the threefold Vedic restraint is to be remembered. Those naked ascetics, O best of the twice-born, are those who, out of delusion, abandon this Vedic restraint. A man who is lost, or a bull without support, is said to be dissolved. One who abandons the bull and seeks liberation elsewhere, or fails to recognize the bull as the embodiment of all the Vedas, is similarly lost. Brahmanas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and those called Vṛṣalas—when the gods and asuras fought in ancient times, the asuras were defeated. In places corrupted by heresy, the Self-born did not create this world. The double-śrāddha followers, the Nirgranthas, the Śākyas, and the Puṣṭikalaṃśakas—those who do not follow dharma—are indeed the naked ascetics and their kind. The one with matted hair in vain, the one who bears a useless seal, the twice-born who is naked in vain, the one who observes vows or chants without purpose—these too are counted among the naked ascetics and the like, as are the Kulandhamas, Niṣādas, and those who destroy prosperity. Those who perform improper rites and gamble are said to be on a wrong path. If the śrāddha is seen or completed by such people, the offering goes to them instead of the ancestors. A slayer of a brāhmaṇa, an ingrate, an atheist, one who violates the teacher’s bed, robbers, and cruel men are to be avoided even by their mere sight. All others who perform sinful deeds must also be shunned, especially those who delight in reviling the gods and sages. If such people are seen, the śrāddha goes to the asuras and yātudhānas instead. The age of the brāhmaṇas is called Kṛta, the kṣatriya age is Tretā, the vaiśya age is Dvāpara, and the śūdra age is remembered as Kali—so say the ancestors.