Vayu Purana

अहो धीमंस्त्वया सूत श्राद्धकल्पस्तु कीर्तितः। श्रुतो नः श्राद्धकल्पो वै ऋषिभिः परिकीर्तितः ।। १७.

O Sūta, how wise you are! The procedure for śrāddha has been described; we have heard the śrāddha procedure as proclaimed by the sages.

अतीव विस्तरो यस्य विशेषेण प्रकीर्तितः। वद शेषं महाप्राज्ञ ऋषेस्तस्य यथामतम् ।। १७.

Its details have been explained at great length; now, O most wise one, tell the remainder as understood by the sage.

कीर्तयिष्यामि ते विप्रा ऋषेस्तस्य मतन्तु तत्। श्राद्धं प्रति महाभागास्तन्मे श्रृणुत विस्तरात् ।। १७.

O brāhmaṇas, I will recount to you the opinion of that sage regarding śrāddha; listen to me in detail, O highly fortunate ones.

उक्तं श्राद्धं मया पूर्वं विधिश्च श्राद्धकर्म्मणि। परिशिष्टं प्रवक्ष्यामि ब्राह्मणानां यथाक्रमम् ।। १७.

I have previously spoken of śrāddha and the proper procedure for the śrāddha rite; now I will explain what remains, in due order, concerning the brāhmaṇas.

न मीमांस्याः सदा विप्राः पवित्रं ह्येतदुत्तमम्। दैवे पित्र्ये च सततं श्रूयते वै परीक्षणम् ।। १७.

Brāhmaṇas should never doubt this, for it is supremely pure; examination is always prescribed in both divine and ancestral rites.

यस्मिन् दोषाः प्रदृश्येरन् सद्भिर्वा वर्जितस्तु यः। जानीयाद्वापि संवासाद्वर्ज्जयेत्तं प्रयत्नतः ।। १७.

If faults are seen in someone, or if he is avoided by the virtuous, or if one knows by association—he should be carefully avoided.

अविज्ञातं द्विजं श्राद्धे परीक्षेत सदा बुधः । सिद्धा हि विप्ररूपेण चरन्ति पृथिवीमिमाम् ।। १७.

A wise person should always examine an unknown brāhmaṇa at a śrāddha; for perfected beings, assuming the form of brāhmaṇas, roam this earth.

तस्मादतिथिमायान्तमभिगच्छेत् कृताञ्जलिः। पूजयेच्चापि पाद्येन पादाभ्यञ्जनभोजनैः ।। १७.

Therefore, one should approach a guest who arrives, with joined palms, and honor him with water for washing the feet, anointing the feet, and food.

उर्वीं सागरपर्यन्तां देवा योगेश्वरास्तथा। नाना रूपैश्चरन्त्येते प्रजा धर्म्मेण पालयन् ।। १७.

The gods and masters of yoga, in various forms, roam this earth up to the ocean's edge, protecting the people with righteousness.

अर्चयित्वा ततो दद्याद्विप्रायातिथये नरः। व्यञ्जनानि च भक्ष्याणि फलं तेषां तथैव च ।। १७.

After honoring him, a man should give to the brāhmaṇa guest condiments, eatables, and likewise fruit for them.

आग्निष्टोमं तु पयसा प्राप्नुयाद्वै तथाश्रुतम्। सर्पिषा तु शुभं चक्षुः षोडशाहफलं लभेत्। मधुना त्वतिरात्रस्य फलं च समवाप्नुयात् ।। १७.

By offering milk, one attains the fruit of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice, as is heard; by clarified butter, one obtains auspicious sight, the fruit of a sixteen-day rite; by honey, one attains the fruit of an Atirātra sacrifice.

तत्प्राप्नुयाच्छ्रद्दधानो नरो वै सर्वैः कामैर्भोजयेद्यस्तु विप्रान्। सर्वार्थदः सर्वविप्रातिथौ यः फलं भुङ्क्ते सर्वमेधस्य नित्यम् ।। १७.

He who, with faith, feeds brāhmaṇas with all desired things attains all rewards; he who enjoys the fruit of honoring all brāhmaṇa guests always partakes of the fruit of all sacrifices.

यस्तु श्राद्धेऽतिथिं प्राप्य दैवे वाप्यवमन्यते। तं वै देवा विश्वयन्ति होता यद्वत् परां वसुम् ।। १७.

But he who, upon receiving a guest at a śrāddha or in a divine rite, disregards him—the gods abandon him, just as the officiating priest abandons a worthless offering.

देवाश्च पितरश्चैव वह्निश्चैव हि तान् द्विजान् । आविश्य भुञ्जते तद्वै लोकानुग्रहकारणात् ।। १७.

The gods, the ancestors, and Fire indeed enter those twice-born ones and partake, for the sake of granting favor to the world.

अपूजिता दहन्त्येते दद्युः कामांश्च पूजिताः। सर्वस्वेनापि तस्माद्वै पूजयेदतिथीन् सदा ।। १७.

If not honored, these burn; if honored, they grant desires. Therefore, one should always honor guests, even with all one's possessions.

वानप्रस्थो गृहस्थश्च गृहमभ्यागतोऽथवा। बालाः खिन्ना यतिश्चैव जानीयादतिथीन् सदा ।। १७.

A forest-dweller, a householder, one who has come to the house, children, the weary, and an ascetic—these should always be recognized as guests.

अभ्यागतो याचकः स्यादतिथिः स्यादयाचकः। अतिथेरतिथिः श्रेष्ठः सोऽतिथिर्योग उच्यते ।। १७.

One who comes as a supplicant is a guest, and one who does not beg is also a guest; among guests, the uninvited guest is the highest, and he is called a true guest.

न घोरो नापि सङ्कीर्णो नाविद्यो न विशेषवित्। न च सन्तो न समृद्धो न सेवी नाचरोऽतिथिः ।। १७.

A guest is not fierce, nor mixed, nor ignorant, nor one who knows distinctions; neither are they virtuous, nor prosperous, nor a servant, nor one who follows conduct.

पिपासिताय श्रान्ताय भ्रान्तायातिबुभुक्षते। तस्मै सत्कृत्य दातव्यं यज्ञस्य फलमिच्छता ।। १७.

To one who is thirsty, weary, lost, or greatly hungry, one desiring the fruit of sacrifice should respectfully give.

आरुह्य भृगुतुङ्गोषु गत्वा पुण्यां सरस्वतीम्। आपगां तु नदी पुण्यां गङ्गा देवी महानदी ।। १७.

Having ascended the Bhrigu heights, having gone to the sacred Sarasvati, and to the holy river, the Ganga, the divine great river—

हिमवत्प्रभवा नद्यो याश्चान्या ऋषिपूजिताः । सरस्तीर्थाभिसंवेद्या नदी नववहास्तथा ।। १७.

The rivers that arise from the Himalayas, and others honored by sages, the lakes and sacred fords, and likewise the nine-flowing rivers—

गत्वैतान् मुच्यते पापैः स्वर्गे नित्यं महीयते। दशरात्रमशौचन्तु प्रोक्तं वै मृतसूतके ।। १७.

Having gone to these, one is freed from sins and is always honored in heaven; ten nights of impurity are prescribed for death and birth.

ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषेण क्षत्रिये द्वादश स्मृतम्। अर्द्धं मासन्तु वैश्यस्य मासाच्छूद्रस्तु शुध्यति ।। १७.

Especially for a Brahmin, twelve nights are prescribed for a Kshatriya; for a Vaishya, half a month, and a Shudra is purified after a month.

उदक्या सर्ववर्णानां त्रिरात्रेण तु शुद्धयति। उदक्यां सूतिकाञ्चैव श्वानमन्त्यावसायिनम् ।। १७.

For all castes, impurity due to a woman who fetches water is removed in three nights; for a woman in childbirth, and for one who handles corpses or dogs.

नग्नादीन् मृतहारांश्च स्पृष्ट्वाऽशौचं विधीयते। स्नात्वा सचैलो मृद्भिस्तु द्वादशभिस्तु शुध्यति ।। १७.

Touching the naked, those who carry the dead, impurity is prescribed; after bathing with clothes and with twelve applications of clay, one is purified.

एतदेव भवेच्छौचं मैथुने नवभिस्तथा। मृदा प्रक्षाल्य हस्तौ तु कुर्याच्छौचविधिन्नरः ।। १७.

This same purification applies after sexual union, with nine applications; after washing the hands with clay, a man should perform the rite of purification.

प्रक्षाल्य चाद्भिर्हस्तौ च स्नात्वा चैव मृदा पुनः। मृदं गुह्ये ततो द्विस्तु पुनरेव मृदं बुधः ।। १७.

After washing the hands with water, and bathing again with clay, and applying clay to the private parts twice, the wise should again use clay.

एवं शौच विधिर्दृष्टः सर्ववर्णेषु नित्यदा। परिदद्यान्मृदस्तिस्रो हस्तपादावसेचनम् ।। १७.

Thus, the rule of purification is always observed among all castes; one should apply clay three times for washing hands and feet.

आरण्यं शौचमेतत्तु ग्राम्यं वक्ष्याम्यतः परम्। मृदस्तिस्रः पादयोस्तु हस्तयोस्तिस्र एव च ।। १७.

This is the rule of purification in the forest; I will now speak of the village practice: three applications of clay to the feet, and likewise three to the hands.