Sapindikarana: The Rite of Union with the Ancestors

Verse 1 (garuda.1.220.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच । सपिण्डीकरणं वक्ष्ये पूर्णेऽब्दे तत्क्षयेऽहनि । कृतं सम्यग्यथाकाले प्रेतादेः पितृलोकदम्

brahmovāca sapiṇḍīkaraṇaṁ vakṣye pūrṇe'bde tatkṣaye'hani kṛtaṁ samyagyathākāle pretādeḥ pitṛlokadam

Brahma said: Now I shall describe the Sapindikarana rite, which, when duly performed at the proper time on the day the full year is completed, grants the departed spirit the world of the ancestors.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.220.2)

सपिण्डीकरणं कुर्यादपराह्ने तु पूर्ववत् । पितामहादिब्राह्मणनिमन्त्रणम् । ओं पुरूरवार्द्रवसंज्ञकेभ्यो देवेभ्य एतदासनं नमः । वामपार्श्वे चासनदानम् । आवाहनम् । ततः पितामहप्रपितामहवृद्धप्रपितामहानां सपत्नीकानां श्राद्धमहं करिष्ये इत्यनुज्ञाग्रहणंपात्रत्रयकरणंपात्रोपरि कुशं दत्त्वा पात्रान्तरेण पिधाय अच्छिद्रावधारणान्तं परिसमाप्य तथैव पितुरपि सपत्नीकस्य प्रेतपदान्तनाम्ना श्राद्धकरणानुज्ञापनं देवपात्राच्छिद्रावधारणम्

sapiṇḍīkaraṇaṁ kuryādaparāhne tu pūrvavat pitāmahādibrāhmaṇanimantraṇam oṁ purūravārdravasaṁjñakebhyo devebhya etadāsanaṁ namaḥ vāmapārśve cāsanadānam āvāhanam tataḥ pitāmahaprapitāmahavṛddhaprapitāmahānāṁ sapatnīkānāṁ śrāddhamahaṁ kariṣye ityanujñāgrahaṇaṁpātratrayakaraṇaṁpātropari kuśaṁ dattvā pātrāntareṇa pidhāya acchidrāvadhāraṇāntaṁ parisamāpya tathaiva piturapi sapatnīkasya pretapadāntanāmnā śrāddhakaraṇānujñāpanaṁ devapātrācchidrāvadhāraṇam

Sapindikarana should be performed in the afternoon as before. The grandfather's and other brahmins should be invited. 'Om, salutation to this seat, for the deities named Pururava and Ardrava' — the seat is given to the left, and invocation made; then, having sought permission saying 'I shall perform the Shraddha for grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather, together with their wives,' three vessels are prepared, kusha placed atop each vessel, covered with another vessel, completing the rite up through 'may it be without flaw'; likewise permission is sought for the father, together with his wife, under the name still bearing the 'preta' (departed) designation, and the vessel's flawlessness for the gods is declared.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.220.3)

तत्परिसमाप्य पितामहप्रपितामहवृद्धप्रपितामहक्रमेण पात्राणां मनाक्चालनम् । उद्धाटनं कृत्वाओं ये समानाः समनसः पितरो यमराज्ये । तेषां लोकः स्वधा नमो यज्ञो देवेषु कल्पताम् । ओं ये समानाः समनसो जीवा जीवेषु मामकाः । तेषां श्रीर्मयि कल्पतामस्मिन् लोके शतं समाः । एतन्मन्त्रद्वयेन पितृपात्रोदकं पितामहप्रपितामहपात्रे वृद्धप्रपितामहपात्रं परित्यज्य पितामहप्रपितामहयोरुदकं पवित्रञ्च पितृपात्रे क्षिपेत्

tatparisamāpya pitāmahaprapitāmahavṛddhaprapitāmahakrameṇa pātrāṇāṁ manākcālanam uddhāṭanaṁ kṛtvāoṁ ye samānāḥ samanasaḥ pitaro yamarājye teṣāṁ lokaḥ svadhā namo yajño deveṣu kalpatām oṁ ye samānāḥ samanaso jīvā jīveṣu māmakāḥ teṣāṁ śrīrmayi kalpatāmasmin loke śataṁ samāḥ etanmantradvayena pitṛpātrodakaṁ pitāmahaprapitāmahapātre vṛddhaprapitāmahapātraṁ parityajya pitāmahaprapitāmahayorudakaṁ pavitrañca pitṛpātre kṣipet

Having completed that, in the order of grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather, the vessels are slightly moved. Having uncovered them — 'Om, may the world of those departed souls who share one mind, one dwelling, in Yama's realm — their world, their svadha, their salutation, their sacrifice among the gods, be established. Om, may the fortune of those living souls who share one mind, one dwelling, among my own — may their fortune be established in me, in this world, for a hundred years' — with these two mantras, one discards the water of the great-great-grandfather's vessel, and pours the water and the purifying grass from the grandfather's and great-grandfather's vessels, together with the father's water, into the father's vessel.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.220.4)

ततः पितृब्राह्मणहस्ते पात्रस्थपवित्रदानम् । पात्रस्थपुष्पेण शिरसः करपादार्चनं ब्राह्मणहस्तेऽन्य जलदानंहस्ताभ्यां पात्रमुत्थाप्य ओं या दिव्येति पठित्वा ओं अमुकगोत्र मत्पितामह अमुकदेवशर्मन् सपत्नीक एष ते अर्घ्यः स्वधा । पितृपात्रेणैव पितामहब्राह्मणहस्ते स्तोकमर्घ्योदकं सपवित्रङ्गृहीत्वास्तोकमुदकं पिण्डसेचनार्थं पात्रान्तरेण पिधाय पितृब्राह्मणवामपार्श्व दक्षिणाग्रकुशोपरि पितृभ्यः स्तानमसीति अधोमुखपात्रस्थपनम्

tataḥ pitṛbrāhmaṇahaste pātrasthapavitradānam pātrasthapuṣpeṇa śirasaḥ karapādārcanaṁ brāhmaṇahaste'nya jaladānaṁhastābhyāṁ pātramutthāpya oṁ yā divyeti paṭhitvā oṁ amukagotra matpitāmaha amukadevaśarman sapatnīka eṣa te arghyaḥ svadhā pitṛpātreṇaiva pitāmahabrāhmaṇahaste stokamarghyodakaṁ sapavitraṅgṛhītvāstokamudakaṁ piṇḍasecanārthaṁ pātrāntareṇa pidhāya pitṛbrāhmaṇavāmapārśva dakṣiṇāgrakuśopari pitṛbhyaḥ stānamasīti adhomukhapātrasthapanam

Then the purifying grass within the vessel is given into the father-brahmin's hand. With the flower from the vessel, the head, hands, and feet are worshipped; further water is given into the brahmin's hand; taking up the vessel with both hands and reciting 'ya divya,' one says: 'To my grandfather of such-and-such gotra, named such-and-such deva-sharman, together with your wife — this is your arghya, svadha.' From the father's own vessel, a little arghya-water together with the purifying grass is taken into the grandfather-brahmin's hand; a little water is set aside for sprinkling the pinda, covered with another vessel; to the left of the father-brahmin, upon kusha pointing south, the inverted vessel is set down saying 'may this be the abode for the ancestors.'

Verse 5 (garuda.1.220.5)

पितामहप्रपितामहवृद्धप्रपितामहेभ्यो गन्धादिदानमग्नौकरणम् । अवशिष्टान्नं प्रपितामहादिपात्रे क्षिपेत् । पितामहपात्राभिमन्त्रणपर्यन्तक्रमेण समाप्यापि ब्राह्मणपात्राभिमन्त्रणम् । अङ्गुष्ठनिवेशनं तिलविकरणं कृत्वा अमुकगोत्र एतत्ते अन्नं सघृतं सपानीयं सव्यञ्जनं प्रतिषिद्धवर्जितं ये चात्र त्वा मनुयाश्च त्वामनु तस्मै ते स्वधा इति

pitāmahaprapitāmahavṛddhaprapitāmahebhyo gandhādidānamagnaukaraṇam avaśiṣṭānnaṁ prapitāmahādipātre kṣipet pitāmahapātrābhimantraṇaparyantakrameṇa samāpyāpi brāhmaṇapātrābhimantraṇam aṅguṣṭhaniveśanaṁ tilavikaraṇaṁ kṛtvā amukagotra etatte annaṁ saghṛtaṁ sapānīyaṁ savyañjanaṁ pratiṣiddhavarjitaṁ ye cātra tvā manuyāśca tvāmanu tasmai te svadhā iti

Fragrance and the rest should be offered to the grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather, and the fire-offering performed. The remaining food is placed in the great-grandfather's and other vessels. Having completed the consecration of the grandfather's vessel, the brahmin's vessel too is consecrated. Placing the thumb, scattering sesame, one says: 'To such-and-such gotra — this is your food, with ghee, water, and condiments, free from what is forbidden; to those who follow you and those who follow them, svadha too.'

Verse 6 (garuda.1.220.6)

ततो देवप्रभृतिभ्य अपोशानं दद्यात् । अतिथिप्राप्तौ अतिधिश्राद्धं कुर्यात् । अस्मिन्नवसरे विकिरणम् । पितामाहदौ प्रश्रं कृत्वा पितृब्राह्मणमों स्वदितं भवद्भिरिति प्रश्रः । ओं अमुकगोत्र मत्पितः अमुकशर्मन् सपत्नीक एष ते पिण्डो ये चात्रत्वामनुयाश्च त्वामनु तस्मै स्वधेति पिण्डपात्रमच्छिद्रमस्तु । ततः सङ्कल्प सिद्धिवाचनं समाप्य पिण्डं द्विधा कृत्वा ये समानाः सुमनस इति मन्त्रद्वयं पठित्वा पितामहवृद्धप्रपितामहपात्रेषु क्षिपेत् । पिण्डेषु गन्धादिकं दत्त्वा पिण्डचालनम् । अतिथिब्राह्मणे स्वदितादिप्रश्रः । ब्राह्मणानामाचमनम् । भुक्तिक्रमेण ताम्बूलदानम् । सुप्रोक्षितमस्तु शिवा आपः सन्तुवृद्धप्रपितामहक्रमेण ब्राह्मणहस्ते जलदानम् । गोत्रस्याक्षय्यमस्तु पितृब्राह्मणहस्ते उपतिष्टतामिति सतिजलदानम्

tato devaprabhṛtibhya apośānaṁ dadyāt atithiprāptau atidhiśrāddhaṁ kuryāt asminnavasare vikiraṇam pitāmāhadau praśraṁ kṛtvā pitṛbrāhmaṇamoṁ svaditaṁ bhavadbhiriti praśraḥ oṁ amukagotra matpitaḥ amukaśarman sapatnīka eṣa te piṇḍo ye cātratvāmanuyāśca tvāmanu tasmai svadheti piṇḍapātramacchidramastu tataḥ saṅkalpa siddhivācanaṁ samāpya piṇḍaṁ dvidhā kṛtvā ye samānāḥ sumanasa iti mantradvayaṁ paṭhitvā pitāmahavṛddhaprapitāmahapātreṣu kṣipet piṇḍeṣu gandhādikaṁ dattvā piṇḍacālanam atithibrāhmaṇe svaditādipraśraḥ brāhmaṇānāmācamanam bhuktikrameṇa tāmbūladānam suprokṣitamastu śivā āpaḥ santuvṛddhaprapitāmahakrameṇa brāhmaṇahaste jaladānam gotrasyākṣayyamastu pitṛbrāhmaṇahaste upatiṣṭatāmiti satijaladānam

Then water for rinsing should be given to the gods and the rest. If a guest arrives, the guest-shraddha should be performed; on this occasion food should be scattered. Having questioned the grandfather and others, one asks the father-brahmin: 'Om, did you find it agreeable?' 'To my father of such-and-such gotra, named such-and-such sharman, together with your wife — this is your pinda; to those who follow you and those who follow them, svadha too' — may the pinda-vessel be without flaw. Then, having completed the declaration of the resolve's success, dividing the pinda into two portions, reciting the two mantras beginning 'those of one mind,' one places them in the grandfather's and great-great-grandfather's vessels. Fragrance and the rest are given to the pindas, and the pindas are moved. The guest-brahmin is asked whether it was agreeable and the rest; the brahmins sip water; betel is offered in the course of the meal. 'May it be well-sprinkled, may the waters be auspicious' — water is given into the brahmin's hand in the order of great-great-grandfather. 'May the lineage be inexhaustible' — water is given into the ancestor-brahmin's hand, saying 'be present.'

Verse 7 (garuda.1.220.7)

अघोराः पितरः सन्तु अस्त्वित्युक्ते स्वधां वाचयिण्य इति पितामाहदिब्राह्मणानुज्ञापनम्

aghorāḥ pitaraḥ santu astvityukte svadhāṁ vācayiṇya iti pitāmāhadibrāhmaṇānujñāpanam

'May the ancestors be free from wrath' — when 'so be it' is said, one seeks permission from the grandfather's and other brahmins, saying 'I shall have the svadha uttered.'

Verse 8 (garuda.1.220.8)

ओं वाच्यतां इत्युक्ते ओं पितामहादिभ्यः स्वधोच्यताम् । अस्तु स्वधेत्युक्ते पितृब्राह्मण पितृभ्यः स्वधोच्यतामिति । अस्तु स्वधेत्युक्ते ओं ऊर्जं वहन्तीरिति दक्षिणाभिमुखवारिधारात्यागः । ओं विश्वेदेवा अस्मिन् यज्ञे प्रीयन्तामिति देवब्राह्मणहस्ते ओं यवोदकदानम् । ओं देवताभ्य इति त्रिर्जपः

oṁ vācyatāṁ ityukte oṁ pitāmahādibhyaḥ svadhocyatām astu svadhetyukte pitṛbrāhmaṇa pitṛbhyaḥ svadhocyatāmiti astu svadhetyukte oṁ ūrjaṁ vahantīriti dakṣiṇābhimukhavāridhārātyāgaḥ oṁ viśvedevā asmin yajñe prīyantāmiti devabrāhmaṇahaste oṁ yavodakadānam oṁ devatābhya iti trirjapaḥ

When 'Om, let it be uttered' is said, one says: 'Om, let svadha be spoken for the grandfather and the rest.' When 'so be it, svadha' is said, to the ancestor-brahmin: 'let svadha be spoken for the father.' When 'so be it, svadha' is said, reciting 'Om, bearing strength,' one pours a stream of water facing south. 'Om, may the Vishvadevas be pleased in this sacrifice' — barley-water is given into the deity-brahmin's hand. 'Om, to the gods' — this is recited thrice.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.220.9)

पिण्डपात्राणि चालयित्वा आचम्य पितामहादिभ्यो दक्षिणां दत्त्वा ततः पितृ ब्राह्मणाय आशिषो मे प्रदीयन्तामित्याशीः प्रार्थनम् । प्रतिगृह्यतामित्युक्ते दातारो नोऽभिवर्धन्तामिति पात्रमुत्तानं कृत्वा वाजे वाजेदृविसर्जनम् । अभिरण्यतामिति पितृब्राह्मणविसर्जनम्

piṇḍapātrāṇi cālayitvā ācamya pitāmahādibhyo dakṣiṇāṁ dattvā tataḥ pitṛ brāhmaṇāya āśiṣo me pradīyantāmityāśīḥ prārthanam pratigṛhyatāmityukte dātāro no'bhivardhantāmiti pātramuttānaṁ kṛtvā vāje vājedṛvisarjanam abhiraṇyatāmiti pitṛbrāhmaṇavisarjanam

Having moved the pinda-vessels, having sipped water, having given dakshina to the grandfather and the rest, one then prays to the ancestor-brahmin: 'grant me your blessings.' When he says 'accept them,' saying 'may the givers increase,' one rights the vessel and performs the dismissal with 'strength upon strength' and the rest. 'Depart' — this is the dismissal of the ancestor-brahmin.

Verse 10 (garuda.1.220.10)

सपिण्डीकरणश्राद्धं व्यासप्रोक्तं मया तव । श्राद्धं विष्णुः श्राद्धकर्ता फलं श्राद्धादिकं हरिः

sapiṇḍīkaraṇaśrāddhaṁ vyāsaproktaṁ mayā tava śrāddhaṁ viṣṇuḥ śrāddhakartā phalaṁ śrāddhādikaṁ hariḥ

Thus have I told you the Sapindikarana-Shraddha as declared by Vyasa. Vishnu himself is the Shraddha, Vishnu himself the performer of the Shraddha, and Hari himself is the fruit of the Shraddha.