Daily Rites and Rites for the Departed
Sandhyā, snāna, tarpaṇa and bali-vaiśvadeva are the rites of every day. Śrāddha, the last rites and Nārāyaṇa Bali are the rites that sustain those who have died. The pages below describe them one by one.
The final rites, from the hour of death through cremation and ten days of piṇḍa offerings, as the Garuḍa Purāṇa teaches them.
BalivaiśvadevaBalivaiśvadeva is the daily fire rite of the householder, with offerings to many devatās and food for all beings, as the Garuḍa Purāṇa teaches.
Nārāyaṇa BaliA rite from the Garuḍa Purāṇa that offers a bali to Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa to free pretas who died without proper final rites.
Sandhyā VidhiThe sandhyā-vandana, the daily upāsanā of Bhagavān Sūrya at dawn, noon and dusk, as the Agni, Liṅga and Garuḍa Purāṇas teach it, with gāyatrī-japa and its phala.
Snāna VidhiThe rule of sacred bathing: the baths with water, earth, bhasma and mantras, the call to Gaṅgā, tarpaṇa, arghya to Sūrya and the phala of the bath.
ŚrāddhaŚrāddha is the offering of food, water, sesame and piṇḍas to the departed ancestors, the pitṛs, to feed them and win their blessings for the living.
Tarpaṇa VidhiTarpaṇa is the offering of water with sesame and kuśa grass to the devas, the ṛshis and the pitṛs, as the Garuḍa Purāṇa teaches.