Vayu Purana

कारणेभ्यो गुणेभ्योऽथ व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्य कृत्स्नशः। वियोजयति क्षेत्रज्ञं तेभ्यो योगेन योगवित् ।। १५.

From causes and qualities, from manifest and unmanifest, entirely, the knower of yoga separates the field-knower from them by yoga.

तस्य नास्ति गतिस्थानं व्यक्ताव्यक्तं न संशयः। आसन्नः सदसन्नैव नैव किञ्चित् स्थित इति ।। १५.

For him, there is no movement or place; manifest and unmanifest, there is no doubt; he is near, both existent and non-existent, nothing remains fixed.

अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि दानानि च फलानि च। श्राद्धकर्म्माणि मेध्यानि वर्जनीयानि यानि च ।। १६.

Now I shall declare the gifts and their fruits, the śrāddha rites that are pure, and those that should be avoided.

हिमप्रपतने कुर्य्यादाहरेद्वा हिमन्ततः। अग्निहोत्रमतः पुण्यं परमं हि ततः स्मृतम् ।। १६.

One should perform or bring the Agnihotra at the time of snowfall or from the winter season; for the merit from this is considered supreme.

नक्तन्तु वर्जयेच्छ्राद्धं राहोरन्यत्र दर्शनात्। सर्व्वस्वेनापि कर्त्तव्यं क्षिप्रं वै राहुदर्शने ।। १६.

One should avoid performing Śrāddha at night, except during the sighting of Rāhu; even if using all one's wealth, it must be done swiftly when Rāhu is seen.

उपरागे न कुर्य्याद्यः पङ्के गौरिव सीदति। कुर्वाणस्तूद्धरेत्पापान्मग्नान्नौरिव सागरे ।। १६.

One should not perform rites during an eclipse, as one sinks like a cow in mud; but performing them rescues the fallen from sin, like a boat in the ocean.

विश्वदेवञ्च सौम्यञ्च बहुमांसपरं हविः । विषाणं वर्जयेत्खाड्गमसूयानाशनाय वै ।। १६.

Offerings for Viśvadeva and Soma should be abundant in meat; but one should avoid horned animals and sword-bearing creatures, as they are meant for the jealous and the destructive.

त्वष्टा वै वार्य्यमाणस्तु देवेशेन महात्मना। पिबञ्छचीपतेः सोमं पृथिव्यामपतत्पुरा ।। १६.

Tvaṣṭṛ, restrained by the great lord of the gods, once drank the Soma of Śacī's husband and fell to earth.

श्यामाकास्तु तथोत्पन्नाः पित्रर्थमपि पूजिताः। विप्रुषस्तस्य नासाभ्यामसक्ताभ्यां तथैव च ।। १६.

Śyāmāka grains likewise appeared and were honored for the sake of the ancestors; the drops from his nostrils, attached in the same way.

श्लेष्माणः शीतला हृद्या मधुराश्च तथेक्षवः। श्यामाकैरिक्षुभिश्चैव पितॄणां सार्व्वकामिकम्। कुर्य्यादाग्रयणं यस्तु स शीघ्रं सिद्धिमाप्नुयात् ।। १६.

Śleṣmāṇa, śītalā, hṛdyā, and sweet sugarcane are likewise pleasing; with śyāmāka and sugarcane, one may fulfill all desires of the ancestors; whoever performs the āgrayaṇa with these attains success swiftly.

श्यामाका हस्तिनामा च पटोलं बृहतीफलम्। अगस्त्यस्य शिखा तीव्रा कषायाः सर्व्व एव च ।। १६.

Śyāmāka, hastināmā, paṭola, and bṛhatī fruit; Agastya's crest, all are intensely astringent.

एवमातीनि चान्यानि स्वादूनि मधुराणि च । नागरं चात्र वै देयं दीर्घमूलकमेव च ।। १६.

Similarly, there are other sweet and pleasant things; but ginger and long-rooted plants should not be given here.

वंशीकरीराः सुरसाः सर्ज्जकं भूस्तृणानि च। वर्जनीयानि वक्ष्यामि श्राद्धकर्म्मणि नित्यशः ।। १६.

Bamboo shoots, surasā, sarjjaka, and grasses of the earth are to be avoided; I will declare these as always forbidden in Śrāddha rites.

लशुनं गृञ्जनञ्चैव पलाण्डुः पिण्डमूलकम्। करम्भाद्यानि चान्यानि हीनानि रसगन्धतः ।। १६.

Garlic, coriander, onions, radish, and other items like karambha are inferior due to their taste and smell.

श्राद्धकर्म्मणि वर्ज्यानि कारणञ्चात्र वक्ष्यते। पुरा देवासुरे युद्धे निर्जितस्य बलेः सुरैः ।। १६.

These are forbidden in Śrāddha rites, and the reason is explained here: long ago, in the battle between gods and demons, when Bali was defeated by the gods.

व्रणेभ्यो विस्फुरन्तो वै पतिता रक्तबिन्दवः। तत एतानि वर्ज्यानि श्राद्धकर्म्मणि नित्यशः ।। १६.

Blood drops fell from his wounds, and therefore these items are always to be avoided in Śrāddha rites.

अथ वेदोक्तनिर्यासान् लवणान्यूषरणानि च। श्राद्ध कर्म्मणि वर्ज्यानि याश्च नार्यो रजस्वलाः ।। १६.

Extracts prescribed in the Vedas, salts, and alkaline substances, as well as menstruating women, are forbidden in Śrāddha rites.

दुर्गन्धं फेनिलं चैव तथा वै पल्वलोदकम्। न लभेद्यत्र गौस्तृप्तिं नक्तं यच्चैव गृह्यते ।। १६.

Water that is foul-smelling, foamy, or from marshes, where the cow does not find satisfaction, or water collected at night, should not be used.

आविकं मार्गमौष्ट्रं च सर्व्वमेकशफं च यत्। माहिषञ्चामरञ्चैव पयो वर्ज्यं विजानता ।। १६.

Sheep, wild animals, camels, and all single-hoofed creatures, as well as buffalo and yak, their milk should be avoided by the wise.

अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि वर्ज्यान् देशान् प्रयत्नतः। न द्रष्टव्यं च यैः श्राद्धं शौचाशौचं च कृत्स्नशः ।। १६.

Next, I will declare the regions to be carefully avoided; Śrāddha should not be seen or performed there, nor any acts of purity or impurity.

वन्यमूलफलाहारैः श्राद्धं कुर्य्यात्तु श्रद्धया। राष्ट्रमिष्टमवाप्नोति स्वर्गं मोक्षं यशस्करम् ।। १६.

One should perform Śrāddha with wild roots and fruits, with devotion; one attains the desired land, heaven, liberation, and fame.

अनिष्ट शब्दसङ्कीर्णं जन्तुव्याप्तमथापि वा। पूतिगन्धां तथा भूमिं श्राद्धकर्म्मणि वर्जयेत् ।। १६.

One should avoid, for the śrāddha rite, ground that is unpleasant, noisy, infested with creatures, or foul-smelling.

नद्यः सागरपर्य्यन्ता द्वारं दक्षिणपूर्व्वतः । त्रिशङ्कुं वर्जयेद् देशं सर्व्वं द्वादशयोजनम् ।। १६.

From the river up to the ocean, with the entrance facing southeast, one should avoid the entire region of Triśaṅku for twelve yojanas.

उत्तरेण महानद्या दक्षिणेन च कैकटात्। देशस्त्रैशङ्कवो नाम वर्जितः श्राद्धकर्म्मणि ।। १६.

The region called Traiśaṅkava, lying north of the great river and south of Kaikaṭa, is to be avoided for the śrāddha rite.

कारङ्कराः कलिङ्गाश्च सिन्धोरुत्तरमेव च। प्रनष्टाश्रमधर्म्माश्च वर्ज्या देशाः प्रयत्नतः ।। १६.

Kāraṅkarā, Kaliṅga, the land north of the Sindhu, and regions where āśrama-dharma has perished—these places should be diligently avoided.

नग्नादयो न पश्येयुः श्राद्धमेव व्ययस्थितम्। गच्छन्ति तैस्तैर्दृष्टानि न पितॄन्न पितामहान् ।। १६.

Naked ascetics and the like should not witness the śrāddha being performed; when seen by such as these, the ancestors and grandfathers do not partake.

नग्नादीन् भगवन् सम्यङ्ममाद्य परिपृच्छतः। कथय द्विजमुख्याग्र विस्तरेण यथातथम् ।। १६.

O Lord, as I properly inquire about the naked ascetics and others, please tell me in detail, as it truly is, about the foremost among twice-born.

एवमुक्तो महातेजा बृहस्पतिरुवाच तम्। सर्वेषामेव भूतानां त्रयीसंवरणं स्मृतम् ।। १६.

Thus addressed, the great and radiant Bṛhaspati spoke to him: For all beings, the threefold Vedic restraint is remembered.

परित्यजति यो मोहात्ते वै नग्ना द्विजोत्तमाः। प्रलीयते नरो यः स्यान्निरालम्बश्च यो वृषः ।। १६.

Those naked ascetics, O best of the twice-born, are those who, out of delusion, abandon this restraint; a man who is lost, or a bull without support, is said to be dissolved.