Sapindikarana of the Maternal Line and the Rules for the Corpse

Verse 1 (garuda.2.35.1)

तर्क्ष्य उवाच । अपरं मम सन्देहं कथयस्व जनार्दन । पुरुषस्य च कस्यापि मता पञ्चत्वमागता

tarkṣya uvāca aparaṁ mama sandehaṁ kathayasva janārdana puruṣasya ca kasyāpi matā pañcatvamāgatā

Tarkshya said: "Tell me another doubt of mine, O Janardana. When any man is reckoned to have died,"

Verse 2 (garuda.2.35.2)

पितामही जीवति च तथा च प्रपितामही । वृद्धप्रपितामही तद्वन्मातृसक्तः पिता तथा

pitāmahī jīvati ca tathā ca prapitāmahī vṛddhaprapitāmahī tadvanmātṛsaktaḥ pitā tathā

"if the paternal grandmother is living, and likewise the great-grandmother and the great-great-grandmother, and likewise the father's ancestors connected through the mother,"

Verse 3 (garuda.2.35.3)

प्रमातामहश्च तथा वृद्धप्रमातामहस्तथा । केन सा मेल्यते माता एतत्कथय मे प्रभो

pramātāmahaśca tathā vṛddhapramātāmahastathā kena sā melyate mātā etatkathaya me prabho

"and the maternal grandfather, and the maternal great-grandfather as well — O Lord, with whom is that mother's line to be joined in sapindikarana? Tell me this."

Verse 4 (garuda.2.35.4)

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । पुनरुक्तं प्रवक्ष्यामि सपिण्डीकरणं खग । उमा लक्ष्मीश्च सावित्रीत्यताभिर्मेलयेद्ध्रुवम्

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca punaruktaṁ pravakṣyāmi sapiṇḍīkaraṇaṁ khaga umā lakṣmīśca sāvitrītyatābhirmelayeddhruvam

Shri Krishna said: "O bird, I shall again describe sapindikarana. Uma, Lakshmi, and Savitri — with these indeed should the female line be joined."

Verse 5 (garuda.2.35.5)

त्रयः पिण्डभुजो ज्ञेयास्त्यजाकाश्च त्रयः स्मृताः । त्रयः पिण्डानुलेपाश्च दशमः पङ्क्तिसंन्निधः

trayaḥ piṇḍabhujo jñeyāstyajākāśca trayaḥ smṛtāḥ trayaḥ piṇḍānulepāśca daśamaḥ paṅktisaṁnnidhaḥ

"Three should be known as eaters of the pinda, and three are declared to be releasers; three are those smeared by the pinda, and a tenth stands close to the row."

Verse 6 (garuda.2.35.6)

इत्येते पुरुषाः ख्याताः पितृमातृकुलेषु च । तारयेद्यजमानस्तु दश पूर्वान् दशावरान्

ityete puruṣāḥ khyātāḥ pitṛmātṛkuleṣu ca tārayedyajamānastu daśa pūrvān daśāvarān

"These persons are known in both the paternal and maternal lines; the sacrificer delivers ten ancestors above and ten below."

Verse 7 (garuda.2.35.7)

सपिण्डः स भवेदादौ सपिण्डीकरणे कृते । अन्त्यस्तु त्याजको ज्ञेयो यो वृद्धप्रपितामहः

sapiṇḍaḥ sa bhavedādau sapiṇḍīkaraṇe kṛte antyastu tyājako jñeyo yo vṛddhaprapitāmahaḥ

"Once sapindikarana is performed, he becomes sapinda from the outset; the last releaser should be known as the great-great-grandfather."

Verse 8 (garuda.2.35.8)

अन्तिमस्त्याजको ज्ञेयो लेपकः प्रथमो भवेत् । लेपकस्त्वन्तिमो यस्तु स भवेत्पङ्क्तिसन्निधः

antimastyājako jñeyo lepakaḥ prathamo bhavet lepakastvantimo yastu sa bhavetpaṅktisannidhaḥ

"The last is to be known as the releaser, and the first becomes the one smeared; whoever is last among those smeared stands close to the row."

Verse 9 (garuda.2.35.9)

यजमानो भवेदेको दश पृर्त्वे दशावरे । इत्येते पितरो ज्ञेया एकविंशति संख्यकाः

yajamāno bhavedeko daśa pṛrtve daśāvare ityete pitaro jñeyā ekaviṁśati saṁkhyakāḥ

"The sacrificer is one, with ten above and ten below; thus these ancestors are known to number twenty-one."

Verse 10 (garuda.2.35.10)

विधिना कुरुते यस्तु संसारे श्राद्धमुत्तमम् । जायतेऽत्र न सन्देहः शृणु तस्यापि यत्फलम्

vidhinā kurute yastu saṁsāre śrāddhamuttamam jāyate'tra na sandehaḥ śṛṇu tasyāpi yatphalam

"Whoever performs the excellent shraddha in the world according to rule certainly gains its fruit; hear now what that fruit is."

Verse 11 (garuda.2.35.11)

पिता ददाति पुत्त्रान् वै विच्छिन्नसन्ततिः खग । होमदाता भवेत्सोपि यस्तस्य प्रपितामहः

pitā dadāti puttrān vai vicchinnasantatiḥ khaga homadātā bhavetsopi yastasya prapitāmahaḥ

"The father brings forth sons; O bird, if the line is cut off, the giver of the oblation himself in effect becomes as his own great-grandfather."

Verse 12 (garuda.2.35.12)

कृते श्राद्धे गुणा ह्येते पितॄणां तपेणे स्मृताः । दद्याद्विपुलमन्नाद्यं वृद्धस्तु प्रपितामहः

kṛte śrāddhe guṇā hyete pitṝṇāṁ tapeṇe smṛtāḥ dadyādvipulamannādyaṁ vṛddhastu prapitāmahaḥ

"When the shraddha is performed, these qualities are remembered in the libation of the ancestors; abundant food should be given to the great-great-grandfather."

Verse 13 (garuda.2.35.13)

यस्य पुंसश्च मर्त्ये वै विच्छिन्ना सन्ततिः खग । स वसेन्नरके घोरे पङ्के मग्नः करी यथा

yasya puṁsaśca martye vai vicchinnā santatiḥ khaga sa vasennarake ghore paṅke magnaḥ karī yathā

"O bird, the man whose lineage is cut off in the world of mortals dwells in dreadful hell like an elephant sunk in mire."

Verse 14 (garuda.2.35.14)

योन्यन्तरेषु जायते यत्र वृक्षसरीसृपाः । न सन्ततिं विना सोऽत्र मुच्यते नरकाद्ध्रुवम्

yonyantareṣu jāyate yatra vṛkṣasarīsṛpāḥ na santatiṁ vinā so'tra mucyate narakāddhruvam

"He is born into other forms of life such as trees and reptiles; without offspring he is certainly not freed from that hell."

Verse 15 (garuda.2.35.15)

आचार्यस्तस्य शिष्यो वा यो दूरेऽपि हि गात्रेजः । नारायणबलिं कुर्यात्तस्याद्देशेन भक्तितः

ācāryastasya śiṣyo vā yo dūre'pi hi gātrejaḥ nārāyaṇabaliṁ kuryāttasyāddeśena bhaktitaḥ

"His teacher or his disciple, or any relative however distantly born of his body — whoever performs the Narayana-bali offering on his behalf with devotion,"

Verse 16 (garuda.2.35.16)

विशुद्धः सर्वपापेभ्यो मुक्तः स नरकाद्ध्रुवम् । निवसेन्नाकलोके च नात्र कार्या विचारणा

viśuddhaḥ sarvapāpebhyo muktaḥ sa narakāddhruvam nivasennākaloke ca nātra kāryā vicāraṇā

"purified of every sin, he is certainly freed from hell; he dwells in the world of heaven — there should be no doubt about this."

Verse 17 (garuda.2.35.17)

आदौ कृत्वा धनिष्ठाञ्च एतन्नक्षत्रपञ्चकम् । रेवत्यन्तं सदा दूष्यमशुभं सर्वदा भवेत्

ādau kṛtvā dhaniṣṭhāñca etannakṣatrapañcakam revatyantaṁ sadā dūṣyamaśubhaṁ sarvadā bhavet

"These five constellations, beginning with Dhanishtha and ending with Revati, should always be regarded as tainted and inauspicious."

Verse 18 (garuda.2.35.18)

दाह (बलि) स्तत्र न कर्तव्यो विप्रदिसर्वजातिषु । दीयते न जलं तत्र अशुभं जायते ध्रुवम् । लोकयात्रा न कर्तव्या दुः खार्तः स्वजनो यदि

dāha (bali) statra na kartavyo vipradisarvajātiṣu dīyate na jalaṁ tatra aśubhaṁ jāyate dhruvam lokayātrā na kartavyā duḥ khārtaḥ svajano yadi

"At that time cremation should not be performed for a brahmin or any other caste; water should not be given there, for it is certainly held inauspicious; and if a grieving kinsman has died, ordinary worldly dealings should also not be carried on."

Verse 19 (garuda.2.35.19)

पञ्चकानन्तरं तस्य कर्तव्यं सर्वमन्यथा । पुत्राणां गोत्रिणां तस्य सन्तापोऽप्युपजायते

pañcakānantaraṁ tasya kartavyaṁ sarvamanyathā putrāṇāṁ gotriṇāṁ tasya santāpo'pyupajāyate

"Only after the five inauspicious days have passed should all the remaining rites be performed; otherwise distress falls upon his sons and gotra-kin as well."

Verse 20 (garuda.2.35.20)

गृहे हानिर्भवेत्तस्य ऋक्षेष्वेषु मृतश्च यः । अथवा ऋक्षमध्येऽपि दाहस्तस्य विधीयते

gṛhe hānirbhavettasya ṛkṣeṣveṣu mṛtaśca yaḥ athavā ṛkṣamadhye'pi dāhastasya vidhīyate

"Loss occurs within his household; for one who dies under these constellations, or in the midst of them, cremation is carried out according to a special procedure."

Verse 21 (garuda.2.35.21)

क्रियते मानुषाणान्तु सद्य आहुतिकारणात् । सद्याहुतिकरं पुण्यं तीर्थे तद्दाह उत्तमः

kriyate mānuṣāṇāntu sadya āhutikāraṇāt sadyāhutikaraṁ puṇyaṁ tīrthe taddāha uttamaḥ

"For humans an immediate oblation is made for the sake of expiation; performing this immediate oblation at a holy ford is held to be best."

Verse 22 (garuda.2.35.22)

विप्रैर्नियमतः कार्यः समन्त्रो विधिपूर्वकः । शवस्य च समीपे तु क्षिप्यन्ते पुत्तलास्ततः

viprairniyamataḥ kāryaḥ samantro vidhipūrvakaḥ śavasya ca samīpe tu kṣipyante puttalāstataḥ

"It should be performed strictly, with mantras and according to rule, by brahmins; then, near the corpse, effigies are placed —"

Verse 23 (garuda.2.35.23)

दर्भमयाश्च चत्वारो विप्रा मन्त्राभिमन्त्रिताः । ततो दाहः प्रकर्तव्यः तैश्च पुत्तलकैः सह

darbhamayāśca catvāro viprā mantrābhimantritāḥ tato dāhaḥ prakartavyaḥ taiśca puttalakaiḥ saha

"four effigies of darbha grass, consecrated with mantras by brahmins; the cremation should then be performed together with those effigies."

Verse 24 (garuda.2.35.24)

सूतकान्ते ततः पुत्रः कुर्याच्छान्तिकमुत्तमम्

sūtakānte tataḥ putraḥ kuryācchāntikamuttamam

"When the period of impurity is over, the son should perform the excellent rite of peace."

Verse 25 (garuda.2.35.25)

पञ्चकेषु मृतो योऽसौ न गतिं लभते नरः । तिलान् गाश्च सुवर्णं च तमुद्दिश्य घृतं ददेत्

pañcakeṣu mṛto yo'sau na gatiṁ labhate naraḥ tilān gāśca suvarṇaṁ ca tamuddiśya ghṛtaṁ dadet

"A man who dies during these five inauspicious constellations does not attain a good destiny; sesame, a cow, gold, and ghee should be given on his behalf."

Verse 26 (garuda.2.35.26)

विप्राणां दीयते दानं सर्वोपद्रवनाशनम् । सूतकान्ते च सत्पुत्रैः स प्रेतो लभते गतिम्

viprāṇāṁ dīyate dānaṁ sarvopadravanāśanam sūtakānte ca satputraiḥ sa preto labhate gatim

"This gift given to brahmins destroys every calamity; through this rite performed by good sons once the period of impurity ends, that preta attains a good destiny."

Verse 27 (garuda.2.35.27)

भाजनोपानहौ च्छत्रं हेममुद्राच वाससी । दक्षिणा दीयते विप्र सर्वपातकमोचनी

bhājanopānahau cchatraṁ hemamudrāca vāsasī dakṣiṇā dīyate vipra sarvapātakamocanī

"O brahmin, a vessel, sandals, an umbrella, a gold coin, and two garments — this fee grants release from every sin."

Verse 28 (garuda.2.35.28)

बालवृद्धातुराणाञ्च मृतानां पञ्चकेषु हि । विधानं यो न कुर्वीत विघ्नस्तस्य प्रजायते

bālavṛddhāturāṇāñca mṛtānāṁ pañcakeṣu hi vidhānaṁ yo na kurvīta vighnastasya prajāyate

"If a child, an elder, or an ailing person dies during these five constellations, an obstacle arises for whoever fails to perform this rite."

Verse 29 (garuda.2.35.29)

अष्टादशैव वस्तूनि प्रेतश्राद्धे विवर्जयेत् । आशिषो द्विगुणान् दर्भान् प्रणवान्नैकपिण्डताम्

aṣṭādaśaiva vastūni pretaśrāddhe vivarjayet āśiṣo dviguṇān darbhān praṇavānnaikapiṇḍatām

"Eighteen things should be avoided in the preta-shraddha: a doubled blessing, a doubled portion of darbha, the syllable Om, and treating many as a single pinda,"

Verse 30 (garuda.2.35.30)

अग्नौकरणमुच्छिष्टं श्राद्धं वै वैश्वदैविकम् । विकिरं च स्वधाकारं पितृशब्दं न चोच्चरेत्

agnaukaraṇamucchiṣṭaṁ śrāddhaṁ vai vaiśvadaivikam vikiraṁ ca svadhākāraṁ pitṛśabdaṁ na coccaret

"the fire-oblation, leftover food, the Vaishvadeva rite, the scattering of offerings, the exclamation svadha — and the word 'pitri' should not be uttered,"

Verse 31 (garuda.2.35.31)

अनुशब्दं न कुर्वीत नावाहनमथोल्मुकम् । आसीमान्तं न कुर्वीत प्रदक्षिणविसर्जनम्

anuśabdaṁ na kurvīta nāvāhanamatholmukam āsīmāntaṁ na kurvīta pradakṣiṇavisarjanam

"the word 'anu' should not be used, nor invocation performed, nor a firebrand carried; one should not go to the boundary, nor conclude with a circumambulatory dismissal."

Verse 32 (garuda.2.35.32)

न कुर्यात्तिलहोमञ्च द्विजः पूर्णाहुतिं तथा । न कुर्याद्वैश्वदेवं चेत्कर्ता गच्छत्यधोगतिम्

na kuryāttilahomañca dvijaḥ pūrṇāhutiṁ tathā na kuryādvaiśvadevaṁ cetkartā gacchatyadhogatim

"A brahmin should not perform the sesame fire-offering nor the full oblation; if he fails to perform the Vaishvadeva rite, the performer falls to a lower state."

Verse 33 (garuda.2.35.33)

मलिनश्राद्धसंज्ञानं पूर्वषोडशकं तथा । स्थाने द्वारे चार्धमार्गे चितायां शवहस्तके

malinaśrāddhasaṁjñānaṁ pūrvaṣoḍaśakaṁ tathā sthāne dvāre cārdhamārge citāyāṁ śavahastake

"The first sixteen, called the 'tainted shraddhas', are as follows: at the place of death, at the doorway, midway on the road, at the pyre, in the hand of the corpse,"

Verse 34 (garuda.2.35.34)

श्मशानवासिभूतेभ्यः पञ्चमं प्रतिवेश्यकम् । षष्ठं सञ्चयने प्रोक्तं दश पिण्डा दशाहिकाः । श्राद्धषोडषकञ्चैतत्प्रथमं परिकीर्तितम्

śmaśānavāsibhūtebhyaḥ pañcamaṁ prativeśyakam ṣaṣṭhaṁ sañcayane proktaṁ daśa piṇḍā daśāhikāḥ śrāddhaṣoḍaṣakañcaitatprathamaṁ parikīrtitam

"the fifth for the spirits dwelling in the cremation ground, and for the neighbors; the sixth is declared at the gathering of the bones; and the ten pindas of the ten-day rite — this is the first group of sixteen shraddhas."

Verse 35 (garuda.2.35.35)

अन्यच्च षोडशं मध्ये द्वितीयं तार्क्ष्य मे शृणु । कर्तव्यानीह विधिना श्राद्धान्येकादशैव तु

anyacca ṣoḍaśaṁ madhye dvitīyaṁ tārkṣya me śṛṇu kartavyānīha vidhinā śrāddhānyekādaśaiva tu

"O Tarkshya, hear from me now of the middle group of another sixteen, the second set: eleven shraddhas should be performed here according to rule,"

Verse 36 (garuda.2.35.36)

ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवाद्यञ्च तथान्यच्छ्राद्धपञ्चकम् । एवं षोडशकं प्राहुरेतत्तत्त्वविदो जनाः

brahmaviṣṇuśivādyañca tathānyacchrāddhapañcakam evaṁ ṣoḍaśakaṁ prāhuretattattvavido janāḥ

"and to Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the rest, and another five shraddhas — thus the knowers of the truth call this the sixteen."

Verse 37 (garuda.2.35.37)

द्वादश प्रतिमास्यानि श्राद्धमेकादशे तथा । त्रिपक्षसम्भवञ्चैव द्वे रिक्ते खग षोडश

dvādaśa pratimāsyāni śrāddhamekādaśe tathā tripakṣasambhavañcaiva dve rikte khaga ṣoḍaśa

"The twelve monthly shraddhas, the shraddha of the eleventh day, that arising from the three-fortnight rite, and two empty tithis — thus, O bird, sixteen more, in the third group."

Verse 38 (garuda.2.35.38)

आद्यं शवविशुद्ध्यर्थं कृत्वान्यच्च त्रिषोडशम् । पितृपाङ्क्तिविशुद्ध्यर्थं शताद्धैंन तु योजयेत्

ādyaṁ śavaviśuddhyarthaṁ kṛtvānyacca triṣoḍaśam pitṛpāṅktiviśuddhyarthaṁ śatāddhaiṁna tu yojayet

"The first group is for the purification of the corpse; having performed these three sets of sixteen, for the purification of the ancestral row it should be joined together with the fifty."

Verse 39 (garuda.2.35.39)

शतार्धेन विहीनो यो मिलितः पङ्क्तिभाङ्न हि । चत्वारिंशत्तथैवाष्टश्राद्धं प्रेतत्वनाशनम्

śatārdhena vihīno yo militaḥ paṅktibhāṅna hi catvāriṁśattathaivāṣṭaśrāddhaṁ pretatvanāśanam

"Whoever lacks the fifty does not join the row even when united with it; the forty-eight shraddhas together destroy the state of pretahood."

Verse 40 (garuda.2.35.40)

सकृदूनशतार्धेन सम्भवेत्पङ्क्तिसन्निधः । मेलनीयः शतार्धेन सन्धिः श्राद्धेन तत्त्वतः

sakṛdūnaśatārdhena sambhavetpaṅktisannidhaḥ melanīyaḥ śatārdhena sandhiḥ śrāddhena tattvataḥ

"Even falling once short of the fifty, he comes to stand close to the row; the true joining is achieved by the shraddha together with the fifty."

Verse 41 (garuda.2.35.41)

(अथ शवाविधिः) । शवस्य शिबिकायां करचरणबन्धनं तत्र कर्तव्यम् । एवं चेन्न विधानं विधीयते तत्पिशाचपरिभवनम्

(atha śavāvidhiḥ) śavasya śibikāyāṁ karacaraṇabandhanaṁ tatra kartavyam evaṁ cenna vidhānaṁ vidhīyate tatpiśācaparibhavanam

"(Now the rule for the corpse) — On the bier, the corpse's hands and feet should be bound; if this rule is not observed, it invites the affliction of pishachas."

Verse 42 (garuda.2.35.42)

संजायते रजन्याञ्च शवनिर्गमने राष्ट्रं भयशून्यम् । शवं न मुञ्चेत मुच्यते चेत्दुः स्पर्शाद्दुर्गतिर्भवेत्

saṁjāyate rajanyāñca śavanirgamane rāṣṭraṁ bhayaśūnyam śavaṁ na muñceta mucyate cetduḥ sparśāddurgatirbhavet

"When the corpse is carried out at night, the realm becomes free of fear; the corpse should never be left unattended — if it is, an evil state results from its ill-omened touch."

Verse 43 (garuda.2.35.43)

ग्राममध्ये स्थिते प्रेते श्रुते भुङ्क्ते यदृच्छया । तदन्नं मांसवज्ज्ञेयं तत्तोयं रुधिरोपमम्

grāmamadhye sthite prete śrute bhuṅkte yadṛcchayā tadannaṁ māṁsavajjñeyaṁ tattoyaṁ rudhiropamam

"While the preta still lies within the village, if anyone eats food heedlessly as they please, that food should be known as equal to flesh, and that water as equal to blood."

Verse 44 (garuda.2.35.44)

ताम्बूलं दन्तकाष्ठञ्च भोजनं ऋतुसेवनम् । ग्राममध्ये स्थिते प्रेते वर्जयेत्पिण्डपातनम्

tāmbūlaṁ dantakāṣṭhañca bhojanaṁ ṛtusevanam grāmamadhye sthite prete varjayetpiṇḍapātanam

"While the preta lies within the village, betel, tooth-cleaning twigs, food, conjugal relations, and the dropping of the pinda should be avoided."

Verse 45 (garuda.2.35.45)

स्नानं दानं जपो होमस्तर्पणं सुरपूजनम् । ग्राममध्ये स्थिते प्रेते शुद्ध्यर्थं ज्ञातिधर्मतः

snānaṁ dānaṁ japo homastarpaṇaṁ surapūjanam grāmamadhye sthite prete śuddhyarthaṁ jñātidharmataḥ

"While the preta lies within the village, bathing, giving, japa, homa, tarpana, and worship of the gods should be observed for the purity of kinship-duty."

Verse 46 (garuda.2.35.46)

ज्ञातिसम्बन्धिनामेवं व्यवहारः खगेश्वर । विलुप्य ज्ञातिधर्मञ्च प्रेतपापेन लिप्यते

jñātisambandhināmevaṁ vyavahāraḥ khageśvara vilupya jñātidharmañca pretapāpena lipyate

"O lord of birds, such should be the conduct of kinsmen and relatives; whoever violates this duty of kinship becomes tainted with the preta's sin."