Agni Relieves the Ancestors

Verse 1 (13.139.1)

तथा विधौ प्रवृत्ते तु सर्व एव महर्षयः । पितृयज्ञानकुर्वन्त विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥

tathā vidhau pravṛtte tu sarva eva maharṣayaḥ | pitṛyajñānakurvanta vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā

When the rite had been established in this way, all the great sages performed the offerings to the ancestors according to the prescribed procedure.

Verse 2 (13.139.2)

ऋषयो धर्मनित्यास्तु कृत्वा निवपनान्युत । तर्पणं चापि कुर्वन्त तीर्थांभोभिर्यतव्रताः ॥

ṛṣayo dharmanityāstu kṛtvā nivapanānyuta | tarpaṇaṃ cāpi kurvanta tīrthāṃbhobhiryatavratāḥ

The sages, ever devoted to dharma, having made the offerings, also made libations with the waters of holy tirthas, firm in their vows.

Verse 3 (13.139.3)

निवापैर्दीयमानैश्च चातुर्वर्ण्येन भारत । तर्पिताः पितरो देवास्तत्र नान्नं जरयन्ति वै ॥

nivāpairdīyamānaiśca cāturvarṇyena bhārata | tarpitāḥ pitaro devāstatra nānnaṃ jarayanti vai

O Bharata, with the offerings given by people of all four castes, the ancestors and the gods were satisfied, but they could not digest the food.

Note on the text: Corrected तत्रान्नं जरयन्ति → तत्र नान्नं जरयन्ति (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped न that flips the sense, since the next verse says they suffered indigestion; CE 'te nānnaṃ jarayanti vai').

Verse 4 (13.139.4)

अजीर्णैस्त्वभिहन्यन्ते ते देवाः पितृभिः सह । सोममेवाभ्यपद्यन्त तदा ह्यन्नाभिपीडिताः ॥

ajīrṇaistvabhihanyante te devāḥ pitṛbhiḥ saha | somamevābhyapadyanta tadā hyannābhipīḍitāḥ

Afflicted by indigestion, those gods together with the ancestors, oppressed by the food, then went to Soma.

Verse 5 (13.139.5)

तेऽब्रुवन्सोममासाद्य पितरोऽजीर्णपीडिताः । निवापान्नेन पीड्यामः श्रेयो नोत्र विधीयताम् ॥

te'bruvansomamāsādya pitaro'jīrṇapīḍitāḥ | nivāpānnena pīḍyāmaḥ śreyo notra vidhīyatām

Having approached Soma, the ancestors, tormented by indigestion, said: "We are oppressed by the food of the offerings. Let some remedy be ordained for us."

Verse 6 (13.139.6)

तान्सोमः प्रत्युवाचाथ श्रेयश्चेदीप्सितं सुराः । स्वयंभूसदनं यात स वः श्रेयोऽभिधास्यति ॥

tānsomaḥ pratyuvācātha śreyaścedīpsitaṃ surāḥ | svayaṃbhūsadanaṃ yāta sa vaḥ śreyo'bhidhāsyati

Soma then answered them: "If it is your good that you seek, O gods, go to the abode of Svayambhu; he will tell you what is good for you."

Verse 7 (13.139.7)

ते सोमवचनाद्देवाः पितृभिः सह भारत । मेरुशृङ्गे समासीनं पितामहमुपागमन् ॥

te somavacanāddevāḥ pitṛbhiḥ saha bhārata | meruśṛṅge samāsīnaṃ pitāmahamupāgaman

At Soma's word, the gods together with the ancestors, O Bharata, went to the Grandsire, who sat on the peak of Meru.

Verse 8 (13.139.8)

निवापान्नेन भगवन्भृशं पीड्यामहे वयम् । प्रसादं कुरु नो देव श्रेयो नः संविधीयताम् ॥

nivāpānnena bhagavanbhṛśaṃ pīḍyāmahe vayam | prasādaṃ kuru no deva śreyo naḥ saṃvidhīyatām

"Lord, we are greatly oppressed by the food of the offerings. Be gracious to us, O god; let our welfare be arranged."

Verse 9 (13.139.9)

इति तेषां वचः श्रुत्वा स्वयम्भूरिदमब्रवीत् । एष मे पार्श्वतो वह्निर्युष्मच्छ्रेयो विधास्यति ॥

iti teṣāṃ vacaḥ śrutvā svayambhūridamabravīt | eṣa me pārśvato vahniryuṣmacchreyo vidhāsyati

Hearing their words, Svayambhu said this: "Here beside me is Agni; he will arrange your welfare."

Note on the text: Speaker: the first line is Bhishma's narration and the second line is Brahma's (Svayambhu's) words; the page prints Pitaras' heading (पितर ऊचुः) only for verse 8 and no heading for this verse, so it is given to the narrator. The CE prints no heading for it either.

Verse 10 (13.139.10)

सहितास्तस्य भोक्ष्यामो निवापे समुपस्थिते । जरयिष्यथ चाप्यन्नं मया सार्धं न संशयः ॥

sahitāstasya bhokṣyāmo nivāpe samupasthite | jarayiṣyatha cāpyannaṃ mayā sārdhaṃ na saṃśayaḥ

"When the offering is at hand, we shall eat of it together, and you will digest the food along with me; there is no doubt of it."

Note on the text: Speaker: Agni (heading 'अग्निरुवाच' printed on the page, and in the CE at 13,092.010).

Verse 11 (13.139.11)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु पितरस्ततस्ते विज्वराऽभवन् । एतस्मात्कारणाच्चाग्नेः प्राग्भागो दीयते नृप ॥

etacchrutvā tu pitarastataste vijvarā'bhavan | etasmātkāraṇāccāgneḥ prāgbhāgo dīyate nṛpa

Hearing this, the ancestors then became free of their ailment; and for this reason, O king, the first share goes to Agni.

Note on the text: Speaker: given to Bhishma. The page and the CE carry Agni's heading (अग्निरुवाच) from verse 10 to the end, but this verse (and verses 12-24) are Bhishma's narration and instruction to Yudhishthira (the ancestors 'became free of fever'; 'O king'; 'O best of the Kuru house'), not Agni's speech.

Verse 12 (13.139.12)

निवापे चाग्निपूर्वं वै निवृत्ते पुरुषर्षभ । न ब्रह्मराक्षसास्तं वै निवापं धर्षयन्त्युत ॥

nivāpe cāgnipūrvaṃ vai nivṛtte puruṣarṣabha | na brahmarākṣasāstaṃ vai nivāpaṃ dharṣayantyuta

When at the offering Agni has been given his share first, O best of men, the Brahmin-rakshasas do not dare to molest that offering.

Note on the text: Matched by hand to CE 13,092.012: the first line is a variant of CE 13,092.012a ('nivapte cāgnipūrve vai'), the second is CE 13,092.012c.

Verse 13 (13.139.13)

रक्षांसि नाभिवर्धन्ते स्थिते देवे हुताशने । पूर्वं पिण्डं पितुर्दद्यात्ततो दद्यात्पितामहे ॥

rakṣāṃsi nābhivardhante sthite deve hutāśane | pūrvaṃ piṇḍaṃ piturdadyāttato dadyātpitāmahe

The rakshasas gain no strength while the god Agni is present. One should give the first rice-ball to the father, then give to the grandfather,

Note on the text: Matched by hand to CE: the first line is CE 13,092.012e, the second is CE 13,092.013a.

Verse 14 (13.139.14)

प्रपितामहाय च तत एष श्राद्धविधिः स्मृतः । ब्रूयाच्छ्राद्धे च सावित्रीं पिण्डे पिण्डे समाहितः । सोमायेति च वक्तव्यं तथा पितृमतेति च ॥

prapitāmahāya ca tata eṣa śrāddhavidhiḥ smṛtaḥ | brūyācchrāddhe ca sāvitrīṃ piṇḍe piṇḍe samāhitaḥ | somāyeti ca vaktavyaṃ tathā pitṛmateti ca

and then to the great-grandfather; this is remembered as the rule of shraddha. With attention, one should recite the Savitri at each rice-ball, and the words "to Soma" and "to him who has the ancestors" should also be spoken.

Note on the text: Matched by hand to CE: the lines are CE 13,092.013c, 13,092.014a and 13,092.014c. Three-line verse as printed on the page (13-139-14a,b,c).

Verse 15 (13.139.15)

रजस्वला च या नारी व्यङ्गिता कर्णयोश्च या । निवापे नोपतिष्ठेत सङ्ग्राह्या नान्यवंशजा ॥

rajasvalā ca yā nārī vyaṅgitā karṇayośca yā | nivāpe nopatiṣṭheta saṅgrāhyā nānyavaṃśajā

A woman in her courses, or one whose ears are maimed, should not attend the offering; and no one of another family is to be taken in.

Verse 16 (13.139.16)

जलं प्रतरमाणश्च कीर्तयेत पितामहान् । नदीमासाद्य कुर्वीत पितॄणां पितृतर्पणम् ॥

jalaṃ prataramāṇaśca kīrtayeta pitāmahān | nadīmāsādya kurvīta pitṝṇāṃ pitṛtarpaṇam

When crossing water, one should call to mind the grandfathers; and having come to a river, one should make the ancestral libation to the ancestors.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रतरमाणस्च → प्रतरमाणश्च (misprint in Wikisource; स for श; CE 'prataramāṇaś ca').

Verse 17 (13.139.17)

पूर्वं स्ववंशजानां तु कृत्वाऽद्भिस्तर्पणं पुनः । सुहृत्सम्बन्धिवर्गाणां ततो दद्याज्जलाञ्जलिम् ॥

pūrvaṃ svavaṃśajānāṃ tu kṛtvā'dbhistarpaṇaṃ punaḥ | suhṛtsambandhivargāṇāṃ tato dadyājjalāñjalim

First, having made the libation with water to those of one's own family, then one should give a handful of water to the circle of friends and relatives.

Note on the text: Wikisource prints the word as 'कृत्वा।?द्भिः' (garbled, with a danda and a question mark in place of the letters). Corrected to कृत्वाऽद्भिः, following the critical edition (13,092.017a 'kṛtvādbhis tarpaṇaṃ punaḥ'); the rest of the verse is unchanged.

Verse 18 (13.139.18)

कल्माषगोयुगेनाथ युक्तेन तरतो जलम् । पितरोऽभिलषन्ते वै नावं चाप्यधिरोहिताः ॥

kalmāṣagoyugenātha yuktena tarato jalam | pitaro'bhilaṣante vai nāvaṃ cāpyadhirohitāḥ

When one crosses water in a cart yoked with a pair of dappled oxen, the ancestors, who have also been made to board the boat, long for it.

Note on the text: Matched by hand to CE: the first line is CE 13,092.018a, the second a variant of CE 13,092.018c.

Verse 19 (13.139.19)

सदा नावि जलं तज्ज्ञाः प्रयच्छन्ति समाहिताः । मासार्धे कृष्णपक्षस्य कुर्यान्निर्वपणानि वै ॥

sadā nāvi jalaṃ tajjñāḥ prayacchanti samāhitāḥ | māsārdhe kṛṣṇapakṣasya kuryānnirvapaṇāni vai

Those who know this always give water, with attention, while in the boat. In the dark fortnight, on the half-month day, one should perform the offerings.

Note on the text: Matched by hand to CE: the first line is CE 13,092.018e, the second is CE 13,092.019a.

Verse 20 (13.139.20)

पुष्टिरायुस्तथा वीर्यं श्रीश्चैव पितृभक्तितः ॥

puṣṭirāyustathā vīryaṃ śrīścaiva pitṛbhaktitaḥ

Growth, long life, vigour and prosperity come from devotion to the ancestors.

Note on the text: One-line verse as printed on the page (13-139-20a). Matched by hand to a variant of CE 13,092.019c ('puṣṭir āyus tathā vīryaṃ śrīś caiva pitṛvartinaḥ').

Verse 21 (13.139.21)

पितामहः पुलस्त्यश्च वसिष्ठः पुलहस्तथा । अङ्गिराश्च क्रतुश्चैव कश्यपश्च महानृषिः ॥

pitāmahaḥ pulastyaśca vasiṣṭhaḥ pulahastathā | aṅgirāśca kratuścaiva kaśyapaśca mahānṛṣiḥ

The Grandsire, Pulastya, Vasishtha and Pulaha, Angiras, Kratu, and the great rishi Kashyapa,

Note on the text: Matched by hand to CE 13,092.020 (lines a and c).

Verse 22 (13.139.22)

एते कुरुकुलश्रेष्ठ महायोगेश्वराः स्मृताः । एते च पितरो राजन्नेष श्राद्धविधिः परः ॥

ete kurukulaśreṣṭha mahāyogeśvarāḥ smṛtāḥ | ete ca pitaro rājanneṣa śrāddhavidhiḥ paraḥ

these, O best of the Kuru house, are remembered as the great lords of yoga. These are the ancestors, O king; this is the supreme rule of shraddha.

Note on the text: Matched by hand to CE: the first line is CE 13,092.020e, the second is CE 13,092.021a.

Verse 23 (13.139.23)

प्रेतास्तु पिण्डसम्बन्धान्मुच्यन्ते तेन कर्मणा । इत्येषा पुरुषश्रेष्ठ श्राद्धोत्पत्तिर्यथागमम् ॥

pretāstu piṇḍasambandhānmucyante tena karmaṇā | ityeṣā puruṣaśreṣṭha śrāddhotpattiryathāgamam

By that rite the departed are released through their bond with the rice-balls. Thus, O best of men, is the origin of shraddha, as the tradition has it.

Note on the text: Matched by hand to CE: the first line is CE 13,092.021c, the second is CE 13,092.022a.

Verse 24 (13.139.24)

व्याख्याता पूर्वनिर्दिष्टा किं ते वक्ष्याम्यतः परम् ॥

vyākhyātā pūrvanirdiṣṭā kiṃ te vakṣyāmyataḥ param

It has been explained, as was indicated before. What more shall I tell you now?

Note on the text: One-line verse as printed on the page (13-139-24a). Matched by hand to a variant of CE 13,092.022c ('khyāpitā pūrvanirdiṣṭā dānaṃ vakṣyāmy ataḥ param'); Wikisource's ending differs from the CE's ('I shall now speak of gifts').