35 - Sapindikarana and Shraddha

Garuda said: 

1-3. O lord, I have another doubt, please clear it. Suppose the mother of a man dies but all other relatives such as father, grandfather, great grandfather and great great grand father and their wives are alive (except of course the mother) with whom shall the lady be joined in Sapiņdkarana?

The lord said: 

4. O bird, I shall repeat the mode of sapindikaraña already mentioned to you. The lady in question shall be joined to Umā, Lakşhmi and Savitrī. 

5. Three generations from one are those who share the piņda. The next three generations are those who do not share the pinda. The next three generations are those who receive the wipings of the food-offerings sticking to the hand and the tenth is near the line. 

6. These are the names assigned to men in one's father's as well as mother's family. The householder who performs the śhräddhas saves ten preeeding and ten succeeding generations. 

7. When sapindikarana is done, the householder is considered first (i.e. reckoning is made from him). His fourth grandfather, i.e. the great-great-grandfather is tyājaka for him i.e. neither piņda nor water libation is offered for him. 

8. Grandfather of the fourth degree of the first tyäjaka is the first lepaka [i.e. the 7th grandfather reckoning from the householder). Grandfather of the 4th degree of the first lepaka is in the 10th degree since he is the fourth in reckoning from the 7th one. 

9. The householder is one, ten generations before and ten generations after. These twentyone generations are meant whenever the word twentyone generations is used. 

10. Now, listen to the benefit accruing from performing the śhräddhas and offering gifts according to śhåstras in favour of the dead. 

11. The father blesses the performer with the birth of sons, the grandfather with cattle-wealth and the great-grand father with coins of gold. 

12. Such are the benefits derivable from śhråddhas and tarpaņas. The great grandfather blesses one with plenty of foodstuffs. 

13. O bird, the man whose line is broken shall stay in hell permanently like an elephant stuck in the mud. 

14. Or he may be born in other species of living beings such as a tree, a bird, a reptile. If a child is born and dies, the man cannot be freed from hell, still. 

15. For his sake the Nārāyaṇa bali should be performed by his preceptor or disciple or even by a distant relative. 

16. He will be freed from sins and saved from hell. He will stay permanently in heaven. No doubt need be entertained on this account. 

17-18. If a member of the brahmin caste dies on days when the moon is in conjunction with any of the stars Dhanișhtha and the four succeeding ones, ending with Revati, it is very inauspicious. Cremation or water libation is not performed during those days. 

19. Even if the family is excessively miserable no job for livelihood should be taken up during these days. Every job shall be done after the five days are over. 

20. Great distress will befall sons and clansmen of the dead who dies on any of these five days. Loss in the house is also inevitable. 

21. Still if the immediate cremation is conducive to the welfare of the people the cremation with the following extra procedure can be duly performed and an immediate offering in the fire can also be made. 

22. The immediate offering is held to be sacred in regard to the body to be cremated. The body is well consecrated with mantras by the brahmins duly. 

23. Four effigies of Darbha are consecrated with the mantras of the nakṣhatras. These are thrown beside the corpse. 

24. Cremation is proceeded along with the effigies. On the expiry of the period of impurity the son shall perform rites for tranquillity and peace. 

25. The man who dies on any of these five days does not attain salvation unless for his sake the gingelly seeds, cow, gold and ghee are gifted away. 

26. Gifts are made to brahmins to ward off impending calamity after the expiry of impurity period. Gifts help the deceased attain release from the bonds of his previons actions. 

27. Food-stuffs, sandals. umbrella, gold coins, clothes and other gifts are given to the brahmins for redemption from all worldly sins. 

28. Whether it is a young man or an old man or a child, if any one dies in five days and no redemptionary rites are performed it will create obstacles. 

29-32. In the śhraddha for the deceased the following eighteen are prohibited; benediction, twice-twisted darbhas recital of svasti astu (hail), praṇava (om), Ekoddishta, Agnikarana (consigning cooked rice to the fire, Ucchishta (leavings of food), Vaišhvadeva Śhräddha, Vikira, (scattering of cooked rice bits), recital of the words svadha, Pitru, and Anu Avahana invocation, lighting of the torch (ulmuka) the circumambulation, following upto the border, offering of gingelly seeds into the fire (Tilahoma) and Pūrņāhuti. If these are included in the rites, the performer will suffer utter destruction. O son of Kaśhyapa, I have already told you about the sixteen shråddhas. 

33-34. The sixteen śhråddhas already mentioned are:-- One at the place of death, then midway to the cremation ground, at the funeral pyre, in the hand of the corpse and the fifth Prītiveshyaka offered to the spirits living in the cremation ground, the sixth at the collection of ashes and bones, then the pindas offered during the ten days. Thus sixteen in all. 

35-36. 0 Tärkşhya, listen to another mode of reckoning sixteen śhräddhas. Ten daily piņdas, one extra at the collection of bones, then five for Brahma, Vişhnu, Shiva and others. These sixteen śhråddhas are reckoned by persons who know the Ritual. 

37. O bird, a third method of reckoning the sixteen shräddhas is as follows: - the twelve monthly shråddhas together with that on the eleventh, that on tripakșha (after the expiry of six weeks) and those on the two riktå days. 

38. The first set of sixteen śhraddhas are for purifying the corpse. The fifty śhråddhas are for purifying the line of Manes (pitrupankti). 

39. If enjoining (sapiņdikarana) is devoid of fifty śhraddhas it shall not reach the pitrus. The redemption from ghosthood is possible only if fifty śhråddhas are performed. 

40. If the performance of fifty śhråddhas is even slightly deficient, the presence of pitrus cannot be effected. It is corollary to the fifty śhråddhas that the descendent should perform sapiņ- dana (effectively). 

The rules regarding the cremation of the corpse 

41-43. The hands and feet of the dead together with the covering cloth should be tied to the bamboo bier. If this is not done, there is risk of an attack by the piśháchas. If the dead body is taken out during the night there is a fear from spirits roaming in the sky. The dead body should not be left unattended. By touching it mishaps may occur. 

44. When there is dead body in the middle of the village and if any one takes food with that knowledge, that food is known as flesh, and water as blood. (No one shall take food or water before the dead body is removed). 

45. When there is a dead body in the village the following is avoided: Chewing the betel; chewing the tooth brush twig, 'taking food, sexual intercourse and offering of piņdas. 

46. Ceremonial ablutions, gifts, sacrifices, water libations and worship of gods are futile when performed with a dead body in the village. The convention holds good for all kiths and kins. 

47. O lord of birds, this convention prevails among cousins and kins. If it is violated, the dead man is tarnished by sins.