189 - The qualities of the Brahmin to be fed in Shräddha

The title actually given is Pindakalpotpatti (origin of the instructions for pinda).

Earth said:

1. “I have now heard in full about the Shräddha, the purities and impurities connected with it and also about the feeding for the departed relating to the four castes.

2. I have a doubt and it behoves you to clear it. (You said that) for all the four castes, the gifts should be given to the Brahmins.

3. Those who receive them, particularly the food for the departed, really do a contemptible thing namely eating with the departed (ghost).

4. By what means docs such a Brahmin free, himself from such a position and how does he help the donor? I ask this, O Janärdana, because of your affection for me and my nature as a woman (who always has doubts).”

5. Asked thus by Earth, the Lord in the form of the boar replied to her in a tone resembling the sound of the conch and Dundubhi.

Varäha said:

6. It is quite proper that you ask me this. I shall tell you how the Brahmin helps himself and the donor.

7. After eating what is offered through him to the departed (pretabhojya), the Brahmin wanes in his knowledge.

8. To purify his body, he should undertake fasting. By fasting for one full day and night, he regains his power of knowledge.

9. Then after performing the worship of the morning Sandhyä and making the routine offerings in the fire, he shall perform Homa with sesamum reciting the Shäntimantras.

10. Then he shall go to a river flowing in the eastern direction and bathe there with due rites and drink pañchagavya together with madhuparka.

11. Taking water sanctified with Shäntimantras in a vessel made of the wood of Udumbara, he shall sprinkle it all over in his residence.

12. After performing propitiatory rites for gods like Agni, he shall perform Bhütabali and feed Brahmins.

13. The gift of a cow also should be made for the removal of sins. If all this is done, he enters the supreme path (of liberation).

14. If one dies with the food offered through him to the departed in his stomach, he has to remain in the fierce hell till the end of the aeon.

15. Then he becomes a Räkshasa before he is freed of the sin. So the proper expiation should be done for the welfare of the donor and the recipient.

16. The Brahmin who, after receiving gifts of cow, elephant, horse, money and the like with mantra and in the prescribed manner, performs the prescribed expiations, surely enables the donor to cross (samsära).

17. The Brahmin who is rich in knowledge and is ever devoted to learning the Vedas, surely enables himself as well as the donor to cross (samsära).

18. O Earth, the Brahmin should not be offended by any person belonging to the three castes.

19. The Brahmin invited for food during a ceremony for gods, birthday, Shräddha, new moon day or rites connected with the departed, should be carefully chosen.

20. The Brahmin who has mastered the Vedas, who is highly righteous, good-natured, contented, virtuous, truthful,

21. Forbearing, learned in Shästras, and wedded to nonviolence—should be called.

22. And the gifts should be given to him, because such a person alone is capable of enabling the donor to gain his aim (of crossing samsära).

23. But a gift of this sort should never be given to a Kunda or Gola¹, for then it will be in vain. They pull the donor down.

1. Kunda and Gola are both bastards, the one born to woman by her paramour when her husband is alive, and the Other after he is dead.

24. Seeing a Kunda or Gola in a ceremony for them, the manes get disappointed and fall into hell. In the ceremony for gods also what is given to them goes in vain.

25. Therefore, a gift should never be given to any one not eligible to receive it. In this connection, I shall tell you what once happened in yore. Please listen.

26. In the Avanti country there was a highly righteous king named Medhätithi, a descendant of Manu.

27. He had as his priest one Chandrašharmä, a virtuous Brahmin belonging to the Ätreya gotra and very much devoted to the Vedas.

28. The king used to give hundred cows to the Brahmins every day before taking food.

29. Once on the anniversary day of his father in the month of Vaišhäkha, Medhätithi invited many Brahmins for Shräddha.

30. When all of them had come, Medhätithi with pure mind bowed to them all and also to his preceptor and started performing the Shräddha.

31. Doing the rites of Šhräddha in the prescribed manner, offering pinda and libation, he gave food to Brahmins sumptuously.

32. Among them was a Gola and to him too the food was given with due rites.

33. Because of this sin, the manes of the king fell from heaven into a forest full of thorns, and they repeatedly began to cry being oppressed by hunger and thirst.

34. Medhätithi chanced to go there for hunting with two or three attendants.

 35-36. Seeing them wandering there, he asked them who they were and due to what wrong action they were in that sorrowful state.

The Pitris said:

37.  are the ancestors of king Medhätithi and we are on our way to hell.”

38. Hearing these words of theirs, the king felt very sorry and told them in a consoling voice.

Medhätithi said:

39. I am Medhâtithi and you are my ancestors. What is the sin committed, as a result of which you are now forced to hell? The Pitris said:

40. “The food in the Shräddha for us was given to a Gola and, as a result of that misdeed, we got to hell.

41. After suffering There much, we will return to heaven. O son, you are a liberal giver and sec to the welfare of the world.

42. You have gifted numerous cows with munificent dakshina. By the merit of that we will return to the pleasant heaven.

43. But There will not be food there to satisfy us. So you have to perform the Shräddha again for our satisfaction.”

44. Hearing these words, Medhätithi returned home and, calling his preceptor Chandrašharmä, told him.

Medhätithi said:

45. “O Chandrasharmä, I am going to perform the Šhräddha again. Call the Brahmins but see that there is no or Gola among them.”

4647. Immediately, the priest Chandrašharmä called Brahmins who were always learning the Vedas, who were good natured, forbearing, of good family, free from anger and of fine conduct, and the king conducted Shräddha.

48. After Shräddha, were offered and libation given and the Brahmins were fed and honoured with dakshinä.

49. They were then released and the king took his food. Soon he went to the forest and saw the manes.

50. Seeing them now well-nourished, strong and happy, he was very much delighted.

51. The manes spoke to him with modesty and pleasure: ‘‘May good befall you. We are now proceeding to heaven.

52. For our sake you should be careful about one thing that anything meant for the gods or manes should never be given to a Gola (or Kunda). The wise declare it to be vain What is offered through them.

53. If in a ceremony meant for the propitiation of gods or manes, a suitable Brahmin is not found available, the offering may be given to a cow, keeping in mind the aim always.

54. If even a cow is not available, it may be thrown in a river.

55. But it should never be given to an ineligible person, an unbeliever or one who is against his own teacher, and surely not to a Gola and never to a Kunda.”

56. So saying the manes went to heaven and Medhätithi returned to his city together with the Brahmins. Thereafter, he carefully observed what the manes had said.

57. Therefore it is said, O goddess, that a single virtuous Brahmin enables us to tide over even the worst difficulties.

58. A single one is capable of taking us across. Therefore, O Earth, gifts should be given to the true Brahmin.

59. Šhräddha is approved by all gods, demons, men, Gandharvas and others.

60. Sages like Nimi began to do it every month in the fortnight of the manes.