Vayu Purana

अनेके पितरश्चैव वर्त्तन्ते व्क च वा पुनः। श्रोतुमिच्छामि भद्रन्ते श्राद्धस्य च परं विधिम् ।। १०.

There are many ancestors, and again others as well; I wish to hear from you, O blessed one, the supreme rite of Shraddha.

पुत्राश्च ते स्मृताः केषां कथञ्च पितरस्तु ते । पितरः कथमुत्पन्नाः कस्य पुत्राः किमात्मकाः ।। १०.

Whose sons are remembered, and how are their ancestors? How were the ancestors born, whose sons are they, and of what nature?

स्वर्गे तु पितरोऽन्ये ये देवानामपि देवताः। एवं वै श्रोतुमिच्छामि पितॄणां सर्गमुत्तमम्। यथावद्दत्तमस्माभिः श्राद्धं प्रीणाति वै पितॄन् ।। १०.

In heaven, some ancestors are even deities among the gods; thus I wish to hear the supreme origin of the ancestors, and how the Shraddha we offer properly pleases them.

यदर्थं तेन दृश्यन्ते तत्र किं कारणं स्मृतम्। स्वर्गे हि के तु वर्त्तन्ते पितरो नरके तु के ।। १०.

For what purpose are they seen there, and what cause is remembered? Which ancestors dwell in heaven, and which in hell?

अभिसन्धाय पितरं पितुश्च पितरं तथा। पितुः पितामहञ्चैव त्रिषु पिण्डेषु नामतः ।। १०.

Having in mind the father, the father's father, and the grandfather, offerings are made in three portions, each by name.

कानि श्राद्धानि देयानि कथं गच्छन्ति वै पितॄन् । कथञ्च शक्तास्ते दातुं नरकस्थाः फलं पुनः ।। १०.

Which śrāddha offerings should be given, and how do they reach the ancestors? And how can those who are in hell be able to receive the fruit again?

के चेह पितरो नाम कान् यजामो वयं पुनः । देवा अपि पुतॄन् स्वर्गे यजन्तीति हि नः श्रुतम् ।। १०.

Who indeed are called ancestors here, and whom should we worship again? We have heard that even the gods worship their sons in heaven.

एतदिच्छामि वै श्रोतुं विस्तरेण बहुश्रुत। स्पष्टाभिधानमर्थं वै तद्भवान्वक्तुमर्हति ।। १०.

I wish to hear this in detail, O learned one; you are worthy to speak clearly on this matter.

ऋषीणान्तु वचः श्रुत्वा सूतस्तत्त्वार्थदर्शिवान्। आचचक्षे यथाप्रश्रं ऋषीणां मानसं ततः ।। १०.

Having heard the words of the sages, the Sūta, who understood the true meaning, recounted as asked, the thoughts of the sages.

अत्र वो वर्णयिष्यामि यथाप्रज्ञं यथाश्रुतम्। मन्वन्तरेषु जायन्ते पितरो देवसूनवः ।। १०.

Here I shall describe to you, according to my knowledge and what I have heard, that in the manvantaras the ancestors are born as the sons of the gods.

अतीतानागते ज्येष्ठाः कनिष्ठाः क्रमशस्तु ते। देवैः सार्द्धं पुरातीताः पितरो येऽन्तरेषु वै। वर्त्तन्ते साम्प्रतं ये तु तान्वै वक्ष्यामि निश्चयात् ।। १०.

Among those who have passed and those yet to come, there are elders and juniors in order; those ancestors who were with the gods in previous cycles, and those who exist now—I will certainly speak of them.

श्राद्धञ्चैषां मनुष्याणां श्राद्धमेव प्रवर्त्तते। देवानसृजन् ब्रह्मा नायक्षन्निति वै पुनः । तमुत्सृज्य तदात्मानमसृजंस्ते फलार्थिनः ।। १०.

The śrāddha for these ancestors is performed by humans; Brahmā created the gods, but they did not eat. Abandoning that, desiring fruit, they created themselves.

ते शप्ता ब्रह्मणा मूढा नष्टसंज्ञा भविष्यथ। न स्म किञ्चिद्विजानन्ति ततो लोके ह्यमुह्यत ।। १०.

Cursed by Brahmā, they became deluded and lost awareness; they did not know anything, and thus the world was bewildered.

ते भूयः प्रणताः सर्वे याचन्ति स्म पितामहम्। अनुग्रहाय लोकानां पुनस्तानब्रवीत्प्रभुः ।। १०.

Then all of them, bowing again, begged the Grandfather for favor, and the Lord spoke to them again for the sake of the worlds.

प्रायश्चित्तं चरध्वं वै व्यभिचारो हि यः कृतः । पुत्रान्स्वान्परिपृच्छध्वं ततो ज्ञानमवाप्स्यथ ।। १०.

Perform penance for the transgression you have committed; ask your own sons, and then you will obtain knowledge.

ततस्ते स्वान्सुतांश्चैव प्रायश्चित्तजिघृक्षवः। अपृच्छन् संयतात्मानो विधिवच्च मिथो मिथः ।। १०.

Desiring to atone, they approached their own sons with controlled minds, and questioned each other according to the proper method.

तेभ्यस्ते नियतात्मानः पुत्राः शंसुरनेकधा। प्रायश्चित्तानि धर्मज्ञा वाङ्मनः कर्म्मजानि तु ।। १०.

Those sons, with disciplined minds, told them in many ways about the penances—those born of speech, mind, and action—knowing righteousness.

ते पुत्रानब्रुवन्प्रीता लब्धसंज्ञा दिवौकसः। यूयं वै पितरोऽस्माकं ये वयं प्रतिबोधिताः। धर्मज्ञानञ्च कामश्च को वरो वः प्रदीयताम् ।। १०.

Those gods, regaining awareness, joyfully said to their sons: 'You are indeed our ancestors, for you have awakened us. What boon of knowledge of righteousness or desire shall be granted to you?'

पुनस्तानब्रवीद्ब्रह्मा यूयं वै सत्यवादिनः। तस्माद्यदुक्तं युष्माभिस्तत्तथा न तदन्यथा ।। १०.

Then Brahmā spoke to them again: 'You are speakers of truth; therefore, what you have said shall be so, and not otherwise.'

उक्तञ्च पितरोऽस्माकमिति वै तनयाः स्वकाः। पितरस्ते भविष्यन्ति तेभ्योऽयं दीयतां वरः ।। १०.

And it was said, 'These are our ancestors,' thus their own sons; they shall become your ancestors, and to them this boon is given.

तेनैव वचसा पुत्रा ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः। पुत्राः पितृत्त्वमाजग्मुः पुत्रत्वं पितरः पुनः ।। १०.

By that very word of Brahmā, the Supreme Lord, the sons became ancestors, and the ancestors became sons again.

तस्मात्ते पितरः पुत्राः पितृत्वे तेषु तत्स्मृतम् । एवं स्मृत्वा पितॄन् पुत्रान्पुत्राश्च पितरस्तथा। व्याजहार पुनर्ब्रह्मा पिदॄनात्मविवृद्धये ।। १०.

Therefore, those ancestors are sons, and in them is remembered the state of ancestorhood; thus, remembering ancestors as sons and sons as ancestors, Brahmā again spoke for the growth of the ancestors' selves.

यो ह्यनिष्ट्वा पितॄञ्छ्राद्धे क्रियां काञिचित्करिष्यति। राक्षसा दानवाश्चैव फलं प्राप्स्यन्ति तस्य तत् ।। १०.

Whoever, without offering śrāddha to the ancestors, performs any rite, the fruit of that will go to the Rākṣasas and Dānavas.

श्राद्धैराप्यायिताश्चैव पितरः सोममव्ययम्। आप्याय्यमाना युष्माभिर्वर्द्धयिष्यन्ति नित्यशः ।। १०.

The ancestors, nourished by offerings of śrāddha, partake of the inexhaustible Soma; as they are replenished by you, they will continually increase.

श्राद्धैराप्यायितः सोमो लोकानाप्याययिष्यति । कृत्स्रं सपर्वतवनं जङ्गमाजङ्गमैर्वृतम् ।। १०.

When Soma is nourished by śrāddha offerings, he will nourish the worlds—entirely, with all mountains, forests, and beings both moving and unmoving.

श्राद्धानि पुष्टिकामाश्च ये करिष्यन्ति मानवाः। तेभ्यः पुष्टिं प्रजाश्चैव दास्यन्ति पितरः सदा ।। १०.

Those humans who perform śrāddha desiring nourishment, the ancestors will always grant them nourishment and offspring.

श्राद्धे येभ्यः प्रदास्यन्ति त्रीन् पिण्डान् नामगोत्रतः। सर्वत्र वर्त्तमानास्ते पितरः प्रपितामहम्। तेषामाप्याययिष्यन्ति श्राद्धदानेन वै प्रजाः ।। १०.

To those for whom three balls are given at śrāddha, named and identified by lineage, the ancestors and forefathers, present everywhere, will nourish their descendants through the gift of śrāddha.

एवमाज्ञा कृता पूर्वं ब्रह्मणा परमेष्ठिना। तेनैतत्सर्वथा सिद्धं दानमध्ययनं तपः ।। १०.

Thus, the command was formerly given by Brahmā, the supreme lord; therefore, giving, study, and austerity are accomplished in every way.

ते तु ज्ञानप्रदातारः पितरो वो न संशयः। इत्येते पितरो देवा देवाश्च पितरः पुनः । अन्योन्यं पितरो ह्येते देवाश्च पितरश्च ह ।। १०.

Indeed, your ancestors are the givers of knowledge—there is no doubt; thus, these ancestors are gods, and the gods are again ancestors; these are mutually ancestors and gods.