Vayu Purana

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.

वृषं यश्च परित्यज्य मोक्षमन्यत्र मार्गति । वृषो वेदसमस्तस्मिन् यो वै सम्यङ्न पश्यति ।। १६.

He who abandons the bull and seeks liberation elsewhere, or does not properly see the bull as the embodiment of all the Vedas—

ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्या वृषलाश्चैव सर्व्वशः। पुरा देवासुरे युद्धे निर्जितैरसुरैस्तदा ।। १६.

Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and all those called Vṛṣalas—when the gods and asuras fought in ancient times, the asuras were then defeated.

पाषण्डवैकृतस्थाने नैषा सृष्टिः स्वयम्भुवा। द्विश्राद्धकश्च निर्ग्रन्थाः शाक्या पुष्टिकलंशकाः ।। १६.

In places corrupted by heresy, this creation was not made by the Self-born; the double-śrāddha followers, the Nirgranthas, the Śākyas, and the Puṣṭikalaṃśakas—

ये धर्म्मं नानुवर्त्तन्ते ते वै नग्नादयो जनाः। वृथाजटी वृथामुद्री वृथानग्नश्च यो द्विजः ।। १६.

Those people who do not follow dharma are indeed the naked ascetics and the like; the one with matted hair in vain, the one with a useless seal, the twice-born who is naked in vain—

वृथाव्रती वृथा जापी ते वै नग्नादयो जनाः। कुलन्धमा निषादाश्च तथा पुष्टिविनाशकाः ।। १६.

The one who observes vows in vain, who chants in vain—these are the naked ascetics and the like; the Kulandhamas, Niṣādas, and those who destroy prosperity as well.

कृतकर्म्माक्षितास्त्वेते कुपथाः परिकीर्त्तिताः। एभिर्निर्वृत्तं दृष्टं वा श्राद्धं गच्छन्ति मानवाः ।। १६.

Those who perform improper rites and gamble—these are said to be on a wrong path; if the śrāddha is seen or completed by them, it goes to them instead.

ब्रह्मघ्नश्च कृतघ्नश्च नास्तिका गुरुतल्पगाः। दस्यवश्च नृशंसाश्च दर्शनेनैव वर्जिताः ।। १६.

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.

ये चान्ये पाप कर्म्माणः सर्व्वांस्तान् परिवर्जयेत्। देवदेवर्षिनिन्दायां रतांश्चैव विशेषतः ।। १६.

And all others who perform sinful deeds should be shunned; especially those who delight in reviling gods and sages.

असुरान् यातुधानांश्च दृष्टमेभिर्व्रजन्त्युत। ब्राह्मं कृतयुगं प्रोक्तं त्रेता तु क्षत्रियं स्मृतम् ।। १६.

If these are seen, the śrāddha goes to asuras and yātudhānas; the brāhmaṇa age is said to be Kṛta, the kṣatriya age is called Tretā.

वैश्यं द्वापरमित्याहुः शूद्रं कलियुगं स्मृतम् पितर ऊचुः १६.

The vaiśya age is said to be Dvāpara, and the śūdra age is remembered as Kali, so say the ancestors.

युद्धानि द्वापरे नित्यं पाषण्डाश्च कलौ युगे। अपमानापवित्रश्च कुक्कुटो ग्रामसूकरः ।। १६.

In the Dvāpara age, battles are constant, and in the Kali age, heretics abound; the village rooster and the village pig are both considered impure and disrespectful.

श्वा चैव दर्शनादेव हन्ति श्राद्धं न संशयः। शावसूतकसंस्पृष्टो दीर्घरोगिभिरेव च ।। १६.

A dog, merely by being seen, undoubtedly destroys the efficacy of a śrāddha; so too if touched by a dog, a woman in childbirth, or those afflicted with chronic disease.

मलिनैः पतितैश्चैव न द्रष्टव्यं कथञ्चन। अन्नं पश्येयुरेते वै नैतत्स्याद्धव्यकव्ययोः ।। १६.

One must never allow those who are unclean or fallen to see the food; if such people see it, that food is unfit for offerings to the gods and ancestors.

तत्संस्पृष्टं प्रधानार्थं संस्कारश्वापदो भवेत्। हविषां संहतानां तु पूर्व्वमेव विवर्जितम्। मृत्संयुक्ताभिरद्भिश्च प्रोक्षणं च विधीयते ।। १६.

If the main item is touched by such persons, it becomes like the remains of a funeral; food that has been brought together for sacrifice must be avoided beforehand, and purification with water mixed with earth is prescribed.

सिद्धार्थकैः कृष्णतिलैः कार्य्यं वाप्यवकीरणम्। गुरुसूर्य्याग्निवस्तूनां दर्शनं वापि यत्नतः ।। १६.

Sprinkling with siddhārtha seeds or black sesame should be done, or scattering them in water; and one should carefully ensure the sight of a teacher, the sun, fire, or sacred objects.

आसनारूढमानेषु पादोपहतमेव च। अमेध्यैर्जङ्गमैर्दृष्टं शुष्कं पर्युषितं च यत् ।। १६.

Food that has been sat upon, touched by feet, seen by impure beings, or is dry or stale, is to be avoided.

असितं परिदुष्टं च तथैवाग्रावलेहितम्। शर्कराकेशपाषाणैः कीटैर्यच्चाप्युपद्रुतम् ।। १६.

Food that is blackened, spoiled, licked at the edge, or contaminated by gravel, hair, stones, or insects, is likewise to be rejected.

पिण्याकमथितं चैव तथा तिलयवादिषु। सिद्धाक्षताश्च ये भक्ष्याः प्रत्यक्षलवणीकृताः ।। १६.

Food that is pressed oil-cake, or made from sesame or barley, and cooked rice that has been directly salted, are all to be avoided.

वाससा चावधूतानि वर्ज्यानि श्राद्धकर्मणि। सन्ति वेदविरोधेन केचिद्विज्ञानमानिनः ।। १६.

Food that has been brushed with cloth is forbidden in śrāddha rites; some, out of opposition to the Veda, claim knowledge but act otherwise.

अजज्ञपतयो नाम ते श्राद्धस्य यथा रजः। दधि शाकं तथाऽभक्ष्याः शुक्तं चैव विवर्जितम् ।। १६.

Those called 'goat-born' are like dust to the śrāddha; curd, green vegetables, and fermented foods are also to be avoided.