मातृभ्रातृपितृस्वसृसखिसम्बन्धिबान्धवान् अपि जन्मायुतैर्दृष्टान् अनुभूतान्सहस्रशः
Mothers, brothers, fathers, sisters, friends, relatives, and kin—one has seen and experienced thousands of them over tens of thousands of births.
एतेषां मानसी कन्या विरजा नाम विश्रुता या पत्नी नहुषस्यासीद् ययातेर्जननी तथा
Among them, a mind-born daughter named Virajā is renowned; she became the wife of Nahuṣa and the mother of Yayāti.
एकाष्टकाभवत् पश्चाद् ब्रह्मलोके गता सती त्रय एते गणाः प्रोक्ताश् चतुर्थं तु वदाम्यतः
Afterward, Ekāṣṭakā was born, who, being virtuous, went to the world of Brahmā; these three groups have been described—now I will speak of the fourth.
लोकास्तु मानसा नाम ब्रह्माण्डोपरि संस्थिताः येषां तु मानसी कन्या नर्मदा नाम विश्रुता
There are worlds called the Mānasa, established above the cosmic egg; their mind-born daughter is famed as Narmadā.
सोमपा नाम पितरो यत्र तिष्ठन्ति शाश्वताः धर्ममूर्तिधराः सर्वे परतो ब्रह्मणः स्मृताः
There dwell the eternal ancestors called Somapās, all bearing the form of Dharma, remembered as existing beyond Brahmā.
उत्पन्नाः स्वधया ते तु ब्रह्मत्वं प्राप्य योगिनः कृत्वा सृष्ट्यादिकं सर्वं मानसे साम्प्रतं स्थिताः
They were born from Svadhā, and, having attained the state of Brahman through yoga, after performing all acts of creation in their minds, they now remain established.
नर्मदा नाम तेषां तु कन्या तोयवहा सरित् भूतानि या पावयति दक्षिणापथगामिनी
Their daughter is called Narmadā, the water-bearing river, who purifies beings as she flows toward the southern region.
तेभ्यः सर्वे तु मनवः प्रजाः सर्गेषु निर्मिताः ज्ञात्वा श्राद्धानि कुर्वन्ति धर्माभावे ऽपि सर्वदा
From them, all Manus and beings were created in the cycles of creation; knowing this, people always perform śrāddha, even in the absence of dharma.
तेभ्य एव पुनः प्राप्तुं प्रसादाद्योगसंततिम् पितॄणामादिसर्गे तु श्राद्धमेव विनिर्मितम्
It is from them alone that the continuous line of grace and yoga is again obtained; at the beginning of creation, śrāddha was established for the ancestors.
सर्वेषां राजतं पात्रम् अथवा रजतान्वितम् दत्तं स्वधा पुरोधाय पितॄन् प्रीणाति सर्वदा
A vessel of silver, or one adorned with silver, when offered with svadhā at the forefront, always pleases the ancestors.
अग्नीषोमयमानां तु कार्यमाप्यायनं बुधः अग्न्यभावे ऽपि विप्रस्य प्राणाव् अपि जले ऽथवा
The wise should perform the apyāyana rite with Agniṣomīya mantras; even in the absence of fire, a brāhmaṇa may use his breath or water.
अजाकर्णे ऽश्वकर्णे वा गोष्ठे वा सलिलान्तिके पितॄणाम् अम्बरं स्थानं दक्षिणा दिक्प्रशस्यते
Whether at the root of an ajākarṇa or aśvakarṇa tree, in a cowshed, or near water, the southern direction is praised as the place for the ancestors.
प्राचीनावीतमुदकं तिलाः सव्याङ्गमेव च दर्भा मांसं च पाठीनं गोक्षीरं मधुरा रसाः
Water poured with the hand to the east, sesame seeds, darbha grass, the pāṭhīna fish, cow's milk, and sweet flavors are all proper.
खड्गलोहामिषमधुकुशश्यामाकशालयः यवनीवारमुद्गेक्षुशुक्लपुष्पघृतानि च
Sword beans, meat, honey, kusa grass, black grain, rice, barley, wheat, mudga beans, sugarcane, white flowers, and ghee—
वल्लभानि प्रशस्तानि पितॄणामिह सर्वदा द्वेष्याणि सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि श्राद्धे वर्ज्यानि यानि तु
These are always dear and commendable to the ancestors here; now I will declare those things which are disliked and should be avoided in śrāddha.
मसूरशणनिष्पावराजमाषकुसुम्भिकाः पद्मबिल्वार्कधत्तूरपारिभद्राटरूषकाः
Masūra lentils, śaṇa, niṣpāva, rājamaṣa, kusumbha, lotus, bilva, arka, dhattūra, pāribhadra, and aṭarūṣaka—
न देयाः पितृकार्येषु पयश्चाजाविकं तथा कोद्रवोदारचणकाः कपित्थं मधुकातसी
These should not be given in ancestral rites, nor goat's milk, kodrava, udāra, caṇaka, kapittha, madhuka, or atasi.
एतान्यपि न देयानि पितृभ्यः प्रियमिच्छता पितॄन् प्रीणाति यो भक्त्या ते पुनः प्रीणयन्ति तम्
These also should not be given by one who desires the favor of the ancestors; whoever pleases the ancestors with devotion, they in turn please him.
यच्छन्ति पितरः पुष्टिं स्वर्गारोग्यं प्रजाफलम् देवकार्यादपि पुनः पितृकार्यं विशिष्यते
The ancestors grant nourishment, heaven, health, and offspring; indeed, the rites for ancestors surpass even those for the gods.
देवतानां च पितरः पूर्वमाप्यायनं स्मृतम् शीघ्रप्रसादास्त्वक्रोधा निःशस्त्राः स्थिरसौहृदाः
Among the gods, the ancestors are remembered as the earliest source of fulfillment; they are quick to show favor, free from anger, without weapons, and steadfast in friendship.
शान्तात्मानः शौचपराः सततं प्रियवादिनः भक्तानुरक्ताः सुखदाः पितरः पूर्वदेवताः
Peaceful in mind, devoted to purity, always speaking kindly, attached to their devotees, bringers of happiness—the ancestors are the primordial deities.
हविष्मतामाधिपत्ये श्राद्धदेवः स्मृतो रविः एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं पितृवंशानुकीर्तनम् पुण्यं पवित्रम् आयुष्यं कीर्तनीयं सदा नृभिः
The sun is regarded as the deity presiding over offerings of oblations; all this has been told to you—the recounting of the ancestral lineage, which is holy, purifying, life-giving, and always to be praised by people.
श्रुत्वैतत् सर्वम् अखिलं मनुः पप्रच्छ केशवम् श्राद्धकालं च विविधं श्राद्धभेदं तथैव च
Having heard all this, Manu questioned Keshava about the various times for performing śrāddha and the different types of śrāddha rites.
श्राद्धेषु भोजनीया ये ये च वर्ज्या द्विजातयः कस्मिन्वासरभागे वा पितृभ्यः श्राद्धमाचरेत्
Which twice-born should be fed at śrāddha, and which should be avoided? At what time of day should one perform śrāddha for the ancestors?
कस्मिन्दत्तं कथं याति श्राद्धं तु मधुसूदन विधिना केन कर्तव्यं कथं प्रीणाति तत्पितॄन्
O Madhusudana, when and how does the offering at śrāddha reach its destination? By what method should it be performed, and how does it please the ancestors?
कुर्यादहरहः श्राद्धम् अन्नाद्येनोदकेन वा पयोमूलफलैर् वापि पितृभ्यः प्रीतिमावहन्
One should perform śrāddha daily, using food, water, milk, roots, or fruits, thereby bringing satisfaction to the ancestors.
नित्यं नैमित्तिकं काम्यं त्रिविधं श्राद्धमुच्यते नित्यं तावत्प्रवक्ष्यामि अर्घ्यावाहनवर्जितम्
Śrāddha is said to be of three kinds: regular, occasional, and desired. I will now explain the regular śrāddha, which omits the offering of water and welcoming rites.
अदैवं तद्विजानीयात् पार्वणं पर्वसु स्मृतम् पार्वणं त्रिविधं प्रोक्तं शृणु तावन्महीपते
Know that this is not for the gods; it is called pārvaṇa and is remembered on festival days. Pārvaṇa is described as threefold; listen to this, O king.
पार्वणे ये नियोज्यास्तु ताञ्शृणुष्व नराधिप पञ्चाग्निः स्नातकश्चैव त्रिसुपर्णः षडङ्गवित्
Hear which persons are to be appointed for pārvaṇa, O ruler of men: one who maintains five fires, one who has completed his studies, one versed in the three suparṇas, and one who knows the six limbs of the Vedas.
श्रोत्रियः श्रोत्रियसुतो विधिवाक्यविशारदः सर्वज्ञो वेदविन्मन्त्री ज्ञातवंशः कुलान्वितः
A Vedic scholar, his son, one skilled in ritual texts, one who knows all, a Veda-knower and mantra-reciter, one familiar with his lineage, and one belonging to a noble family.