मृतबन्धोर्दशाहानि कुलस्यान्नं न भुज्यते । दानं प्रतिग्रहो होमः स्वाध्यायश्च निवर्तते
For ten days after the death of a relative, the family does not eat food; giving and receiving gifts, sacrificial offerings, and recitation of sacred texts are suspended.
विप्रस्यैतद् द्वादशाहं राजन्यस्याप्यशौचकम् । अर्धमासं तु वैश्यस्य मासं शूद्रस्य शुद्धये
For a Brahmin, this impurity lasts twelve days; for a Kshatriya as well. For a Vaishya, it is half a month, and for a Shudra, a full month for purification.
अयुजो भोजयेत् कामं द्विजानन्ते ततो दिने । दद्याद्दर्भेषु पिण्डं च प्रेतायोच्छिष्टसन्निधौ
If desired, one may feed Brahmins who are not related, on the last day; and one should offer a rice-ball on darbha grass to the departed, in the presence of remnants.
वार्यायुधप्रतोदास्तु दण्डश्च द्विजभोजनात् । स्प्रष्टव्योऽनन्तरं वर्णैः शुद्धेरन्ते ततः क्रमात्
Water, weapons, goads, and a staff—after the Brahmins have eaten, these should be touched in order by the castes, at the end of the purification.
ततस्स्ववर्णधर्मा ये विप्रादीनामुदाहृताः । तान् कुर्वीत पुमाञ्जीवेन्निजधर्मार्जनैस्तथा
Then, one should perform the duties prescribed for one's own caste, as stated for Brahmins and others, and live by the acquisition of one's own lawful means.
मृताहनि च कर्तव्यमेकोद्दिष्टमतः परम् । आह्वानादिक्रियादैवनियोगरहितं हि तत्
On the day of death, the ekoddiṣṭa rite should be performed; it is done without invitation or other rituals, being solely ordained by fate.
पूर्वाः क्रियाश्च कर्त्तव्याः पुत्राद्यैरेव चोत्तराः । दौहित्रैर्वा नृपश्रेष्ठ कार्यास्तत्तनयैस्तथा
The earlier rites should be performed by the son and others, and the later rites as well; or, O best of kings, by the daughter's son or his descendants.
मृताहनि च कर्त्तव्याः स्त्रीणामप्युत्तराः क्रियाः । प्रतिसंवत्सरं राजन्नेकोद्दिष्टविधानतः
On the day of death, the later rites should also be performed for women, O king, every year according to the ekoddiṣṭa procedure.
तस्मादुत्तरसंज्ञायाः क्रियास्ताः शृणु पार्थिव । यथा यथा च कर्त्तव्या विधिना येन चानघ
Therefore, hear about those rites known as 'later,' O king, and how and by whom they should be performed according to the prescribed rule, O sinless one.
और्व उवाच (श्राद्धफलश्रुति-विशेषश्राद्धफल-पितृगीतावर्णनम्) और्व उवाच ब्रह्मेन्द्ररुद्रनासत्यसूर्याग्निवसुमारुतान् । विश्वेदेवान्पितृगणान्वयांसि मनुजान्पशून्
Aurva said: By performing the śrāddha with faith, one pleases Brahmā, Indra, Rudra, the Aśvins, the Sun, Agni, the Vasus, the Maruts, the Viśvedevas, the groups of ancestors, lineages, humans, and animals.
सरीसृपानृषिगणान्यच्चान्यद्भूतसंज्ञितम् , श्राद्धं श्रद्धान्वितः कुर्वन्प्रीणयत्यखिलं जगत्
One who performs śrāddha with faith pleases all the world, including reptiles, groups of sages, and all other beings known as 'bhūtas.'
मासि मास्यसिते पक्षे पञ्चदश्यां नरेश्वर । तथाष्टकासु कुर्वीत काम्यान्कालाञ्छृणुष्व मे
O king, on the fifteenth day of the dark fortnight of each month, as well as on the aṣṭakā days, one should perform the desired śrāddhas at the proper times—hear these from me.
श्राद्धार्हमागतं द्रव्यं विशिष्टमथ वा द्विजम् । श्राद्धं कुर्वीत विज्ञाय व्यतीपातेऽयने तथा
When suitable materials or a distinguished Brahmin arrives for śrāddha, one should perform the rite, knowing this, at the time of the sun's southern course.
विषुवे चापि सम्प्राप्ते ग्रहणे शशिसूर्ययोः । समस्तेष्वेव भूपाल राशिष्वर्के च गच्छति
And also at the solstice, or when there is an eclipse of the moon or sun, or whenever the sun enters a new zodiac sign, O ruler of the earth.
नक्षत्रग्रहपीडासु दुष्टस्वप्नावलोकने । इच्छाश्राद्धानि कुर्वीत नवसस्यागमे तथा
During afflictions by stars or planets, upon seeing bad dreams, one should perform voluntary śrāddhas, as well as at the coming of new grain.
अमावास्या यदा मैत्रविशाखास्वातियोगिनी । श्राद्धैः पितृगणस्तृप्तिं तथाप्नोत्यष्टवार्षिकीम्
When the new moon falls under the conjunction of the stars Maitra, Vishakha, or Swati, the hosts of ancestors attain satisfaction from offerings for eight years.
अमावास्या यदा पुष्ये रौद्रे चर्क्षे पुनर्वसौ । द्वादशाब्दं तदा तृप्तिं प्रयान्ति पितरोऽर्चिताः
When the new moon occurs in Pushya, Rudra, or Punarvasu, the ancestors who are honored then gain satisfaction for twelve years.
वासवाजैकपादर्क्षे पितॄणां तृप्तिमिच्छताम् । वारुणे वाप्यमावास्या देवानामपि दुर्लभा
On the new moon in the constellation Vasavajaikapada, those who desire to satisfy their ancestors, or on the new moon in Varuna, even the gods find such satisfaction difficult to obtain.
नवस्वृक्षेष्वमावास्या यदैतेष्ववनीपते । तदा हि तृप्तिदं श्राद्धं पितॄणां शृणु चापरम्
When the new moon falls in any of the nine constellations, O king, then the offering to the ancestors brings satisfaction; now hear further about this.
गीतं सनत्कुमारेण यथैलाय महात्मने । पृच्छते पितृभक्ताय प्रश्रयावनताय च
This was sung by Sanatkumara to the great-souled Ila, who asked with devotion to the ancestors and with humility.
श्रीसनत्कुमार उवाच वैशाखमासस्य च या तृतीया नवम्यसौ कार्त्तिकशुक्लपक्षे । नभस्य मासस्य च कृष्णपक्षे त्रयोदशी पञ्चदशी च माघे
Sanatkumara said: The third day of the bright half of the month of Vaishakha, the ninth of the bright half of Karttika, the thirteenth and fifteenth days of the dark half of Nabhasya, and in Magha—
एता युगाद्याः कथिताः पुराणेष्वनन्तपुण्यास्तिथयश्चतस्रः । उपप्लवे चन्द्रमसो रवेश्च त्रिष्वष्टकास्वप्ययनद्वये च
These four days, declared in the Puranas as the beginning of the ages, are of endless merit; also during the lunar and solar eclipses, the three Ashtakas, and the two solstices.
पानीयमप्यत्र तिलैर्विमिश्रं दद्यात्पितृभ्यः प्रयतो मनुष्यः । श्राद्धं कृते तेन समासहस्रं रहस्यमेतत्पितरो वदन्ति
On these occasions, a person should offer water mixed with sesame seeds to the ancestors with devotion; by performing the rite, it is as if a thousand years have been completed—this is a secret the ancestors declare.
माघेऽसिते पञ्चदशी कदाचिदुपैति योगं यदि वारुणेन । ऋक्षेण कालस्स परः पितॄणां न ह्यल्पपुण्यैर्नृप लभ्यतेऽसौ
If, in the dark half of Magha, the fifteenth day coincides with the constellation Varuna, that time is supreme for the ancestors and is not attained by those of little merit, O king.
काले धनिष्ठा यदि नाम तस्मिन्भवेत्तु भूपाल तदा पितृभ्यः । दत्तं जलान्नं प्रददाति तृप्तिं वर्षायुतं तत्कुलजैर्मनुष्यैः
If at that time the constellation Dhanishtha is present, O ruler, then water and food offered to the ancestors by the family brings satisfaction for ten thousand years.
तत्रैव चेद्भाद्रपदा नु पूर्वाः काले यथावत्क्रियते पितृभ्यः । श्राद्धं परां तृप्तिमुपेत्य तेन युगं सहस्रं पितरस्स्वपन्ति
If, at that very time, the early Bhadrapada constellation is present and the rites are performed properly for the ancestors, they attain supreme satisfaction and sleep for a thousand ages.
गंगां शतद्रूं यमुनां विपाशां सरस्वतीं नैमिशगोमतीं वा । तत्रावगाह्यार्चनमादरेण कृत्वा पितॄणां दुरितानि हन्ति
By bathing in the Ganga, Shatadru, Yamuna, Vipasha, Sarasvati, or Naimisha Gomati, and then worshipping the ancestors with reverence, one destroys their misfortunes.
गायन्ति चैतत्पितरः कदानु हर्षादमी तृप्तिमवाप्य भूयः । माघासितांते शुभतीर्थतोयैर्यास्याम तृप्तिं तनयादिदत्तैः
The ancestors sing: 'When shall we, having again attained satisfaction with the pure waters of holy fords at the end of the dark half of Magha, receive offerings given by our children and others?'
चित्तं च वित्तं च नृणां विशुद्धं शस्तश्च कालः कथितो विधिश्च । पात्रं यथोक्तं परमा च भक्तिर्नृणां प्रयच्छन्त्यभिवाञ्छितानि
A person's mind and wealth, when pure, the proper time, the prescribed procedure, the appropriate vessel, and supreme devotion—all these grant the desired results.
एकोर्घ्यस्तत्र दातव्यस्तथैवैकपवित्रकम् प्रेताय पिंडो दातव्यो भुक्तवत्सु द्विजातिषु २४ प्रश्नश्च तत्राभिरतिर्यजमानद्विजन्मनाम् अक्षय्यममुकस्येति वक्तव्यं विरतौ तथा २५ एकोद्दिष्टमयो धर्म इत्थमावत्सरात्स्मृतः सपिंडीकरणं तस्मिन्काले राजेंद्र तच्छृणु २६ एकोद्दिष्टविधानेन कार्यं तदपि पार्थिव संवत्सरेथ षष्ठे वा मासे वा द्वादशो!ह्नि तत् २७ तिलगंधोदकैर्युक्तं तत्र पात्रचतुष्टयम् २८ पात्रं प्रेतस्य तत्रैकं पैत्रं पात्रत्रयं तथा सेचयेत्पितृपात्रेषु प्रेतपात्रं ततस्त्रिषु २९ ततः पितृत्वमापन्ने तस्मिन्प्रेते महीपते श्राद्धधर्मैरशेषैस्तु तत्पूर्वानर्चयेत्पितॄन् ३० पुत्रः पौत्रः प्रपौत्रो वा भ्राता वा भ्रातृसंततिः सपिंड संततिर्वापि क्रियार्हो नृप जायते ३१ तेषामभावे सर्वेषां समानोदकसंततिः मातृपक्षमपिंडेन संबंधा ये जलेन वा ३२ कुलद्वयेपि चोच्छिन्ने स्त्रीभिः कार्याः क्रिया नृप पितृमातृसपिंडैस्तु समानसलिलैस्तथा ३३ संघातांतर्गतैर्वापि कार्याः प्रेतस्य च क्रियाः उत्सन्नबंधुरिक्थाद्वा कारयेदवनीपतिः ३४ पूर्वाः क्रिया मध्यमाश्च तथा चैवोत्तराः क्रियाः त्रिःप्रकाराः क्रियास्सर्वास्तासां भेदं शृणुष्व मे ३५ आदाहाद्द्वाशाहाश्च स्पर्शाद्यंतास्तु याः क्रियाः ताः पूर्वा मध्यमा मासि मास्येकोद्दिष्टसंज्ञिताः ३६ प्रेते पितृत्वमापन्ने सपिंडिकरणादनु क्रियंते याः क्रियाः पित्र्याः प्रोच्यंते ता नृपोत्तराः ३७ पितृमातृसपिण्डैस्तु समानसलिलैस्तथा । सङ्घातान्तर्गतैर्वापि राज्ञा तद्धनहारिणा
There, one libation of water and one sacred thread are to be given; a rice-ball for the departed is to be offered after the Brahmins have eaten. There, a question is to be asked among the sacrificer and the twice-born: 'Is it inexhaustible for the one who has no son?'—this should be said at the conclusion. The ekoddiṣṭa rite is thus prescribed for a year. Now hear about the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa at that time, O king. That too should be performed according to the ekoddiṣṭa procedure, in the year, or in the sixth month, or on the twelfth day, O ruler. Four vessels, with sesame, fragrance, and water, are to be used there. One vessel is for the departed, and three are for the ancestors. The vessel for the departed is to be poured into the three ancestral vessels. Then, when the departed attains the status of ancestor, O king, he should be worshipped with all the rites of the śrāddha, honoring the previous ancestors. A son, grandson, great-grandson, brother, or brother's offspring, or any member of the sapiṇḍa lineage, becomes eligible to perform the rites, O king. In the absence of all these, anyone of the same water-offering lineage, or those related through the mother's side by rice-ball or water, may perform the rites. If both family lines are extinct, women should perform the rites, O king, with those who are sapiṇḍas of the father and mother, or of the same water-offering group. Or, if included in the group, the king should have the rites performed for the departed, if there are no relatives or property. The rites are of three kinds: earlier, intermediate, and later; hear from me the distinction among them. The rites from cremation to the twelfth day are called earlier; the intermediate are the monthly and ekoddiṣṭa rites. When the departed attains ancestorhood after sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, the rites performed for the ancestors are called later rites. With those who are sapiṇḍas of the father and mother, or of the same water-offering group, or included in the group, the king who inherits the property should perform them.