Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 48
आवाहनात्परं यत्र मौनं न श्राद्धदश्चरेत् । ब्राह्मणो वाऽथ भोक्ता च तत्ते श्राद्धं भविष्यति
āvāhanātparaṃ yatra maunaṃ na śrāddhadaścaret | brāhmaṇo vā'tha bhoktā ca tatte śrāddhaṃ bhaviṣyati
ആവാഹനത്തിനു ശേഷം ശ്രാദ്ധവിധിയിലെ നിർദ്ദിഷ്ട മൗനം പാലിക്കപ്പെടാത്തിടത്ത്—ബ്രാഹ്മണനാകട്ടെ ഭോക്താവാകട്ടെ—ആ ശ്രാദ്ധം നിനക്കായിത്തീരും.
Brahmā (Lokapitāmaha), addressing the Rākṣasa
Scene: Moment immediately after āvāhana: performer with folded hands, kuśa in hand; officiant and diners shown with a finger-to-lips gesture indicating silence; a contrasting figure begins to speak, with the atmosphere subtly disturbed (ripples in water pot, wavering flame).
FAQs
Śrāddha is sustained by disciplined conduct; breaking prescribed observances (like mauna) undermines its sanctity.
The setting is Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra within Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya.
After āvāhana, maintain the śrāddha’s required silence—by both officiant and diners.