Whoever offers sesame mixed with jaggery or honey during a śrāddha ceremony, know that such gifts become imperishable blessings for the ancestors. Bṛhaspati, the revered preceptor, explained: When giving gifts, a man should not always scrutinize the brāhmaṇas he gives to. Yet, in sacred rites for the gods and ancestors, careful selection is indeed prescribed. The brāhmaṇas worthy of invitation are those twice-born who have completed their Vedic vows and have bathed in purity, who cleanse the ritual rows, who excel in the knowledge of commentaries and find joy in the study of grammar. They are those who study the Purāṇas and Dharmaśāstra, who understand the three Nāciketa fires, the five sacred fires, the Trisuparṇa, and the six limbs of the Veda. They are born of a brāhmaṇa wife, chant the Chāndogya, are the eldest singers of the Sāma Veda, and have performed vows at holy places. They have listened to the Avabhṛtha at chief sacrifices, are steadfast in observing vows, and are ever devoted to their own duties. Invite those who are free from anger, intent on peace, and always established in the ten kinds of good deeds to the śrāddha. Whatever is given to such brāhmaṇas becomes imperishable; they purify the ritual rows. Those devoted to the discipline of yoga and dharma are to be revered above all. They are foremost in righteousness and in the four āśramas; in offerings to gods and ancestors, they are excellent. By honoring them, one truly worships Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara alike. Whoever honors these brāhmaṇas together with the ancestors attains the purest, most auspicious worlds. Of all duties, the discipline of yoga is declared the highest. Now, listen as I speak of those who are unfit to receive offerings at śrāddha. A gambler, a drunkard, one afflicted with consumption, a herdsman, one of unpleasant appearance, a village messenger, a trader in goods, a singer, and a merchant are not to be invited. Nor are those who burn houses, poisoners, those who eat from a common vessel, sellers of soma, sea voyagers, dealers in skins, oil merchants, and makers of counterfeit goods. One who quarrels with his father, whose wife is unchaste at home, who is cursed, a thief, or one who makes a living by crafts is also unfit. A matchmaker, one who performs forbidden acts on festival days, betrayers of friends, professional beggars, atheists, and those devoid of Vedic knowledge are to be avoided. The insane, eunuchs, slanderers, killers of fetuses, violators of the teacher’s bed, physicians who live by their practice, messengers, and those who go to another man’s wife are also unworthy. One who sells the Veda, vows, or austerities; and whatever is given to an atheist, an ingrate, or a slanderer is lost. Offerings made to merchants yield no result here or hereafter, nor to those who misappropriate deposits, gamblers, or revilers of the Veda. Likewise, merchants, artisans devoid of righteousness, or those who disparage goods when buying and praise them when selling are not worthy. One who dwells in falsehood or is a merchant is not fit for śrāddha. An offering made to a remarried twice-born is as fruitless as ashes. Be warned: a one-eyed man destroys the merit of sixty donors, a eunuch that of a hundred, a leper as long as he is seen, and a man afflicted with evil disease destroys the merit of a thousand donors. Thus, a foolish donor loses the good fruit of his offerings. One who eats with his head covered, or facing south, also forfeits the benefit. Eating with sandals on, or giving with disrespect, causes the Lord of the Asuras to claim such offerings as his own. Dogs and demons must never be allowed to witness the rite in any way. Therefore, one should create a protective circle by scattering sesame seeds around. Sesame seeds are said to belong to the demons, and the circle is to keep dogs at bay; a boar destroys by sight, and a cock by partiality. If the offering comes into contact with a menstruous woman, is given in anger, or is made at the urging of a friend, neither the ancestors nor the gods are pleased, nor does one attain heaven. The ancestors are best pleased by offerings made on beautiful riverbanks, in streams, lakes, and secluded places. During the ceremony, one should not shed tears, utter improper words, or harbor jealousy while eating. When the leftward rite is performed properly, holding darbha grass in hand, the funeral offering to the ancestors should be made—thus the forefathers are truly pleased. Beginning with the Anumati rite, offerings should be made to the Brahmins in the fire according to rule; for the ancestors, offerings should be placed on the ground, on a winnowing basket, or on a darbha grass mat. A discerning person should perform the śrāddha in the forenoon during the bright fortnight; in the afternoon during the dark fortnight, and never transgress the rule of the Rohiṇī star. These great souls, endowed with yoga and great energy, are always to be honored as ancestors, for they perceive place and time. Through constant devotion to the ancestors, one attains the highest yoga; by meditation, one reaches liberation, transcending both good and bad actions. Once, for the sake of sacrifice, the great-souled Kaśyapa, having bewildered the world, withdrew the secret yoga and concealed it in a cave. When the secret nectar and supreme yoga were withdrawn, Sanatkumāra, the best among knowers of yoga, revealed this great and eternal dharma. This is the supreme secret of the gods and the ultimate goal of the sages; through devotion and effort, those dedicated to the ancestors may attain it. The devotee of the ancestors may, through effort, attain this yoga completely; there is no doubt that all is obtained thereby. To whom śrāddhas should be given, what gifts yield great fruit, in whom śrāddha is inexhaustible, in holy places and rivers, and where one attains heaven—this has all been explained in summary. Bṛhaspati declared: Whoever, having heard this ordinance on śrāddha, harbors envy, that man, shrouded in darkness, falls into a terrible hell as an unbeliever. Yet, one afflicted with great disease but with a restrained mind, freed from the Vedic stages of life, does not attain the Kumbhīpāka hell; but those who cut the tongue or steal surely reach it.