Vayu Purana

व्यापादनं शक्तिनिबर्हणं कृषिर्वाणिज्यकार्य्यं पशुपालनं च। शुश्रूषणं वाप्यगुरो रहो वा कार्य्यं नैतद्विद्यते ब्राह्मणस्य ।। १७.

For a brāhmaṇa, there is no proper occupation in killing, restraining by force, agriculture, trade, cattle-keeping, serving a non-brāhmaṇa, or secret work.

ये तु विप्राः स्थिता नित्यं ज्ञानिनो ध्यानिनस्तथा। मिथ्यासङ्कल्पिनः सर्वे दुर्वृत्ता वा द्विजातयः ।। १७.

Those brāhmaṇas who are always established in knowledge and meditation, but are false in resolve or of bad conduct, are all to be considered fallen twice-born.

मिथ्यातत्त्वविदो वर्ज्ज्यास्तथा दम्भविषूचकाः। उपपातकसंयुक्ताः पातकैश्च विशेषतः ।। १७.

Those who know false doctrines, who are hypocrites and deceivers, who are associated with minor or major sins, are to be avoided.

वेदे नियोगदातारो लोभमोहफलार्थिनः। ब्रह्मविक्रयिणश्चैव श्राद्धकर्म्मणि वर्जिताः ।। १७.

Those who assign Vedic recitation for hire, who seek gain from greed or delusion, and those who sell the Veda, are to be excluded from the śrāddha rite.

न नियोगोऽस्ति वेदानां यो नियुङ्क्ते स पापकृत्। भोक्ता वेदफलाद्भ्रश्येद्दाता दानफलात्तथा ।। १७.

There is no hiring out of the Vedas; whoever does so commits sin. The one who enjoys the fruit of the Veda loses its reward, and the giver loses the merit of his gift.

भृतोऽध्यापयते यस्तु भृतकाध्यापितस्तु यः । नार्हतस्तावपि श्राद्धं ब्रह्मणः क्रियविक्रयी ।। १७.

He who teaches for hire, and he who learns for hire, both are unfit for the śrāddha; for they make a trade of sacred rites.

क्रयविक्रयिणौ चैव जीवितार्थं विगर्हितौ। वृत्तिरेषा तु वैश्यस्य ब्राह्मणस्य तु पातकम् ।। १७.

Both buyer and seller, when doing so for livelihood, are to be condemned; this is the occupation of a Vaiśya, but for a brāhmaṇa it is a sin.

प्राहुर्वेदान् वेदविदो वेदान् यश्चोपजीवति १७.

Those who know the Vedas declare that whoever lives off the Vedas is likewise condemned.

वृथा दारांश्च यो गच्छेद्यो यजेत वृथाध्वरे। नार्हतस्तावपि श्राद्धं द्विजो यश्चैव नास्तिकः ।। १७.

Whoever approaches another's wife without reason, or performs a sacrifice without purpose, is unfit for the śrāddha, as is the twice-born who is an atheist.

आत्मार्थं यः पचेदन्नं न देवातिथिकारकः। नार्हतस्तावपि श्राद्धं पतितौ ब्रह्मराक्षसौ ।। १७.

He who cooks food for himself alone, not for gods or guests, is unfit for the śrāddha, as are the fallen and the brahma-rākṣasa.

स्त्रियो नक्तंपरा येषां परदाररताश्च ये। अर्थकाम रताश्चैव न तान् श्राद्धेषु भोजयेत् ।। १७.

Those whose wives go out at night, those who delight in other men's wives, and those who are devoted to wealth and desire, should not be fed at śrāddha rites.

वर्णाश्रमाणां धर्म्मेषु विरुद्धाः श्राद्धकर्म्मणि। स्तेनश्च सर्वयाजी च सर्वे ते पङ्क्तिदूषकाः ।। १७.

Those who act against the duties of their varṇa or āśrama, the thief, and the professional sacrificer—all these are defilers of the ritual line at śrāddha.

यश्च सूकरवद्भुङ्क्ते यश्च पाणितले द्विजः। न तदश्नन्ति पितरो यश्च वामं समश्नुते ।। १७.

A person who eats like a pig, or a twice-born who eats from his hand, or who eats with his left hand—such food is not accepted by the ancestors.

स्त्रीशूद्रायानुपेताय श्राद्धोच्छिष्टं न दापयेत्। यो दद्या द्रागमोहात्तु न तद्गच्छेत्पितॄन्सदा ।। १७.

One should not give śrāddha leftovers to a woman, a Śūdra, or one who is uninitiated; if given out of haste or delusion, it never reaches the ancestors.

तस्मान्न देयमुच्छिष्टमन्नाद्यं श्राद्धकर्म्मणि। अन्यत्र दधिसर्पिर्भ्यां शिष्ये पुत्राय नान्यथा ।। १७.

Therefore, leftovers from food at the śrāddha should not be given, except for curds and ghee, and only to a disciple or son, not otherwise.

अनुच्छिष्टन्तु दातव्यमन्नाद्यं वै विशेषतः। पुष्पमूलफलैर्वापि तुष्टिं गच्छन्ति चान्नतः ।। १७.

One should especially give food and edibles that are not defiled by leftovers; satisfaction is also gained from flowers, roots, and fruits, but chiefly from food.

यावन्त्यन्नानि पूतानि यावदुष्णं न मुञ्चति। तावदश्नन्ति पितरो यावदश्नन्ति वाग्यताः ।। १७.

For as long as the food remains pure and does not lose its warmth, the ancestors partake of it, and for as long as those who are disciplined in speech eat.

दानं प्रतिग्रहो होमो भोजनं बलिरेव च। साङ्गुष्ठेन तथा कार्य्यं नासुरेभ्यो यथा भवेत् ।। १७.

Giving, receiving, oblation, eating, and offering should all be performed with the thumb, so that it is not as it would be for the asuras.

एतान्येव च सर्व्वाणि दानादीनि विशेषतः। अन्तर्जान्वविशेषेण तद्वदाचमनं भवेत् ।। १७.

All these acts—giving and the rest—should especially be performed with the fingers joined together; likewise, sipping water should be done in the same manner.

मुण्डाञ्जटिलकाषायान् श्राद्धकालेऽपि वर्ज्जयेत्। शिखिभ्यो वा त्रिदणिडभ्यः श्राद्धं यत्नात् प्रदापयेत् ।। १७.

One should avoid those with shaven heads, matted hair, or ochre robes even at the time of śrāddha; with effort, the śrāddha should be given to those with a topknot or the triple staff.

ये तु व्रते स्थिता नित्यं ज्ञानिनो ध्यानिनस्तथा। देवभक्ता महात्मानः पुनीयुर्दर्शनादपि ।। १७.

Those who are always steadfast in vows, who possess knowledge and meditate, who are devoted to the gods and are great souls, purify even by their sight.

सर्व्वं योगेश्वरैर्व्याप्तं त्रैलोक्यं वै निरन्तरम् । तस्मात् पश्यन्ति ते सर्वे यत्किञ्चिज्जगतीगतम् ।। १७.

The entire three worlds are pervaded without interruption by the lords of yoga; therefore, they all see whatever exists in the world.

व्यक्ताव्यक्तं वशीकृत्य सर्व्वस्यापि च यत्परम्। सदसच्चेति यैर्दृष्टं सदसच्च महात्मनाम् ।। १७.

Those great souls who have mastered the manifest and unmanifest, and what is supreme in all, see both the existent and the non-existent.

सर्व्वज्ञानानि दृष्टानि मोक्षादीनि महात्मनाम्। तस्मात्तेषु सदासक्तः प्राप्नोत्यनुत्तमं शुभम् ।। १७.

All knowledges and liberations are seen by the great souls; therefore, one who is always attached to them attains the highest good.

ऋचो हि यो वेद स वेद वेदान् यजूंषि यो वेद स वेद यज्ञम्। सामानि यो वेद स वेद ब्रह्म यो मानसं वेद स वेद सर्व्वम् ।। १७.

He who knows the Ṛg Veda knows the Vedas; he who knows the Yajur Veda knows the sacrifice; he who knows the Sāma Veda knows Brahman; he who knows the mind knows all.

बृहस्पतिरुवाच।। अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि दानानि च फलानि च। तारणं सर्व्वभूतानां स्वर्गमार्गं सुखावहम् ।। १८.

Bṛhaspati said: Now I shall explain the gifts and their fruits, which are the means of deliverance for all beings and the path to heaven, bringing happiness.

लोके श्रेष्ठतमं स्वर्ग्यमात्मन् श्चापि यत् प्रियम्। सर्व्वं पितॄणां दातव्यं तेषामेवाक्षयार्थिना ।। १८.

In this world, whatever is most excellent and heavenly, and whatever is dear to oneself, all this should be given to the ancestors, for they alone seek what is inexhaustible.

जाम्बूनदमयं दिव्यं विमानं सूर्य्यसन्निभम्। दिव्याप्सरोभिः सङ्कीर्णमन्नदो लभते फलम् ।। १८.

He who gives food attains a divine aerial chariot made of gold, shining like the sun, filled with celestial nymphs.

आच्छादनन्तु यो दद्यादाहतं श्राद्धकर्म्मणि। आयुः प्रकाममैश्वर्य्यं रूपञ्च लभते सुतम् ।। १८.

He who gives garments, even if used, at the śrāddha rite, obtains long life, abundant wealth, beauty, and a son.