Vayu Purana

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.

षष्ठ्यां श्राद्धानि कुर्वाणं द्विजास्तं पूजयन्त्युत। कुरुते यस्तु सप्तम्यां श्राद्धानि सततं नरः ।। १९.

When one performs śrāddha on the sixth day, the twice-born honor him; and the man who always performs śrāddha on the seventh day—

महासत्रमवाप्नोति गणानामधिपो भवेत्। सम्पूर्णामृद्धिमाप्नोति योऽष्टम्यां कुरुते नरः ।। १९.

He attains a great sacrifice and becomes lord of groups; one who performs it on the eighth day attains complete prosperity.

श्राद्धं नवम्यां कुर्वाण ऐश्वर्य्यं कांक्षितां स्त्रियम्। कुर्वन् दशम्यां तु नरो ब्राह्मीं श्रियमवाप्नुयात् ।। १९.

By performing śrāddha on the ninth day, one attains wealth and the desired wife; performing it on the tenth day, a man attains Brāhmī prosperity.

वेदांश्चैवाप्नुयात् सर्वान् प्रणाशमेनसस्तथा। एकादश्यां परं दानमैश्वर्य्यं सततं तथा ।। १९.

He also attains all the Vedas and the destruction of sin; on the eleventh day, supreme gifts and constant sovereignty are obtained.

द्वादश्यां राष्ट्रलाभं तु जयमाहुर्वसूनि च । प्रजां बुद्धिं पशून् मेधां स्वातन्त्र्यं पुष्टिमुत्तमाम् । दीर्घमायुरथैश्वर्य्यं कुर्वाणस्तु त्रयोदशीम् ।। १९.

On the twelfth day, one gains a kingdom and victory, as well as wealth; by performing it on the thirteenth day, one obtains offspring, intelligence, cattle, wisdom, independence, supreme nourishment, long life, and prosperity.

युवानश्च मृता यस्य गृहे तेषां प्रदापयेत्। शस्त्रेण तु हता ये वै तेषां दद्याच्चतुर्दशीम् ।। १९.

For those in whose house young men have died, offerings should be made for them; for those killed by weapons, offerings should be made on the fourteenth day.

तथा विषमजातानां यमलानां तु सर्वशः । अमावास्यां प्रयत्नेन श्राद्धं कुर्य्याच्छुचिः सदा ।। १९.

In the same way, for those born in adverse circumstances and for twins, one should always perform the śrāddha with purity and care on the new moon day.

सर्व्वान् कामानवाप्नोति स्वर्गमानन्त्यमश्नुते । ऋतं दद्यादमावास्यां सोममाप्यायनं महत् ।। १९.

He attains all desires and enjoys endless heaven who, on the new moon, offers the great, nourishing Soma in accordance with truth.

एवमाप्यायितः सोमस्त्रीँल्लोकान् धारयिष्यति। सिद्धचारणगन्धर्व्वैः स्तूयमानस्तु नित्यशः ।। १९.

Thus nourished, Soma will sustain the three worlds, being constantly praised by Siddhas, Cāraṇas, and Gandharvas.

स्तवैः पुष्पैर्मनोज्ञैश्च सर्व्वकामपरिच्छदैः। नृत्य वादित्रगीतैश्च ह्यप्सरोभिः सहस्रशः ।। १९.

With hymns, delightful flowers, all desired offerings, and with dances, instruments, and songs by thousands of Apsarases.