13 - Rules for Shräddha

Earth said:

  1. It is wonderful to learn that those soldiers arose from the jewel to help sage Gauramukha. What is the further fruit of the boon?

2. Who is this great righteous sage Gauramukha? Seeing the actions of God what did the great sage do?

Varäha said:

3. Seeing what was done by the God, the sage with a view to worshipping him went to the same forest.

4. There is an important Tirtha Prabhäsa by name, sacred to Soma, wherein the God (Vishnu) who destroyed demons is meditated on by pious men.

5. There the sage worshipped in the name of Daityasüdana (destroyer of demons). The great sage Markandeya came to him who worshipped Lord Vishnu Näräyana.

6. Seeing Mãrkandeya coming towards him, sage Gauramukha welcomed him in great joy with venerable offerings and the water for washing his feet.

7. When sage Märkandeya sat on the seat of Kušha grass sage Gauramukha asked him: “Tell me, O great sage, what shall I do?”

8. Hearing this, the great saintly Brahmin told sage Gauramukha in gentle and soft words.

Märkandeya said:

9. The first preceptor of all gods is Näräyana. Brahmä was born from him and he (Brahma) created seven sages.

10. Brahmä asked them (the seven sages) to sacrifice for him, and it is known that each of them sacrificed himself before him (Brahmä).

11. Then Brahma cursed them, although born from himself, for their rushing to rash actions just out of emotion. Since you committed this serious mistake, all of you will, no doubt, be devoid of knowledge.

12. Thus cursed by Brahmä, those seven sages created sons and then went to heaven.

13. And those sages, the knowers of Brahman, went to heaven; their sons offered them oblations without any delay.

14. All the seven sages, the mind-born sons of Brahma, appeared in the sky in aerial cars seeing the oblations offered to them with mantras.

Gauramukha asked:

15. O Brahmin, who are those Pitris (the manes)? Which is the time (for those offerings)? How many groups of manes are there in that world?

Märkandeya replied:

16. There are some good personages who increase the Somajuice for the gods. Those seven gods, Marichi and others, are called the manes in heaven.

17. Of these, four have form; the remaining three are formless. I shall tell you their worlds and creations.

18. There are worlds by name Santänaka wherein live the luminous manes of the gods. The gods perform sacrifice there for those manes.

19. These who get out of this world, attaining eternal worlds, after a thousand years, again, take birth as knowers of spiritual wisdom.

20. With the memory of the past, they practice yoga, and as a result, attain liberation with little chance of rebirth.

21. These were the manes in obsequial ceremonies who increased the yogic powers of yogins. All of them were full of yogic powers.

  22. Therefore, O excellent yogin, obsequial rites have to be 0ffered to yogins. This is the first and great creation of the gods (who drink Soma-juice).

23. These great Brahmins (manes) live in heaven with a single body. They have to be offered sacrifices by the inhabitants of the earth.

24. Marichi and others are sons of Brahmä. They should perform sacrifice for Maruts. The Maruts who are respected by people are to be pleased with sacrifices by those who are called Kalpaväsikas.

 25. Then there are Sanaka and others. They were born out of Virat, and they performed penance. There are seven groups of them. This is the line of the manes.

26. These are also to be pleased with sacrifice separately by castes other than Shüdra. With the sanction of the remaining three castes, Shüdra should also sacrifice for the manes.

27. For Šhüdras there are separate manes belonging to the same caste. We do not get among the manes, the liberated yet living.

28-29. By the knowledge of special Šhästras and the Puränas, of the Rushis, and knowing those that arose from him as worthy to accept sacrificial offerings, Brahma at creation, recalled his sons, and they attained liberation due to their spiritual knowledge itself.

30. Käšhyapa and others among Vasu and the like, Vasava and others among caste-holders and the whole class of Gandharvas and the like (are also the manes).

31. O great sage, have told you the creation of the manes in a general manner. By even a crore of years this cannot be told in full.

32. Now I shall tell you the time of the Shräddha rites. O great Brahmin, please listen to this.

33-34. After procuring the required money for the Šhräddha ceremonies and choosing a Brahmin of particular qualities for the purpose, the rites are to be done on the occasions of Vyatipata (the day of full-moon when it falls on a Monday), Ayana (the solstices) Visuva (the equinoxes) eclipses of the Sun and the moon, and of all signs of zodiac (Räšhi) at the time each is entered into by the sun.

35. And at those times also when calamities occur due to stars and planets, when one has an inauspicious dream, and when new vegetation appears, Shräddhas may be performed, if desired.

36. When Amäväsyä (the new-moon day) occurs in conjunction with the asterisms Ärdrä, Sväti and Višhäkhä the manes get pleased with offerings for eight years.

37. When Amäväsyä occurs in conjunction with the asterisms Pushya, Raudra (Ardrä) and Punarvasu, the manes, if worshipped, get pleased for twelve years.

38. Those who wish the manes to be gratified should perform obsequial rites when Amäväsyä occurs in the asterisms Dhanishthä, Pürvä bhädrapadä and Šhatabhishak. This is a rare occasion even for the gods.

39. Those who wish to have an unending result should perform obsequial rites when Amäväsyä occurs in the above nine asterisms. Then their merit does not come to an end even after crores of years.

40-41. There are yet other sacred times proper to the Shraddha ceremonies. They are—the third day of the month Vaišhäkha, the ninth day of the bright fortnight in the month Kärttika, the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight in the month Bhädrapada, the fifteenth day of the month Mägha, the eclipses of the Sun and the moon and all the four (the eighth day of each quarter of the year) and at the commencement of the two Ayanas or solstices (Uttaráyana and Dakshinäyana).

42. A man, purified by austerities, should offer the manes the water mixed with sesamum. Then, it is deemed thathe has done the Shräddha rites for a thousand years.

43. On rare occasions the Amaväsyä in the month Mägha joins with the asterism Shatabhishak. This is the most happy day of the manes. But, O Brahmin, this is not for a man of inferior worth.

44. O great Brahmin, if this occurs in the asterism Dhanishthä, then the relatives should give offerings to their manes on that day. That will give them great satisfaction for thousands of years.

45. If oblations are offered to the manes when this occurs in Pürva Bhädrapadä, they will be highly gratified and for a full yuga they will get deep sleep.

46. By offering cows and the like on the banks of the Ganges, Shatadru, Vipäšhä, Sarasvati, or Gomatî the dissatisfaction of the manes, if any, can be removed.

47. The manes would wish: When at the end of the dark fortnight of the rainy season the thirteenth day coincides with the asterism Maghä, we may be gratified with sacred waters in the pilgrim centres by our sons and other relatives.

48. Purified heart and wealth, auspicious time enjoined by the rules, the nature of the performance and ardent devotion— these in the performance of Šhräddhas fulfil men’s wishes.

49. Listen to the verses sung by the manes on this and then act in accordance with them.

50. “May that kind of man take birth in our family who is intelligent and contented and who without any consideration of monetary benefit offers us oblations with Pinda rice.

51. Who, if he is rich, munificently offers jewels, garments, vehicles, all the wealth, well and pond to Brahmins for our sake;

52. Who if not well-to-do gives meals to Brahmins at the appropriate time in great devotion according to his means;

53. Who, being unable to give meals, gives venerable Brahmins wild Shäka-leaves and a little money;

54. Who, being unable to give even this, offers. to a great Brahmin. in devotion a handful of dark sesamum;

55. Who offers us a handful of water with seven or eight seeds of sesamum in great devotion;

56. Who gives with devotion to cows a daily measure of food obtained from somewhere, and in the absence of it, pleases them caressing and so on;

57. Who, if he is not in a position of doing any of these, goes to the forest and with palms joined in reverence utters aloud this hymn to the protectors of the quarters like the sun, namely;

58. “I have no money, wealth and the like to offer in the Shräddha rites; I prostrate before the manes. May they be contented with the respect I offer in devotion.”

59. This is sung by the manes, and shows the results of performing Shräddha and not doing so. The Brahmin who does according to this, does rightly the rites for manes.