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
唵。今日于此处，于某月，太阳行经某宫之时，于某月相日（tithi），为某族姓（gotra）之人——即我等之父、祖父与曾祖父，依其各自名号——我将举行以召请毗湿维天众（Viśvedevā）为先的施罗达（śrāddha）。唵——奉献于毗湿维天众：svāhā。唵——我将迎请毗湿维天众。于言“迎请”之时（诵曰）：“噢毗湿维天众，请来临，垂听此呼请；请坐于此圣草座。噢毗湿维天众，请听我言——居于中界者，火舌者，堪受供养者——既坐此草座，愿汝等欢悦。”唵——“诸药草与苏摩王同声相语；婆罗门所事奉者，噢大王，我等助其渡越。”唵——“愿福德具足、威力宏大的毗湿维天众来临；凡于此施罗达中所安置者，愿皆专注。”唵——“阿修罗与罗刹自祭坛座处被驱逐”—如是将大麦（yava）撒散三次。
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.