Vayu Purana

दावदाहे मृता ये च सिंहव्याग्रहताश्च ये। दंष्ट्रिभिः श्रृङ्गिभिर्वापि तेभ्यः पिण्डं ददाम्यहम् ।। ४८.

For those who died in a forest fire, and those killed by lions or tigers, or by fanged or horned creatures, I give this rice-ball.

उद्बन्धनमृता ये च विषशस्त्रहताश्च ये। आत्मापघातिनो ये च तेभ्यः पिण्डं ददाम्यहम् ।। ४८.

For those who died by hanging, and those killed by poison or weapons, and those who took their own lives, I give this rice-ball.

अरण्ये वर्त्मनि वने क्षुधया तृषया हताः। भूतप्रेतपिशाचाद्यैस्तेभ्यः पिण्डं ददाम्यहम् ।। ४८.

For those who perished in the forest, on the path, or in the woods, killed by hunger or thirst, or by spirits, ghosts, or demons, I give this rice-ball.

रौरवे चान्धतामिस्रे कालसूत्रे च ये गताः। तेषामुद्धरणार्ताय इमं पिण्डं ददाम्यहम् ।। ४८.

For those who have gone to Raurava, Andhatamisra, or Kālasūtra, for their upliftment, I give this rice-ball.

असिपत्रवने घोरे कुम्भीपाकेषु ये गताः। तेषामुद्धरणार्थाय इमं पिण्डं ददाम्यहम् ।। ४८.

For those who have gone to the dreadful Asipatravana or Kumbhīpāka, for their upliftment, I give this rice-ball.

अनेकयातनासंस्थाः प्रेतलोकञ्च ये गताः। तेषामुद्धरणार्थाय इमं पिण्डं ददाम्यहम् ।। ४८.

For those who dwell in many tortures, and those who have gone to the realm of the departed, for their upliftment, I give this rice-ball.

अनेकयातनासंस्था ये नीता यमकिङ्करैः। तेषामुद्धरणार्थाय इमं पिण्डं ददाम्यहम् ।। ४८.

For those who dwell in many tortures, who have been taken by the servants of Yama, for their upliftment, I give this rice-ball.

नरकेषु समस्तेषु यातनासु च ये स्थिताः । तेषामुद्धरणार्थाय इमं पिण्डं ददाम्यहम् ।। ४८.

For the sake of rescuing those who dwell in all hells and in torments, I offer this rice-ball.

पशुयोनि गता येच पक्षिकीटसरीसृपाः। अथवा वृक्षयोनिस्थास्तेभ्यः पिण्डं ददाम्यहम् ।। ४८.

And for those who have entered animal births, or are birds, insects, reptiles, or even those abiding in the womb of trees, I offer this rice-ball.

जात्यन्तरसहस्रेषु भ्रमन्तः स्वेन कर्म्मणा। मानुष्यं दुर्ल्लभं येषां तेभ्यः पिण्डं ददाम्यहम् ।। ४८.

For those who, due to their own actions, wander through thousands of other births and for whom human birth is difficult to attain, I offer this rice-ball.

दिव्यन्तरिक्षभूमिष्ठाः पितरो बान्धवादयः। मृता असंस्कृता ये च तेब्यः पिण्डं ददाम्यहम् ।। ४८.

For ancestors, relatives, and others who dwell in divine, atmospheric, or earthly realms, and for those who have died without proper rites, I offer this rice-ball.

ये केचित्प्रेतरूपेण वर्त्तन्ते पितरो मम। ते सर्व्वे तृप्तिमायान्तु पिण्डेनानेन सर्व्वदा ।। ४८.

May all my ancestors who exist in the form of departed spirits always attain satisfaction through this rice-ball.

येऽबान्धवा बान्धवा वा येऽन्यजन्मनि बान्धवाः। तेषां पिण्डो मया दत्तो ह्यक्षय्यमुपतिष्ठताम् ।। ४८.

Whether they are relatives or not, or were relatives in another birth, may the rice-ball I have given remain inexhaustible for them.

पितृवंशे मृता ये च मातृवंशे च ये मृताः। गुरुश्वशुरबन्धूनां ये चान्ये बान्धवा मृताः ।। ४८.

For those who have died in my paternal line, in my maternal line, and among the teachers, fathers-in-law, and other relatives, both close and distant, who have died—

ये मे कुले लुप्तपिण्डाः पुत्रदारविवर्जिताः। क्रियालोपगता ये च जात्यन्धाः पङ्गवस्तथा ।। ४८.

For those in my lineage who are deprived of rice-balls, lacking sons or wives, who have lost the proper rites, or who are born blind or crippled—

विरूपा आमगर्भाश्च ज्ञाताज्ञाताः कुले मम। तेषां पिण्डो मया दत्तो ह्यक्षय्यमुपतिष्ठताम् ।। ४८.

For those who are deformed, stillborn, known or unknown in my family, may the rice-ball I have given remain inexhaustible for them.

आ ब्रह्मणो ये पितृवंशजाता मातुस्तथा वंशभवा मदीयाः। कुलद्वये ये मम दासभूता भृत्या स्तथैवाश्रितसेवकाश्च ।। ४८.

For all those born in the ancestral line up to Brahma, and likewise those born in my mother's line, and for those in both families who were my servants, attendants, or dependents—

मित्राणि शिष्याः पशवश्च वृक्षा दृष्टा ह्यदृष्टाश्च कृतोपकाराः। जन्मान्तरे ये मम सङ्गताश्च तेभ्यः स्वधा पिण्डमहं ददामि ।। ४८.

For friends, students, cattle, trees—whether seen or unseen, those who have rendered service, and those who were associated with me in another birth—I offer this rice-ball with the invocation of svadhā.

एतैश्च सर्व्वमन्त्रैस्तु स्त्रीलिङ्गान्तं समूह्य च। पिण्डान्दद्याद्यथापूर्व्वं स्त्रीणां मात्रादिकक्रमात् ।। ४८.

With all these mantras, gathering up to the feminine forms, one should offer rice-balls as before, in the order beginning with the mother for women.

स्वगोत्रे परगोत्रे वा दम्पत्योः पिण्डपातनम्। अपृथङ् निष्फलं श्राद्धं पिण्डञ्चोदकतर्पणम् ।। ४८.

Whether in one's own lineage or another's, the offering of rice-balls for a married couple, if not done separately, makes the śrāddha and the offerings of rice-balls and water fruitless.

पिण्डपात्रे तिलान्क्षिप्त्वा पूरयित्वा शुभोदकैः। परिषिच्य त्रिधा सर्वान् प्रणिपत्य समापयेत् ।। ४८.

Having placed sesame seeds in the rice-ball vessel, filled it with pure water, and sprinkled it three times, one should bow to all and complete the rite.

पितॄन्विसृज्य चाचम्य साक्षिणः श्रावयेत्सुरान् । साक्षिणः सन्तु मे देवा ब्रह्मेशानादयस्तथा। मया गयां समासाद्य पितॄणां निष्कृतिः कृता ।। ४८.

Having dismissed the ancestors and sipped water, one should make the gods bear witness, saying: 'May the gods, beginning with Brahmā and Īśāna, be my witnesses; having reached Gayā, I have fulfilled my obligation to the ancestors.'

आगतोऽस्मि गयां देव पितृकार्य्ये गदाधर। त्वमेव साक्षी भगवन्ननृणोऽहमृणत्रयात् ।। ४८.

'I have come to Gayā, O God, for the sake of the ancestral rite, O wielder of the mace; you alone are witness, O Lord, that I am freed from the three debts.'

सर्व्वस्थानेषु चैवं स्यात् पिण्डदानन्तु नारद। प्रेतपर्व्वतमारभ्य कुर्य्यात्तीर्थेषु च क्रमात् ।। ४८.

In all places, O Nārada, the offering of rice-balls should be done in this way, beginning from the Pretaparvata and then in the holy places in order.

तिलमिश्रांस्ततः सक्तून्निःक्षिपेत्प्रेतपर्व्वते। अपसव्येन देवर्षे दक्षिणाभिमुखेन च ।। ४८.

Then, on the Pretaparvata, one should place cakes mixed with sesame, turning counterclockwise and facing south, O sage among the gods.

ये केचित्प्रेतरूपेण वर्त्तन्ते पितरो मम। ते सर्व्वे तृप्तिमायान्तु सक्तुभिस्तिलमिश्रितैः ।। ४८.

May all my ancestors, whoever exist in the form of departed spirits, be fully satisfied with offerings of flour mixed with sesame seeds.

आब्रह्मस्तम्बपर्य्यन्तं यत्किञ्चित्सचराचरम्। मया दत्तेन तोयेन तृप्तिमायान्तु सर्व्वशः ।। ४८.

May all beings, moving and unmoving, from Brahma down to a blade of grass, be completely satisfied by the water I have offered.

प्रेतत्वाच्च विमुक्ताः स्युः पितरस्तस्य नारद। प्रेतत्वं तस्य माहात्म्यात्कुले चापि न जायते ।। ४८.

By this, O Nārada, his ancestors are freed from the state of being spirits; through his greatness, that condition does not arise in his lineage.

नाम्ना प्रेतशिला ख्याता गयाशिरसि मुक्तये। तीर्थमन्त्रादिरूपेण स्थित श्चादिगदाधरः ।। ४८.

The stone known by name as Pretaśilā, on the summit of Gayā, is famous for granting liberation, and the staff-bearing one abides there in the form of a sacred place, mantra, and so on.