Vayu Purana

पितृभक्तस्त्वमावस्यां सर्वान् कामानवाप्नुयात्। प्रत्यक्षमर्चितास्तेन भवन्ति पितरः सदा ।। १९.

One devoted to the ancestors, performing rites on the new moon, attains all desires; by him, the ancestors are always worshipped directly.

पितॄदेवा मघा यस्मात् तस्मात्तास्वक्षयं स्मृतम्। पित्र्यं कुर्व्वन्ति तस्यां तु विशेषेण विचक्षणः ।। १९.

Because the ancestors are the deities of the Maghā constellation, it is considered imperishable; the wise especially perform ancestral rites on that day.

तस्मान्मघां वै वाञ्छन्ति पितरो नित्यमेव हि । पितॄदैवतभक्ता ये तेऽपि यान्ति परां गतिम् ।। १९.

Therefore, the ancestors always desire Maghā; those devoted to the deities of the ancestors also attain the highest state.

बृहस्पतिरुवाच।। यमस्तु यानि श्राद्धानि प्रोवाच शश(शिव)बिन्दवे। तानि मे श्रृणु कार्त्स्न्येन नक्षत्रेषु पृथक् पृथक् ।। २०.

Bṛhaspati said: Hear from me in detail the śrāddhas which Yama taught to Śiva (Śaśabindu), each according to the lunar mansion.

श्राद्धं यः कृत्तिकायोगे करोति सततं नरः। अग्नीनाधाय सापत्यो जायते स गतज्वरः ।। २०.

A man who always performs śrāddha during Kṛttikā, having established the sacred fire, becomes endowed with sons and is free from illness.

अपत्यकामो रोहिण्यां सौम्येनौजस्विता भवेत् । प्रायशः क्रूरकर्म्मा तु चार्द्रायां श्राद्धमाचरेत् ।। २०.

One desiring offspring, performing śrāddha under Rohiṇī with the gentle moon, becomes vigorous; but generally, one should perform śrāddha under Ārdrā for those of harsh deeds.

क्षेत्रभागी भवेत् पुत्री श्राद्धं कुर्व्वन् पुनर्व्वसौ। धनधान्यसमाकीर्णः पुत्रपौत्रसमाकुलः ।। २०.

By performing śrāddha under Punarvasu, one obtains land and daughters, becomes rich in wealth and grain, and is surrounded by sons and grandsons.

तुष्टिकामः पुनस्तिष्ये श्राद्धं कुर्वीत मानवः। आश्लेषासु पितॄनार्च्य वीरान् पुत्रानवाप्नुयात् ।। २०.

Desiring satisfaction, a man should perform śrāddha under Puṣya; by worshipping the ancestors under Āśleṣā, he obtains heroic sons.

श्रेष्ठो भवति ज्ञातीनां मघासु श्राद्धमाचरन्। फल्गुनीषु पितॄनार्च्य सौभाग्यं लभते नरः ।। २०.

He becomes foremost among his kin who performs śrāddha under Maghā; by worshipping the ancestors under Phalgunī, a man attains good fortune.

प्रधानशीलः सापत्य उत्तरासु करोति यः। स सत्सु मुख्यो भवति हस्ते यस्तर्पयेत्पितॄन् ।। २०.

He who performs śrāddha under the Uttaras, with principal conduct and sons, becomes eminent among the good; he who satisfies the ancestors under Hasta becomes chief.

चित्रायां चैव यः कुर्यात् पश्येद्रूपवतः सुतान्। स्वातिना चैव यः कुर्याद्विद्वाँल्लाभमवाप्नुयात् ।। २०.

He who performs it under Citrā sees handsome sons; he who performs it under Svāti attains the company of the learned.

पुत्रार्थन्तु विशाखासु श्राद्धमीहेत मानवः। अनुराधासु कुर्व्वाणो नरश्चक्रं प्रवर्त्तयेत् ।। २०.

A man desiring sons should perform śrāddha under Viśākhā; performing it under Anurādhā, a man sets the wheel (of prosperity) in motion.

आधिपत्यं लभेच्छ्रैष्ठ्यं ज्येष्ठायां सततं तु यः। मूलेनारोग्यमिच्छन्ति आषाढासु महद्यशः ।। २०.

He who always performs it under Jyeṣṭhā attains lordship and excellence; under Mūla, they desire health; under Āṣāḍhā, great fame.

आषाढाभिश्चोत्तराभिर्वीतशोको भवेन्नरः। श्रवणायां सुलोकेषु प्राप्रुयात् परमां गतिम् ।। २०.

By performing the rite during the Uttarāṣāḍhā and Śravaṇā constellations, a man becomes free from sorrow; in Śravaṇā, he attains the highest state among the virtuous.

राज्यभाग्वै धनिष्ठासु प्राप्नुयाद्विपुलं धनम्। श्राद्धं त्वभिजिता कुर्वन् विन्दतेऽजाविकं फलम् ।। २०.

In Dhaniṣṭhā, one obtains abundant wealth and a share in sovereignty; by performing the śrāddha in Abhijit, one gains the fruit associated with the Ajāvika path.

नक्षत्रे वारुणे कुर्व्वन् भिषक्सिद्धिमवाप्नुयात्। पूर्व्वे प्रोष्ठपदे कुर्व्वन् विन्दतेऽजाविकं फलम् ।। २०.

By performing the rite under the Vāruṇī constellation, one attains mastery in medicine; in Pūrvā Proṣṭhapadā, one gains the fruit associated with the Ajāvika path.

उत्तरास्वनतिक्रम्य विन्देद्घा वै सहस्रशः। बहुरूपकृतं द्रव्यं विन्देत् कुर्व्वंस्तु रेवतीम्। अश्वांश्चैवाश्विनीयुक्तो भरण्यामायुरुत्तमम् ।। २०.

By performing the rite in the Uttarā constellations, one obtains cows by the thousands; in Revatī, one acquires wealth of many forms, and in Aśvinī, horses; in Bharaṇī, one attains supreme longevity.

इमं श्राद्धविधिं कुर्व्वञ्छशबिन्दुर्महीमिमाम्। कृत्स्नां तु लेभे स कृत्स्नां लब्धा च प्रशशंस तम् ।। २०.

By performing this śrāddha rite, Śaśabindu gained the entire earth; having obtained it all, he praised this rite.

इति श्रीमहापुराणे वायुप्रोक्ते नक्षत्रविशेषे श्राद्धफलवर्णनं नाम विंशोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the twentieth chapter, named 'Description of the Fruits of Śrāddha According to the Constellations,' in the Vāyu Purāṇa as spoken by Vāyu.

शंयुरुवाच।। किञ्चिद्दत्तं पितॄणां तु धिनोति वदतां वर । किं हि स्विच्चिररात्राय किञ्चानन्त्याय कल्पते ।। २१.

Śaṃyu said: Even a little that is given to the ancestors brings benefit, O best of speakers; what leads to long-lasting or eternal results?

बृहस्पतिरुवाच। हवींषि श्राद्धकाले तु यानि श्राद्धविदो विदुः। तानि मे श्रृणु सर्वाणि फलं चैषां यथाबलम् ।। २१.

Bṛhaspati said: Hear from me all the offerings known to the learned as proper at the time of śrāddha, and their respective fruits.

तिलैर्व्रीहियवैर्माषैरद्भिर्मूलफलेन च। दत्तेन मासं प्रीयन्ते श्राद्धेन तु पितामहाः ।। २१.

By offering sesame, rice, barley, black gram, water, roots, and fruits, the grandfathers are pleased for a month through the śrāddha.

मत्स्यैः प्रीणन्ति द्वौ मासौ त्रीन्मासान्हारिणेन तु। शाशन्तु चतुरो मासान् पञ्च प्रीणाति शाकुनम् ।। २१ .

With fish, they are pleased for two months; with deer meat, for three months; with hare, for four months; with bird, for five months.

वाराहेण तु षण्मासाञ्छागलं साप्तमासिकम्। अष्टमासिकमित्युक्तं यच्च पार्षतकं भवेत् ।। २१.

With boar, for six months; with goat, for seven months; with partridge, it is said, for eight months.

रौरवेण तु प्रीयन्ते नवमासान् पितामहाः। गवयस्य तु मांसेन तृप्तिः स्याद्दशमासिकी ।। २१.

With ruru deer, the grandfathers are pleased for nine months; with wild ox meat, satisfaction lasts for ten months.

कूर्मस्य चैव मांसेन मासानेकादशैव तु । श्राद्धमेव विजानीयाद्गव्यं संवत्सरं भवेत् ।। २१.

With tortoise meat, for eleven months; but know that with cow's meat at śrāddha, satisfaction lasts for a year.

तथा गव्यसमायुक्तं पायसं मधुसर्पिषा। वध्रीणसस्य मांसेन तृप्तिर्द्वादशवार्षिकी ।। २१.

Likewise, rice cooked with cow's milk, honey, and ghee, and with vadhrīṇasa's meat, brings satisfaction for twelve years.

आनन्त्याय भवेद्युक्तं खाड्गमांसैः पितृक्षये। कृष्णच्छागस्तथा गोधा आनन्त्यायैव कल्पते ।। २१.

For endless satisfaction, offerings of swordfish meat at the waning of the ancestors, as well as black goat and monitor lizard, are suitable for eternity.

अत्र गाथाः पितृगीताः कीर्त्तयन्ति पुराविदः। तास्तेऽहं संप्रवक्ष्यामि यथावत्सन्निबोधत ।। २१.

On this subject, the knowers of old recite the songs of the ancestors; I shall now declare them to you in full, listen attentively.