Shloka 7
Śrāddha Vidhi (Pārvaṇa-Śrāddha): Invitations, Arghya, Protective Rites, Piṇḍa Offering, Dakṣiṇā, and Visarjana
ॐ अद्यास्मिन्देशे अमुकमासे अमुकराशिङ्गते सवितर्यमुकतिथावमुकगोत्राणामस्मत्पितृपितामहप्रपितामहानां यथानामशर्मणां विश्वेदेवपूर्वकन्दृश्राद्धं करिष्ये / ॐ विश्वेभ्यो देवभ्यः स्वाहा ॐ विश्वेदेवानावाहयिष्ये / आवाहयेत्युक्ते ॐ विश्वेदेवाः स आगत शृणुताम् इमं हवम् / एदं बर्हिर्निषीदत ॐ विश्वेदेवाः शृणुतेमं इवं मे ये अन्तरिक्षे य उपद्यविष्ट / ये अग्निजिह्वा उत वा यजत्रा आसद्यास्मिन्बर्हिषि मादयध्वम् / ॐ ओषधयः संवदन्ते सोमेन सह राज्ञा / यस्मै कृणोति ब्राह्मणस्तं राजन्पारयामसि / ॐ आगच्छन्तु महाभागा विश्वेदेवा महाबलाः / ये अत्र विहिताः श्राद्धे सावधाना भवन्तु ते / ॐ अपहतासुरा रक्षांसि वेदिषद इति त्रित्रिर्यवविकिरणम्
oṃ adyāsmindeśe amukamāse amukarāśiṅgate savitaryamukatithāvamukagotrāṇāmasmatpitṛpitāmahaprapitāmahānāṃ yathānāmaśarmaṇāṃ viśvedevapūrvakandṛśrāddhaṃ kariṣye / oṃ viśvebhyo devabhyaḥ svāhā oṃ viśvedevānāvāhayiṣye / āvāhayetyukte oṃ viśvedevāḥ sa āgata śṛṇutām imaṃ havam / edaṃ barhirniṣīdata oṃ viśvedevāḥ śṛṇutemaṃ ivaṃ me ye antarikṣe ya upadyaviṣṭa / ye agnijihvā uta vā yajatrā āsadyāsminbarhiṣi mādayadhvam / oṃ oṣadhayaḥ saṃvadante somena saha rājñā / yasmai kṛṇoti brāhmaṇastaṃ rājanpārayāmasi / oṃ āgacchantu mahābhāgā viśvedevā mahābalāḥ / ye atra vihitāḥ śrāddhe sāvadhānā bhavantu te / oṃ apahatāsurā rakṣāṃsi vediṣada iti tritriryavavikiraṇam
Om. Today, in this place, in such-and-such month, with the Sun’s transit in such-and-such sign, on such-and-such tithi, for those of such-and-such gotra—namely our father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, bearing their respective names—I shall perform the śrāddha preceded by the invocation of the Viśvedevās. Om—oblation to the Viśvedevās: svāhā. Om—I shall invite the Viśvedevās. When it is said “Invite,” recite: “O Viśvedevās, come; hear this call. Sit upon this sacred grass-seat. O Viśvedevās, hear this of mine—those who dwell in the mid-region, those who are fire-tongued and worthy of worship—having seated yourselves on this grass-seat, be pleased.” Om—“The herbs speak together with King Soma; whom the Brāhmaṇa serves, O King, we help to carry across.” Om—“Let the fortunate, mighty Viśvedevās come; may those appointed here in this śrāddha remain attentive.” Om—“The asuras and rākṣasas are driven away from the altar-seat”—thus, scattering barley three times.
Narratorial/ritual instruction (Garuda Purana’s śrāddha-vidhi section; not a direct dialogue line)
Ritual Type: Parvana
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: Saṅkalpa and Viśvedevāḥ-āvāhana at the beginning of śrāddha; yava-vikiraṇa as protective act during/after invocation
Concept: Dharma requires saṅkalpa with deśa-kāla and lineage specificity; invoking Viśvedevās universalizes the offering; protective rites guard sanctity against disruptive tendencies.
Vedantic Theme: Karma performed with saṅkalpa and mantra aligns individual action with cosmic order; ‘carrying across’ (pārayāmasi) hints at crossing obstacles through sacred service.
Application: State saṅkalpa with place, month, rāśi, tithi, gotra, and ancestor names; offer to Viśvedevās with svāhā; recite invitation mantras seating them on barhiṣ; conclude with thrice barley scattering while reciting apahatāsura formula.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: ritual altar/vedi within household or designated śrāddha place
Related Themes: Garuda Purana śrāddha-kalpa: saṅkalpa format (deśa-kāla-rāśi-tithi-gotra-nāma); Garuda Purana use of Viśvedevāḥ-pūrvaka śrāddha and yava-vikiraṇa for rakṣa
FAQs
This verse frames śrāddha as “Viśvedeva-pūrvaka,” meaning the rite begins by inviting the Viśvedevās to witness, accept the offerings, and ensure the ritual proceeds without obstruction.
By correctly naming the ancestors and performing śrāddha with proper invocations, the living support the pitṛs through sanctioned offerings—an act repeatedly linked in the Garuda Purana to post-death welfare and continuity of ancestral benefit.
Maintain clarity of intention (saṅkalpa), perform ancestral rites with attentiveness (sāvadhāna), and preserve ritual cleanliness and protection (symbolized by yava-vikiraṇa) to honor lineage and cultivate dharmic responsibility.