Vayu Purana

ओदनं पायसं सर्पिर्मधुमूलफलानि च। भक्ष्यांश्च विविधान्दत्त्वा प्रेत्य चेह च मोदते ।। १८.

By giving rice, milk pudding, clarified butter, honey, roots, fruits, and various delicacies, one enjoys happiness both after death and in this world.

शर्कराक्षीरसंयुक्तं पृथुकं नित्यमक्षयम्। यश्च संवत्सरं प्रीत्या कृसरैर्मसुरेण च ।। १८.

He who, with devotion, gives parched grain mixed with sugar and juice, unfailing and regularly for a year, as well as krisara and masura beans—

सक्तुलाजास्तथा पूपाः कुल्माषव्यञ्जनैस्तथा। सार्पेःस्निग्धानि हृद्यानि दध्ना सक्तूंस्तु भोजयेत्। श्राद्धेष्वेतानि यो दद्यात् पझानि लभते निधिम् ।। १८.

He should also offer saktu, laja, cakes, kulmāṣa, and other side dishes, as well as pleasant, unctuous, and agreeable foods; he should feed saktu with curd. Whoever gives these at śrāddhas obtains inexhaustible treasure.

नवसस्यानि यो दद्याच्छ्राद्धे सत्कृत्य यत्नतः। सर्वभोगानवाप्नोति पूज्यते च दिवं गतः ।। १८.

Whoever, with respect and care, gives new grains at a śrāddha attains all enjoyments and is honored when he reaches heaven.

भक्ष्यभोज्यानि चोष्याणि पेयलेह्यवराणि च। सर्वश्रेष्ठानि यो दद्यात् सर्व्वश्रेष्ठो भवेन्नरः ।। १८.

Whoever gives all the best foods—those to be eaten, chewed, sucked, drunk, and licked—becomes the best among men.

वैश्वदेवं च सौम्यं च खाड्गमांसं परं हविः। विषाणं वर्ज्जयेत् खाड्गमसूयां नाशयामहे ।। १८.

The Vaiśvadeva and Saumya offerings, as well as the flesh of the rhinoceros, are supreme oblations; but the horn should be avoided. We do not approve of rhinoceros with envy.

भोजनेऽग्रासनं दद्यादतिथिभ्यः कृताञ्जलिः । सर्वयज्ञक्रियाणां स फलं प्राप्नोत्यनुत्तमम् ।। १८.

With joined palms, one should offer the first portion of food to guests; he attains the unsurpassed fruit of all sacrificial acts.

क्षिप्रमत्युष्ण मक्लिष्टं दद्याच्चान्नं बुभुक्षते। वयञ्जनं च तथा स्निग्धं भक्त्या सत्कृत्य यत्नतः ।। १८.

One should give hot, unspoiled food quickly to the hungry, and likewise offer unctuous side dishes with devotion, respect, and care.

तरुणादित्यसङ्काशं विमानं हंसवाहनम्। अन्नदो लभते तिस्रः कल्पकोटीस्तथैव च ।। १८.

The giver of food obtains a celestial chariot, shining like the young sun and drawn by swans, and enjoys three times ten million aeons.

अन्नदानात्परं दानं विद्यते नेह किञ्चन। अन्नाद्भूतानि जायन्ते जीवन्ति च न संशयः ।। १८.

There is no gift greater than the gift of food; from food, beings are born and live—of this there is no doubt.

जीवदानात् परं दानं न किञ्चिदिह विद्यते। अन्नैर्जीवति त्रैलोक्यमन्नस्यैव हि तत्फलम् ।। १८.

There is no gift greater than the gift of life; all three worlds live by food, and the fruit of food is indeed that.

अन्ने लोकाः प्रतिष्ठन्ति लोकदानस्य तत्फलम् । अन्नं प्रजापतिः साक्षात्तेन सर्व्वमिदं ततम्। तस्मादन्नसमं दानं न भूतं न भविष्यति ।। १८.

Worlds rest upon food; that is the fruit of giving to the world. Prajāpati himself is food, and by it all this is pervaded. Therefore, there has never been, nor will there be, a gift equal to food.

यानि रत्नानि मेदिन्यां वाहनानि स्त्रियस्तथा। क्षिप्रं प्राप्नोति तत् सर्वं पितृभक्तो हि मानवः ।। १८.

Whatever jewels are in the earth, vehicles, and women—one who is devoted to the ancestors quickly obtains all of these.

प्रतिश्रयं सदा दद्यादतिथिभ्यः कृताञ्जलिः। देवास्ते संप्रतीक्षन्ते दिव्यातिथ्यैः सहस्रशः ।। १८.

With joined palms, one should always give shelter to guests; the gods wait for him, together with thousands of divine guests.

सर्वाण्येतानि यो दद्यात् पृथिव्यामेकराड् भवेत्। त्रिभिर्द्वाभ्यामथैकेन दानेन तु सुखी भवेत् ।। १८.

Whoever gives all these becomes the sole ruler of the earth; by giving three, two, or even one, he becomes happy.

दानानि परमो धर्म्मः सद्भिः सत्कृत्य पूजितः। त्रैलोक्यस्याधिपत्यं हि दानादेव व्यवस्थितम् ।। १८.

Charity is the highest dharma, honored and respected by the virtuous; indeed, the sovereignty of the three worlds is established through charity.

राजा तु लभते राज्यमधनश्चोत्तमं धनम्। क्षीणायुर्लभते चायुः पितृभक्तः सदा नरः। यान् कामान् मनसाऽर्थेत तांस्तस्य पितरो विदुः ।। १८.

The king obtains a kingdom, the poor man supreme wealth, and one devoted to the ancestors always gains long life; whatever desires he holds in his mind, his ancestors know them.

बृहस्पतिरुवाच।। अत ऊर्द्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि श्राद्धकर्म्मणि पूजितम्। काम्यनैमित्तिकाजस्रं श्राद्धकर्म्मणि नित्यशः ।। १९.

Bṛhaspati said: Now, further, I shall explain the honored rites of śrāddha; the śrāddha ritual is always performed, both for desired results and for obligatory purposes.

पुत्र दारधनमूला अष्टकास्तिस्र एव च। पूर्वपक्षो वरिष्ठो हि पूर्वा चित्री उदाहृता ।। १९.

O son, the three aṣṭakā rites are based on sons, wives, and wealth; the earlier half of the lunar month is considered superior, and the first aṣṭakā is called Citrī.

प्राजापत्या द्वितीया स्यात् तृतीया वैश्वदेविकी। आद्या पूपैःसदा कार्या मासैरन्या भवेत्सदा ।। १९.

The second is called Prājāpatyā, and the third is Vaiśvadevikī; the first should always be performed with cakes, and the others should be performed each month.

शाकैरन्या तृतीया स्यादेवं द्रव्यगतो विधिः । अन्वष्टका पितॄणां वै नित्यमेव विधीयते ।। १९.

The third is to be performed with vegetables; thus is the rule regarding the substances to be used. The Anvaṣṭakā is prescribed for the ancestors, to be performed always.

यद्यन्या च चतुर्थी स्यात्ताञ्च कुर्य्याद्विशेषतः। तासु श्राद्धं बुधः कुर्य्यात् सर्व्वस्वेनापि नित्यशः ।। १९.

If there is a fourth aṣṭakā, it should also be performed especially; in all these, the wise should perform śrāddha always, with all their means.

परत्रेह च सर्व्वेषु नित्यमेव सुखी भवेत् । पूजकानां सदोत्कर्षो नास्तिका नामधो गतिः ।। १९.

In all worlds, here and hereafter, one who always performs these becomes happy; those who worship are ever elevated, while non-believers go to a lower state.

पितरः सर्व्वकालेषु तिथिकालेषु देवताः। सर्व्वे पुरुषमायान्ति निपानमिव धेनवः ।। १९.

The ancestors, at all times and on the proper lunar days, come to men just as cows go to their watering place.

मा स्म ते प्रतिगच्छेयुरष्टकाः सुरपूजिताः । मोघस्तस्य भवेल्लोको लब्धं चास्य विनश्यति ।। १९.

Let not those aṣṭakā rites, honored by the gods, pass you by; for such a person, the world becomes futile, and what is gained is lost.

देवांस्तु दायिनो यान्ति तिर्य्यग्गच्छन्त्यदायिनः। प्रजां पुष्टिं स्मृतिं मेधां पुत्रानैश्वर्य्यमेव च ।। १९.

Those who give offerings reach the gods, while non-givers go to lower realms; by giving, one obtains offspring, prosperity, memory, intelligence, sons, and sovereignty.

कुर्व्वाणः पौर्णमास्यां च पूर्व्वं पूर्णं समश्नुते। प्रतिपद्धनलाभाय लब्धं चास्य न नश्यति ।। १९.

One who performs the rite on the full moon attains complete fulfillment beforehand; what is gained on the first day of the lunar fortnight is not lost.

द्वितीयायां तु यः कुर्य्याद्द्विपदाधिपतिर्भवेत्। वरार्थिना तृतीया तु शत्रुघ्नी पापनाशिनी ।। १९.

He who performs it on the second day becomes lord over bipeds; for one seeking boons, the third day destroys enemies and removes sins.

चतुर्थ्यां कुरुते श्राद्धं शत्रोश्छिद्राणि पश्यति। पञ्चम्यां वै प्रकुर्वाणः प्राप्नोति महतीं श्रियम् ।। १९.

One who performs śrāddha on the fourth day sees the flaws of his enemy; performing it on the fifth day, one attains great prosperity.