वेद्यं च वेदितव्यं च विदित्वा वै यथाविधि। एवं वेदविदं प्राहुस्ततोऽन्ये वेदचिन्तकाः ।। २१.
Having known both what is to be known and what is to be understood, according to the proper method, such a person is called a knower of the Veda by others who contemplate the Veda.
यज्ञान् वेदांस्तथा कामाञ्ज्ञानानि विविधानि च। प्राप्नोत्यायुः प्रजाश्चैव पितृभक्तो धनानि च ।। २१.
He attains sacrifices, the Vedas, desires, and various kinds of knowledge; he also attains long life, offspring, devotion to ancestors, and wealth.
श्राद्धे यः श्राद्धकल्पं वै पश्चिमं नियतं पठेत्। सर्वाप्येतान्यवाप्नोति तीर्थे दानफलानि च ।। २१.
Whoever recites, with discipline, the final prescribed section of the Śrāddha ritual, attains all these results and also the fruits of giving at holy places.
स पङ्क्तिपावनश्चैव द्विजानामग्रभुग् भवेत्। अध्याप्य वा द्विजान् सर्वान् सर्वान् कामानवाप्नुयात् ।। २१.
He becomes a purifier of the line and the foremost recipient among twice-born; and by teaching all the twice-born, he attains all desires.
यश्चैव श्रृणुयान्नित्यमानन्त्यं स्वर्गमश्नुते। अनसूयो जितक्रोधो लोभमोहविवर्जितः ।। २१.
And whoever always listens to this endless (account), attains heaven—if he is free from envy, has conquered anger, and is devoid of greed and delusion.
तीर्थानां च फलं कृत्स्नं दानादीनां तथैव च। मोक्षोपायो ह्ययं श्रेष्ठः स्वर्गोपायो ह्ययं परः । इह चापि परा तुष्टिस्तस्मात्कुर्वीत यत्नतः ।। २१.
He attains the complete fruit of pilgrimages and of gifts and the like; this is the highest means to liberation, and the supreme means to heaven. Here and hereafter, the highest satisfaction is gained; therefore, one should strive diligently.
इमं विधिं यो हि पठेदतन्द्रितः समाहितः संसदि पर्वसन्धिषु । अपत्यभाग्भवति परेण तेजसा दिवौ कसां स व्रजते सलोकताम् ।। २१.
Whoever recites this procedure attentively and with concentration at assemblies and at the junctions of sacred days, becomes possessed of offspring, attains supreme brilliance, and reaches the same world as the gods.
येन प्रोक्तस्त्वयं कल्पो नमस्तस्मै स्वयम्भुवे। महायोगेश्वरेभ्यश्च सदा च प्रणतो ह्यहम् ।। २१.
To the Self-born, by whom this rite has been declared, I bow; and always, I bow to the great lords of yoga.
इत्येतेपितर स्तात देवानामपि देवताः। सप्तस्वेतेषु ते नित्यं स्थानेषु पितरोऽव्यथाः ।। २१.
Thus, O dear one, these ancestors are indeed the deities of the gods; these seven, ever untroubled, remain always in their respective places.
प्रजापतिसुता ह्येते सर्वे चैव महात्मनः। आद्यो गणस्तु योगानां स नित्यो योगवर्द्धनः ।। २१.
These are the sons of Prajapati, all of great soul; the first group is of yogis, eternal and ever-increasing in yoga.
द्वितीयो देवतानां तु तृतीयो देवताऽरिणाम्। शेषास्तु वर्णिनां ज्ञेया इति सर्वे प्रकीर्तिताः ।। २१.
The second group is of the gods, the third of the enemies of the gods; the rest are to be known as belonging to the classes of men—thus all have been described.
देवास्त्वेतान् यजन्ते वै सर्वेष्वेतेष्ववस्थिताः। आश्रमास्तु यजन्त्येतांश्चत्वारस्तु यथाक्रमम् ।। २१.
The gods worship these (ancestors), all being established in them; and the four orders of life worship these, each in their own order.
वर्णाश्चापि यजन्त्येतांश्चत्वारस्तु यथाविधि। तथा सङ्करजाताश्च म्लेच्छाश्चैव यजन्ति वै ।। २१.
The four classes also worship these, each according to the proper method; likewise, those born of mixed castes and even foreigners worship them.
पितॄंश्च यो यजेद्भक्त्या पितरः पूजयन्ति तम्। पितरः पुष्ठिकामस्य प्रजाकामस्य वा पुनः। पुष्ठिं प्रजाश्च स्वर्गं च प्रयच्छन्ति पितामहाः ।। २१.
Whoever worships the ancestors with devotion, the ancestors honor him; and for one desiring prosperity or offspring, the grandfathers grant prosperity, offspring, and heaven.
देवकार्यादपि सूनोः पितृकार्यं विशिष्यते। देवतानां हि पितरः पूर्वमाप्यायनं स्वयम् ।। २१.
The duty owed by a son to his father surpasses even the duty owed to the gods; for the ancestors are themselves the original source of nourishment for the gods.
न हि योगगतिः सूक्ष्मा पितॄणां च परा गतिः। तपसा विप्रकृष्टेन दृश्यते मांसचक्षुषा ।। २१.
Neither the subtle path of yoga nor the supreme path of the ancestors can be perceived by the physical eye, even through intense austerity.
सर्वेषां राजतं पात्रमथवा रजतान्वितम्। पावनं ह्युत्तमं प्रोक्तं देवानां पितृभिः सह ।। २१.
A vessel made entirely of silver, or one adorned with silver, is declared to be the most purifying and excellent for offerings to the gods together with the ancestors.
येषां दास्यन्ति पिण्डांस्त्रीन् बान्धवा नामगोत्रतः। भूमौ कुशोत्तरायाञ्च अपसव्यविधानतः ।। २१.
Those whose relatives, identified by name and lineage, offer them three balls of food on earth, placed upon sacred grass and in the prescribed manner, receive benefit.
सर्वत्र वर्त्तमानास्ते पिण्डाः प्रीणन्ति वै पितॄन्। यदाहारो भवेज्जन्तुराहारः सोऽस्य जायते ।। २१.
Wherever those balls of food are present, they truly satisfy the ancestors; whatever nourishment a creature receives, that becomes its sustenance.
यथा गोष्ठे प्रनष्टां वै वत्सो विन्दति मातरम् । तथा तं नयते मन्त्रो जन्तुर्यत्रावतिष्ठते ।। २१.
Just as a calf finds its lost mother in the cowshed, so the mantra guides the creature to the place where it resides.
मान गोत्रं च मन्त्रश्च दत्तमन्नं नयन्ति तम्। अपि योनिशतं प्राप्तां स्तृप्तिस्ताननुगच्छति ।। २१.
The respect, lineage, and mantra, along with the offered food, lead to satisfaction; even if one attains a hundred births, that fulfillment follows them.
एवमेषा स्थिता संस्था ब्रह्मणा परमेष्ठिना । पितॄणामादिसर्गस्तु लोकानामक्षयार्थिनाम् ।। २१.
Thus this arrangement was established by Brahmā, the supreme lord: the original creation of the ancestors, for those worlds seeking imperishability.
इत्येते पितरो देवा देवाश्च पितरः पुनः। दौहित्रा यजमानाश्च प्रोक्ताश्चैव मयाऽनघाः ।। २१.
Thus, these ancestors are gods, and the gods are again ancestors; the sacrificers and their descendants have also been described by me, O sinless ones.
लोका दुहितरश्चैव दौहित्राश्च सुतास्तथा। दानानि सह शौचेन तीर्थानि च फलानि च ।। २१.
The worlds, daughters, grandsons, and sons, as well as gifts, purity, sacred places, and their fruits, have all been explained.
अक्षयत्वं द्विजाश्चैव यायावरविधिस्तथा । प्रोक्तं सर्वं यथान्यायं यथा ब्रह्माऽब्रवीत् पुरा ।। २१.
Imperishability, the twice-born, and the wandering ascetic tradition have all been stated according to proper order, as Brahmā once spoke.
बृहस्पतिरुवाच।। इत्येतदङ्गिराः प्राह ऋषीणां श्रृण्वतां तदा। पृष्टस्तु संशयं सर्वं पितॄणां प्राह संसदि ।। २१.
Bṛhaspati said: Thus Aṅgiras spoke this to the listening sages; when questioned, he explained all doubts concerning the ancestors in the assembly.
सत्रे वै वितते पूर्वं तदा वर्षसहस्रिके । यस्मिन् गृहपतिर्ह्यासीद्ब्रह्मा वै देवता प्रभुः ।। २१.
In the ancient sacrifice, lasting a thousand years, where the householder was present, Brahmā, the lord of the gods, presided.
संवत्सरशतान्यं च तत्रोपेता इति श्रुतिः। श्लोकाश्चात्र पुरा गीता ऋषिभिर्ब्रह्मवादिभिः ।। २१.
It is heard that hundreds of years were spent there; and verses were sung by the sages, those who speak of Brahman, in that place.
दीक्षितस्य तदा सत्रे ब्रह्मणः परमात्मनः। तत्रैव जातमत्युग्रं पितॄणामक्षयार्थिना। लोकानां च हितार्थाय ब्रह्मणा परमेष्टिना ।। २१.
At that sacrifice, the supreme soul, Brahmā, was initiated; there, the fierce desire for imperishability arose among the ancestors, for the welfare of the worlds, by Brahmā, the supreme lord.
सूत उवाच।। एवं बृहस्पतिः पूर्वं पृष्टः पुत्र्त्रेण धीमता। प्रोवाच पितृवंशन्तु यत्तद्वैसमुदाहृतम् । अत ऊर्द्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि वरुणस्य निबोधत ।। २१.
Sūta said: Thus, Bṛhaspati, when questioned by his wise son, spoke of the lineage of the ancestors as it was recounted; now I shall speak further—listen to the account of Varuṇa.