Sanatkumara, the venerable sage, once sang these sacred teachings to the great-souled Ila, who approached him with deep devotion and humility, seeking to understand the proper rites for honoring the ancestors. In response to Ila’s earnest inquiry, Sanatkumara spoke of the auspicious times and the profound merits of ancestral offerings. He revealed that there are four days of exceptional merit, celebrated since ancient times as the beginnings of the ages: the third day of the bright half of Vaishakha, the ninth of the bright half of Karttika, and the thirteenth and fifteenth days of the dark half of Nabhasya and Magha. These days, together with the occasions of lunar and solar eclipses, the three Ashtakas, and the two solstices, are most sacred for performing ancestral rites. On these holy times, Sanatkumara instructed, one should offer water mixed with sesame seeds to the ancestors, doing so with heartfelt devotion. Such an offering, performed with sincerity, is as meritorious as a thousand years of worship—a secret known to the ancestors themselves. He further explained that if, in the dark half of Magha, the fifteenth day coincides with the constellation Varuna, that moment is supremely auspicious for the ancestors and is rarely attained except by those of great merit. If the constellation Dhanishtha is present at that time, then food and water offered to the ancestors by the family brings them satisfaction for ten thousand years. And should the early Bhadrapada constellation also coincide, proper rites performed then grant the ancestors supreme satisfaction, allowing them to rest content for a thousand ages. Sanatkumara emphasized the power of bathing in sacred rivers such as the Ganga, Shatadru, Yamuna, Vipasha, Sarasvati, or Naimisha Gomati before offering worship to the ancestors. Such acts, performed with reverence, destroy misfortunes and bring blessings to both ancestors and descendants. Indeed, the ancestors themselves are said to sing in longing: “When shall we, having once again attained satisfaction from the pure waters of holy fords at the end of the dark half of Magha, receive offerings given by our children and others?” Sanatkumara then spoke of the essential elements for successful offerings: purity of mind and wealth, the right time, the prescribed procedure, a proper vessel, and above all, supreme devotion. When all these are present, the desired results are surely obtained. He urged Ila to listen further to the verses sung by the ancestors themselves, so that, having heard them, one might act with a devoted heart. The ancestors praise the wise descendant born in their lineage who, without deceit regarding wealth, offers rice-balls and food in their honor. They declare blessed anyone who, with whatever riches he possesses, gives gems, garments, vehicles, and all manner of enjoyments to Brahmins on their behalf. Even if one’s means are modest, feeding excellent Brahmins with devotion and humility at this sacred time brings great merit. If one cannot provide cooked food, then offering uncooked grain, or even a small token, to the foremost of the twice-born is praiseworthy. Should even this prove impossible, then after bowing to a distinguished Brahmin, one may simply give a few sesame seeds held at the tips of the fingers. Even seven or eight sesame seeds, or a handful of water, offered with devotion and humility, are accepted by the ancestors. If one has nothing at all, then going to the forest and pointing to the roots of trees, he should declare aloud to the Sun and the guardians of the worlds: “I have no wealth, no riches, nor anything suitable for the śrāddha. I bow to my ancestors. May my forefathers be satisfied with my devotion, as I raise my two arms on the path of the wind.” Aurva, another sage, confirmed that these were the words sung by the ancestors themselves, prescribing what is to be done both in prosperity and adversity. Whoever follows these instructions, Aurva declared, has indeed accomplished the śrāddha. Aurva then explained further: at the śrāddha, one should feed Brahmins, and he described the qualities such Brahmins should possess. The most worthy are those who know the three fires, the threefold honey, and the three Suparṇas; those learned in the six limbs of the Veda, knowers of the Veda, Śrotriyas, yogins, and the eldest Sāmagā. Also to be honored are priests, maternal uncles, daughters’ sons, sons-in-law, fathers-in-law, those devoted to austerity, those engaged in the five fires, disciples, relatives, and those devoted to mother and father. These, Aurva said, should be engaged first in the śrāddha, followed by other Brahmins in the proper order to ensure the ancestors’ satisfaction. He cautioned against inviting those unfit: one who is hostile to friends, has deformed nails, is impotent, has black teeth, has violated a maiden, abandoned the sacred fire, or sells Soma. Also unfit are those who are cursed, thieves, slanderers, village priests, those who teach or are taught for hire, one who has married another’s former wife, abandoned parents, supports or marries a Śūdra woman, or serves as a temple priest. On the first day, the wise should invite those praiseworthy Śrotriyas and inform them of the duties to be performed for the ancestors and the gods. Thereafter, the sacrificer should avoid anger, sexual activity, or exertion with those Brahmins, for such actions bring great fault. If a Brahmin appointed at a śrāddha engages in sexual intercourse after eating or performing the rites, it is said that he plunges his ancestors into the pit of semen. Therefore, Aurva emphasized, as previously stated, the foremost twice-born should be invited first, and one should not feed ascetics who have arrived without first inviting the twice-born. Those who come to the house should be honored with foot-washing and other rites. With pure hands, after they have rinsed their mouths, they should be seated respectfully; the ancestors and gods, as well as the twice-born, should be honored according to one’s means. The gods and ancestors may be assigned their offerings either individually or one by one. The śrāddha for the maternal grandfather should also be performed, accompanied by the Vaiśvadeva rite, with devotion and fullness. The Brahmins representing the gods should be fed facing east, while those representing the ancestors and maternal grandfathers should be fed facing north. Some sages recommend that these rites be performed separately, while others declare that they may be done together with a single cooking. For the seat, a blade of kuśa grass should be offered, and the honored guests should be welcomed with water for washing. The wise should then perform the invocation of the gods with the permission of the assembled Brahmins. Thus, through these teachings, the sages have shown the way to fulfill one’s duty to the ancestors, ensuring their satisfaction and the well-being of future generations.