Adhyaya 8

Verse 1

प्रेतकल्पे पञ्चप्रेतोपाख्यानं नाम सप्तमो ऽद्यायः गरुड उवाच / स्वामिन्कस्याधिकारो ऽत्र सर्व एवौर्ध्वदेहिके / क्रियाः कतिविधाः प्रोक्ता वदैतत्सर्वमेव मे

In the Preta-kalpa, this is the seventh chapter called “The Narrative of the Five Pretas.” Garuḍa said: “O Lord, who has the authority here regarding the ūrdhva-dehika rites performed for one who has departed (the dead)? How many kinds of such post-death rites have been taught? Tell me all of it in full.”

Verse 2

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / पुत्रः पौत्रः प्रपौत्रो वा तद्भ्राता भ्रातृसन्ततिः / सपिण्डसन्ततिर्वापि क्रियार्हाः खग ज्ञातयः

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: “O Bird (Garuda), the son, the grandson, or the great-grandson; the man’s brother and the brother’s descendants; and also the line of sapinda relatives—these kinsmen are entitled to perform the prescribed funeral rites.”

Verse 3

तेषामभावे सर्वेषां समानोदकसन्ततिः / कुलद्वये ऽपि चोच्छिन्ने स्त्रीभिः कार्याः क्रियाः खग

In their absence, the rites should be performed by the entire line of those connected through the same libation-water (samānodaka kin). And even if both family lines are cut off, the funeral and ancestral rites should be carried out by women, O Bird (Garuda).

Verse 4

इच्छयोच्छिन्नबन्धश्च कारयेदवनीपतिः / पूर्वाः क्रिया मध्यमाश्च तथा चैवोत्तराः क्रियाः

Even a king—whose worldly ties have been cut off by his own resolve—should still have performed for him the rites in due order: the earlier rites, the middle rites, and likewise the later rites.

Verse 5

प्रतिसंवत्सरं पक्षिन्नेकोद्दिष्टविधानतः / श्राद्धं तत्र प्रकर्तव्यं फलं तस्य शृणुष्व मे

O Bird (Garuda), every year, according to the prescribed procedure of the Ekoddiṣṭa rite, a śrāddha should be performed for him there; listen from me to the fruit (benefit) of that observance.

Verse 6

ब्रह्मेन्द्ररुद्रनासत्यसूर्याग्निवसुमारुतान् / विश्वेदेवान्पितृ गणान्वयांसि मनुजान्पशून्

He encompasses Brahmā, Indra, Rudra, the Nāsatyas, the Sun, Agni, the Vasus and the Maruts; also the Viśvedevas, the hosts of the Pitṛs, birds, human beings, and animals.

Verse 7

सरीसृपान्मातृगणान्यच्चान्यद्भूतसंज्ञितम् / श्राद्धं श्रद्धान्वितः कुर्वन्प्रीणयत्यखिलं जगत्

By performing Śrāddha with faith, one gratifies serpents and creeping beings, the hosts of the Mothers (Mātṛ-gaṇa), and all other beings classed as bhūtas; indeed, one pleases the entire world of beings.

Verse 8

ते तृप्तास्तर्पयन्त्येनं पुत्रदारधनैस्तथा / अधिकारः क्रियाभेदः समासात्ते निरूपितः

When they are satisfied, they in turn satisfy him—through sons, wife, and wealth as well. Thus, the eligibility (adhikāra) and the distinctions among the rites have been explained to you in brief.

Verse 9

गरुड उवाच / उक्तेष्वेको ऽपि चेन्न स्यादधिकारी सुरोत्तम / कर्तव्यं किं तदा विष्णो पुरुषेण विजानता

Garuḍa said: O best of the gods! If, among the rites you have described, not even a single one is feasible for a person as an eligible performer, then, O Viṣṇu, what should a discerning man do at that time?

Verse 10

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / अधिकारो यदा नास्ति यदि नास्ति च निश्चयः / जीविते सति जीवाय दद्याच्छ्राद्धंस्वयं नरः

Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: When there is no qualified person with ritual authority, and when there is also no certainty about who should perform it, then while one is still alive, a man should himself offer Śrāddha for his own sake.

Verse 11

कृतोपवासः सुस्नातः कृष्णासङ्गः समाहितः / कर्तारमथ भोक्तारं विष्णुं सर्वेश्वरं यजेत्

Having observed a fast (upavāsa), bathed well, remaining free from impure associations, and with a collected mind, one should worship Viṣṇu—the Lord of all—who is both the ultimate doer (kartā) and the receiver-enjoyer of offerings (bhoktā).

Verse 12

सदक्षिणाश्च सतिलास्तिस्त्रश्च जलधेनवः / निवेदयेत्पितृभ्यश्च स्वधेति सुसमाहितः

With the proper dakṣiṇā (honorarium), with sesame (tilā), and with three water-cows (jaladhenu), one should present the offering to the Pitṛs, uttering “svadhā,” while remaining calm, composed, and fully attentive.

Verse 13

अग्नये कव्यवाहनाय स्वधा नम इति स्मरन् / सोमायत्वा पितृमते स्वधा नम इति स्मरन्

Remembering and reciting, “Svadhā—obeisance,” to Agni, the kavyavāhana who bears the ancestral offering; then, turning to Soma, aligned with the Pitṛs, remembering and reciting again, “Svadhā—obeisance.”

Verse 14

दक्षिणेन तु दद्याच्च तृतीयां दक्षिणायुताम् / यमायाङ्गिरसे चाथ स्वधा नम इति स्मरन्

Then, with the prescribed dakṣiṇā, one should offer the third oblation together with dakṣiṇā, remembering and reciting, “Svadhā—salutations,” for Yama and for Āṅgirasa.

Verse 15

तयोर्मध्ये तु निः क्षिप्य विप्रान्संमन्त्र्य भो जयेत् / प्रथमामुत्तरे न्यस्य द्वितीयां दक्षिणे न्यसेत्

Placing it between the two (ritual vessels/offerings), one should consult the brāhmaṇas and then feed them. The first is to be set to the north, and the second is to be placed to the south.

Verse 16

मध्ये तृतीयां विन्यस्य पश्चादावाहनादिकम् / आवाहनादिना पूर्वं विश्वेदेवान्प्रपूज्यच

Placing the third offering in the middle, one should then perform the rites beginning with invocation (āvāhana) and the rest. And before commencing the invocation and related acts, one should first duly worship the Viśvedevas as well.

Verse 17

वसुभ्यस्त्वामहं विप्र रुद्रेभ्यस्त्वामहं ततः / सूर्येभ्यस्त्वामहं विप्र भोजयामीति तान्वदेत्

“O brāhmaṇa, I offer this to you on behalf of the Vasus; then I offer this to you on behalf of the Rudras; and again I offer this to you on behalf of the Sūryas.” Thus saying, “I feed (them),” he should address them accordingly.

Verse 18

आवाहनादिकं शेषं कुर्याच्च पितृशेषवत् / साम्यां धेनुं ततो दद्याद्वसूद्देशं द्विजाय तु

One should perform the remaining rites, beginning with the invocation (āvāhana), in the same manner as the concluding procedures done for the Pitṛs. Thereafter, one should gift a cow of proper and balanced qualities, and also give a dakṣiṇā—wealth as an honorarium—to a brāhmaṇa.

Verse 19

आग्नेय्यां चाथ रौद्राय याम्यां सूर्यद्विजाय तु / विश्वेभ्यश्चाथ देवेभ्यस्तिलपात्रं निवेदयेत्

In the south-east, Agni’s quarter, one should offer a vessel filled with sesame to the Rudra-deity; in the southern quarter, Yama’s direction, to Sūrya and to the twice-born (brāhmaṇas). Likewise, one should present a vessel of sesame to the Viśvedevas as well.

Verse 20

स्वस्तीत्येव तथाक्षय्यं जलं दत्त्वाथ तान्द्विजान् / विसर्जयेत्स्मरन्विष्णुं देवमष्टाक्षरं विभुम्

Saying “svasti” as an auspicious benediction, one should then offer the inexhaustible (akṣayya) water. Thereafter, one should respectfully dismiss those twice-born (brāhmaṇas), while remembering Lord Viṣṇu—the all-pervading Deity of the eight-syllabled mantra (aṣṭākṣara).

Verse 21

ततः कामं कुलेशानीं शिवं नारायणं स्मरेत् / चतुर्दश्यां ततो गच्छेद्यथाप्राप्तां सरिद्वराम्

Thereafter, as one wishes, one should remember Kuleśānī (the Mother-Goddess), Śiva, and Nārāyaṇa. Then, on the fourteenth lunar day (caturdaśī), one should proceed to the excellent river that is accessible nearby.

Verse 22

वस्त्राणि लोहखण्डानि जितं त इति संजपन् / दक्षिणाभिमुखो वह्निं ज्वालयेत्तत्र च स्वयम्

While reciting the mantra “jitaṃ ta” (“victory to You”), one should place the garments and pieces of iron as prescribed; then, facing south, one should oneself kindle the sacred fire there.

Verse 23

पञ्चाशता कुशैर्ब्राह्मीं कृत्वा प्रतिकृतिं दहेत् / हुत्वा श्माशानिकं होमं पूर्णाहुत्यन्तमेव हि

Having fashioned a Brahmin-like effigy from fifty kuśa grasses, one should burn that substitute-form; and having performed the cremation-ground fire-offering (śmāśānika homa), one should indeed carry it through up to the concluding full oblation (pūrṇāhuti).

Verse 24

निरग्रिमथ वा भूमिं यमं रुद्रञ्च संस्मरेत् / हुत्वा प्राधानिके स्थाने पश्चादावाहयेच्च तम्

If there is no sacred fire, one should instead meditate upon the Earth, Yama, and Rudra. Having made the offering at the principal (designated) place, one should then duly invoke Him (there).

Verse 25

श्रपयेच्चापरं वह्नौ मुद्गमिश्रं चरुं ततः / तिलतण्डुलमिश्रञ्च द्वितीयं सपवित्रकम्

Then, on the fire, one should cook another caru mixed with green gram (mudga). Thereafter, a second caru should be prepared mixed with sesame and rice-grains, together with the purifying kuśa-ring (pavitra).

Verse 26

ॐ पृथिव्यै नमस्तुभ्यमिति चैकं निवेदयेत् / ॐ यमाय नमश्चेति द्वितीयं तदनन्तरम्

One should offer the first oblation with the mantra, “Om, salutations to You, O Earth.” Immediately after that, one should offer the second with the mantra, “Om, salutations to Yama.”

Verse 27

ॐ नमश्चाथ रुद्राय श्माशानपतये नमः / ततो दीप्ते समिद्धे ऽग्नौ भूमौ प्रकृतिदारुणे

Oṁ—salutations to Rudra; salutations to the Lord of the cremation-ground. Then, when the fire blazes forth, well-kindled upon the earth that is harsh by its very nature, the rite proceeds.

Verse 28

सप्तभ्यो यमसंज्ञेभ्यो दद्यात्सप्त जलाञ्जलीन् / यमाय धर्मराजाय मृत्यवे चान्तकाय च

One should offer seven handfuls of water (jalāñjali) to the seven forms bearing the name of Yama—namely to Yama, Dharmarāja, Mṛtyu, and Antaka as well.

Verse 29

वैवस्वताय कालाय सर्वप्राणहराय च / स्वधाकारनमस्कारप्रणवैः सह सप्तधा

To Vaivasvata (Yama), to Time (Kāla), and to the taker of all life-breaths—one should offer reverence sevenfold, together with the utterance of “svadhā,” acts of bowing, and the sacred praṇava (Oṁ).

Verse 30

अमुकामुकगौत्रैतत्तुभ्यमस्तु तिलोदकम् / प्रदद्याद्दश पिण्डांस्तु अर्घपुष्पसमन्वितान्

Saying, “For you of such-and-such a lineage, may this sesame-water offering be yours,” one should then present ten piṇḍas (rice-balls), accompanied by argha (a water offering) and flowers.

Verse 31

धूपो दीपो बलिर्गन्धः सर्वेषामस्तु चाक्षयः / दश पिण्डांस्तु दान्दत्त्वा विष्णोः सौम्यं मुखं स्मरेत्

May incense, the lamp, the bali (food-offering), and fragrance be inexhaustible for all. And having given the gift of ten piṇḍas, one should remember the gentle, auspicious face of Lord Viṣṇu.

Verse 32

कुर्याच्च मासिकं मासि सपिण्डीकरणं ततः / आशौचान्ते ततः कुर्यादात्मनो वा मरस्य तु

One should perform the monthly śrāddha each month; thereafter the rite of sapiṇḍīkaraṇa should be done. Then, when the period of āśauca (ritual impurity) has ended, one should again perform the prescribed rite—whether as a provision for oneself or for the departed.

Verse 33

कुर्यादस्थिरतां ज्ञात्वा शक्त्यारोग्यधनायुषम् / एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं जीवच्छ्राद्धं मया खग

Knowing that strength, health, wealth, and lifespan are all unstable, one should perform these rites according to one’s capacity. Thus, O Bird (Garuda), I have explained to you in full the jīvac-śrāddha—the śrāddha performed while one is still alive.