117 - Mode of performing the ancestral rites 

Agni said: 

1-5. Ishall describe (the mode of performing) Śrāddha (ancestral rite) as described by sage Katyāyana to the sages. Oneshould do śrāddha at Gayā especially on the sankranti¹ etc. or on the day of the new moon or on days after the fourth day. After having reached there, oneshould invite (any one of the following for the Šrāddha): the mendicants, pious householders one who has completed his studies, learned brahmins, those who are faultless, those who strictly observe the propriety of conduct. Persons afflicted by white leprosy or leprosyshould not be invited. So also people who are present uninvitedshould not be entertained. Theyshould have bathed, be pure and have self control. Theyshould face the cast while doing divine acts. The three fore-fathers (father, grand-father and great grand father)should separately be invoked. So also the fore-fathers on the maternal side (to whom one is entitled to offer)should be invoked. 

6. The performer of the śrāddhashould observe continence that day. (Heshould be) gentle, calm, not hasty, true and not intoxicated. (Heshould) not stir out. (Heshould) not read the scriptures and practice silence. 

7. Kind enquiriesshould be made of the chief among those seated. Even number of darbhashould be spread for the fore- fathers. The (appropriate) deityshould be invoked. 

8. Oneshould ask, “Shall I invoke Viśvedevas?" (Heshould be replied), "you invoke”. After having invoked Viśvedevas, and having spread barley, oneshould repeat the following: 

9. O Viśvedevas! You hear this. I invoke the fore-fathers. Having asked thus and being permitted to invoke, oneshould invoke them (saying) "You be pleased." 

10-12. After having spread the sesamum, oneshould invoke the fore-fathers with the repetition of (the mantra), “Fore-fathers" Oneshould sprinkle on the kuša with the mantra sam no devi. 

1. The day on which the sun enters a new sign of the zodiac. 

After having scattered the grains of barley with the (repetition of the mantra) “You are the barley grains", the sesamum (is scattered) (with the repetition of the mantra) "You are the sesamum. You are permeated with the essence of Soma. Graciously gratify the souls of forefathers. Salutations." Flowersshould be offered with (the mantra "śrisca te" in a golden or silver vessel or a wooden (vessel) or sword or vessel made of a leaf. The circumambulation is done clockwise in the case of celestials and anticlockwise in the case of fore-fathers, wearing the pavitra (made of darbha) on the hand, one for each one (of the fore-fathers). 

13. (Then heshould recite the following mantra): "May the celestial waters together with the waters of the earth and sky and the golden sacrificial waters confer blessing on you.” (Then the waters of respectful offeringshould be offered to the Viśvedevas with the mantra ): “O Viśvedevas! Here are the offerings for each one of you”. (Similarly, offeringsshould be made to the forefathers saying) "Here is the offering for you, O Forcfathers! 

14. Similarly, offeringsshould be made (to the grand-fathers) with (the mantra) "Obeisance to the grand-fathers.” The sacrificial vessel is lowered with (the repetition of the mantra) “You are the seats of my forefathers.” 

15. Then perfumes, flowers, incense sticks, lamps,shawls and food with clarified buttershould be raised up (by the performer of ancestral rite). (The brahminsshould then be asked) “Shall I offer them in the sacrifice?" 

16. Being permitted (by the brahmins) to do so, those thingsshould be offered to the fire in the case of those who maintain fire and on the hands of forefathers in the case of those who do not maintain fire with the repetition of the following mantra and (wearing) the pavitra (made of darbha worn on the finger). 

17. The first oblation is (made with the mantra): “Obeisance to the Agni, the conveyor of offerings.” The subsequent (mantras) are to Soma, to forefathers, to the god of death and Angiras. 

18. The remnants of oblationsshould be collected in the food vessel. “O Nectar! this earth is your receptacle, the sky is the covering. The brahmin is your mouth. I am casting in that mouth permeated with the nectar.” After having repeated (the mantra) “This Vishņu”, the thumb of the brahmin is placed in the food. 

19. The sesamumshould be scattered with (the mantra) “Removed", and the foodshould be given. After saying, "Be pleased", the gāyatri and other mantrasshould be repeated. 

20. “Obeisance to the gods, the forefathers, great yogins, Svadha and Svāhá always.” 

21. After having known that they are satisfied, the food must be scattered and watershould be given to each one of them. After repeating the gayatri (mantra) as before, (the mantra) “honey, honey"should be repeated. 

22-23. Theyshould be asked, "Are you all satisfied?". Theyshould say, “We are satisfied.' Being permitted by them the residual foodshould be gathered together and watershould be sprinkled by the side of the place where food was eaten. Three pindasshould be placed on kuśa, after they have done the achamana (rinsing of the mouth). 

24. After the rinsing of the mouth, water, flowers and unbroken riceshould be offered. The water given may be undiminishing. Then (the forefathers)should be requested (as follows): 

25-31. “May the forefathers be gracious: May our progeny prosper always. May the donors enjoy prosperity. So also (may) the Vedas and progeny (prosper). May our earnestness never fail. May we have plenty to give. May our food get profuse. May we get (enough) guests. May there be (plenty) seeking alms. May we not seek alms from anybody. The stems of kusa over which the (term) svadhå (obeisance) has been repeated are then gathered along with the pavitras and (permission)should be asked to say obeisance (to forefathers). After having been permitted, (the following mantra)should be recited: "Obeisance to the fathers (includes the brothers and cousin of the father) grandfathers and great-grand fathers. Obeisance.” As one is repeating this, watershould be sprinkled from the raised pot and feesshould be paid according to one's means. In the ceremonies related to the gods and forefathers oneshould say: "May the Viśve devas be pleased". Theyshould be bid adieu (with the mantra) "Våje vaje”. Then oneshould accompany the brahmins (with the repetition) of (the mantra) "åmåvājasya," do circum ambulation of them and enter the house. Oneshould do this on the new moon day every month. 

32. Ishall describe the mode of doing) ekoddista (rite done for an individual only). The śräddha rite is done as before. One pavitra, argha and one piņda are offered. 

33-34. In this rite, there is no invocation and the offering is not made in the fire. The Viśvedevas are not (invited) here. At the (time of) query about satisfaction (oneshould ask) "May it be relished”. The brahminshould say, "well relished”. Theyshould be asked to be seated and be pleased with the offering. They (should say), “We are pleased”. The remaining (part of the ceremony)should be done as before. 

35-37. Ishall describe (the mode of performing) the sapindikaraņa (a rite in honour of the dead person done on the 12th day after death or at the end of one year). (It is done) at the end of a year or in the middle. Three vesselsshould be kept for the fore-fathers and one vessel for the dead person. The four (vessels)should be provided with the sesamum and flowers along with the pavitra. Having filled them with scented water, sprinkle the vessel of the dead person with the mantra "ye samanā”. The offering of the pindashould be done) as before. By this rite (the soul of) the dead person attains the position of fathers. 

38-49. Ishall describe (the mode of doing) the Sräddha rite which confers prosperity. Everything is done as before. Oneshould repeat (the mantras) except the mantra of the father and (do) circumambulation in the forenoon. The materials (required are) good kuša, and barley grains instead of sesamum in this rite. The query about satisfaction is "Is it well done". The brahminshould say, "well done”. The pindasshould be composed of curd, broken rice and the jujube. Oneshould ask, “Shall I invoke the ancestors who are fit to receive nandi (rite)". Theyshould be requested to be satisfied with the offerings. The manes (who are) the nândimukhas, Ishall describe. Oneshould ask the clan of manes, the nåndimukhas to be pleased. The nândimukhas are—father, grand-father, great-grandfather, maternal grandfather, maternal great grand-father and maternal great great grand-father. (In this ceremony) the term svadhashould not be added. Even number of brahminsshould be fed. Ishall describe the country herbs which would satisfy the manes. They would get satisfied with the roots and fruits of the forest for a month, with the fish for two months,/with the ominous bird for three months, with the deer for four (months), with the goat for five or six, with the tortoise for seven or eight, with the boar for nine (months), with the meat of the ram, (meat) of the buffalo and the spotted antelope for ten months, with the milk of a cow and pāyasa (sweat gruel) for one year. They would be satisfied for twelve years with the meat of a sacrificial goat. The meat of a rhinoceros, the kalašāka (a kind of vegetable), (meat) of a red goat, honey and sea crabs offered in the rainy season and śräddha (done) in the (asterism) of maghā (tenth in the cycle) (yields) undiminishing benefits. The brahmins who study the Vedas, who do agnihotra, who study their own branch of Vedas, those who are learned in the six ancillary texts (of the Vedas), one who worships the Náciketa fire thrice a day, the three madhu (Rugvedaof the Rugveda), those who read the dharmadroņa, one who knows the trisuparņa (sūkta) and the jyesthasāman are those spoken as the panktipāvanas (the purifiers of an assembly). 

50-53. Ishall describe the mode of performing fruit-bearing (rites). (The srāddha done) on the first lunar day confers plenty of wealth, on the second day (gets) beautiful wives, on the fourth day the fulfilment of heartfelt desires, on the fifth day (confers) progeny, on the sixth day (makes the doer) thrive well, on the seventh day (increases) agricultural prospects, on the eighth day (confers) material prosperity, on the ninth day mules, on the tenth day plenty of cows, on the eleventh day off-springs, on the twelfth day wealth and grains, on the thirteenth day (ensures) excellent position among one's kinsmen. The sråddha of those dead by means of weapons (should be done) on the fourteenth. It is said that one gets all (desires fulfilled by doing sråddha ) on the new moon day. 

54-58. “The seven hunters (who resided) in Daśärņa, the deer (which dwelt) upon the mountain Kalañjara, the chakravāka (a species of water birds) in the Saradvipa, the hamsas (ganders) in the Mänasa lake were born at Kurukshetra as brahmins well-versed in the Vedas. They had gone a long way. May you excel them.” When this verse is read at the (time of) Śråddha etc., the sräddha gets completed and it yields the region of Brahma. A son may perform sraddha of his grandfather even as his father is alive, or of the grandfather when the great grand father is living, or of the great grandfather when the great great grandfather is living. So also (sråddha is done) for the mother, maternal grandfather etc. Whoever reads the Sraddhakalpa (that relating to performance of ståddha) gets the fruits of performing a Sraddha. 

59-63. A srāddha performed at a sacred place, or on the days of the commencement of the yuga or Manu period gets undiminishing fruits. Similarly, (śraddha done) on the ninth day of bright fortnight in (the month of) Aśvayuk (October-November), on the twelfth day in Kårttika (November December), on third day in Mágha and Bhadrapada (February-March and September-October), on the new moon day in Phälguna (March-April), on the eleventh day in Pausa (January-February), on the tenth day in Ashādha (July-August), on the seventh day in the month of Magha (February-March), on the eighth day of dark fortnight in Śråvaņa (August-September), on the full moon day in Ashādha (July-August) and on the full moon days in Kärttika, Phälguna and Jyeshtha (June-July) (confer manifold benefits). The days of commencement of the Svayambhuva Manu periods are also of undiminishing benefits. Gayà, Prayāga, (river) Gangā, Kurukshetra, (river) Narmadā, Śriparvata, Prabhasa, Salagrama, Varanasi and river Godavari (are sacred places). Sraddha (done) at those places and also at the Purusottama (kshetra) (Puri) (yields manifold fruits).