The Rules of Occasional and Ancestral Rites

Verse 1 (markandeya.30.1)

मदालसोवाच । नित्यं नैमित्तकञ्चैव नित्यनैमित्तिकं तथा । गृहस्थस्य तु यत् कर्म तन्निशामय पुत्रक !॥ ३०.१ ॥

madālasovāca nityaṃ naimittakañcaiva nityanaimittikaṃ tathā gṛhasthasya tu yat karma tanniśāmaya putraka !

Madalasa said, "Listen, my child, to the householder's duties — the constant rites, the occasional rites, and those that are both constant and occasional."

Verse 2 (markandeya.30.2)

पञ्चयज्ञाश्रितं नित्यं यदेतत् कथितं तव । नैमित्तिकं तथैवान्यत् पुत्रजन्मक्रियादिकम्॥ ३०.२ ॥

pañcayajñāśritaṃ nityaṃ yadetat kathitaṃ tava naimittikaṃ tathaivānyat putrajanmakriyādikam

"What I have already told you, resting on the five great sacrifices, is the constant duty; separately, occasional duty consists of such rites as those performed at a son's birth and the like."

Verse 3 (markandeya.30.3)

नित्यनैमित्तिकं ज्ञेयं पर्वश्राद्धादि पण्डितैः । तत्र नैमित्तिकं वक्ष्ये श्राद्धमभ्युदयं तव॥ ३०.३ ॥

nityanaimittikaṃ jñeyaṃ parvaśrāddhādi paṇḍitaiḥ tatra naimittikaṃ vakṣye śrāddhamabhyudayaṃ tava

"The constant-occasional duty, learned men say, includes such rites as the periodic shraddha. Among these, I shall now describe to you the occasional shraddha performed on auspicious, prosperous occasions."

Verse 4 (markandeya.30.4)

पुत्रजन्मनि यत्कार्यं जातकर्मसमं नरैः । विवाहादौ च कर्तव्यं सर्वं सम्यक् क्रिमोदितम्॥ ३०.४ ॥

putrajanmani yatkāryaṃ jātakarmasamaṃ naraiḥ vivāhādau ca kartavyaṃ sarvaṃ samyak krimoditam

"What must be done at the birth of a son, such as the jatakarma rite, and what must be done at a wedding and similar occasions, has all been properly set forth and is to be duly performed."

Verse 5 (markandeya.30.5)

पितरश्चात्र सम्पूज्याः ख्याता नान्दीमुखास्तु ये । पिण्डांश्च दधिसंमिश्रान् दद्याद् यवसमन्वितान्॥ ३०.५ ॥

pitaraścātra sampūjyāḥ khyātā nāndīmukhāstu ye piṇḍāṃśca dadhisaṃmiśrān dadyād yavasamanvitān

"On these occasions, the ancestors known as Nandimukha are to be honored, and one should offer them rice-balls mixed with curds, together with barley."

Verse 6 (markandeya.30.6)

उदङ्मुखः प्राङ्मुखो वा यजमानः समाहितः । वैश्वदेवविहीनं तत् केचिदिच्छन्ति मानवाः॥ ३०.६ ॥

udaṅmukhaḥ prāṅmukho vā yajamānaḥ samāhitaḥ vaiśvadevavihīnaṃ tat kecidicchanti mānavāḥ

"The composed sacrificer should face north or east while performing this; some hold that this particular rite should be performed without the Vaishvadeva offering."

Verse 7 (markandeya.30.7)

युग्माश्चात्र द्विजाः कार्यास्ते च पूज्याः प्रदक्षिणम् । एतन्नैमित्तिकं वृद्धौ तथान्यच्चौर्ध्वदेहिकम्॥ ३०.७ ॥

yugmāścātra dvijāḥ kāryāste ca pūjyāḥ pradakṣiṇam etannaimittikaṃ vṛddhau tathānyaccaurdhvadehikam

"The brahmanas invited on this occasion should number an even amount, and they should be honored with the rite of circumambulation. This is the occasional rite performed at prosperous events; there is, besides, another kind, performed for one who has died."

Verse 8 (markandeya.30.8)

मृताहनि च कर्तव्यमेकोद्दिष्टं शृणुष्व तत् । दैवहीनं तथा कार्यं तथैवैकपवित्रकम्॥ ३०.८ ॥

mṛtāhani ca kartavyamekoddiṣṭaṃ śṛṇuṣva tat daivahīnaṃ tathā kāryaṃ tathaivaikapavitrakam

"On the day of death, the rite called ekoddishta must be performed — listen to it. It is to be done without any offering to the gods, and with only a single strand of sacred grass."

Verse 9 (markandeya.30.9)

आवाहनं न कर्तव्यमग्नौकरणवर्जितम् । प्रेतस्य पिण्डमेकञ्च दद्यादुच्छिष्टसन्निधौ॥ ३०.९ ॥

āvāhanaṃ na kartavyamagnaukaraṇavarjitam pretasya piṇḍamekañca dadyāducchiṣṭasannidhau

"No invocation should be performed, and it is done without offering into the fire. A single rice-ball for the deceased should be given, near the leftover food."

Verse 10 (markandeya.30.10)

तिलोदकं चापसव्यं तन्नामस्मरणान्वितम् । अक्षय्यममुकस्येति स्थाने विप्रविसर्जने॥ ३०.१० ॥

tilodakaṃ cāpasavyaṃ tannāmasmaraṇānvitam akṣayyamamukasyeti sthāne vipravisarjane

"Sesame-water should be offered with the sacred thread reversed (apasavya), together with the recitation of the deceased's name — saying 'May this be inexhaustible for so-and-so' — at the time the brahmanas are dismissed."

Verse 11 (markandeya.30.11)

अभिरण्यतामिति ब्रूयाद् ब्रूयुस्तेऽभिरताः स्म ह । प्रतिमासं भवेदेतत् कार्यमा वत्सरं नरैः॥ ३०.११ ॥

abhiraṇyatāmiti brūyād brūyuste 'bhiratāḥ sma ha pratimāsaṃ bhavedetat kāryamā vatsaraṃ naraiḥ

"He should say, 'May you be gladdened,' and they should answer, 'We are indeed gladdened.' This rite must be performed by men every month, continuing for a full year."

Verse 12 (markandeya.30.12)

अथ संवत्सरे पूर्णे यदा वा क्रियते नरैः । सपिण्डीकरणं कार्यं तस्यापि विधिरुच्यते॥ ३०.१२ ॥

atha saṃvatsare pūrṇe yadā vā kriyate naraiḥ sapiṇḍīkaraṇaṃ kāryaṃ tasyāpi vidhirucyate

"Then, once the year is complete — or whenever men choose to perform it — the sapindikarana rite must be carried out; its procedure is now described."

Verse 13 (markandeya.30.13)

तच्चापि दैवरहितमेकार्घ्यैकपवित्रकम् । नैवाग्नौकरणं तत्र तच्चावाहनवर्जितम्॥ ३०.१३ ॥

taccāpi daivarahitamekārghyaikapavitrakam naivāgnaukaraṇaṃ tatra taccāvāhanavarjitam

"This rite too is performed without offering to the gods, with a single argha and a single strand of sacred grass; there is no offering into the fire, and it too lacks invocation."

Verse 14 (markandeya.30.14)

अपसव्यञ्च तत्रापि भोजयेदयुजो द्विजान् । विशेषस्तत्र चान्योऽस्ति प्रतिमासं क्रियाधिकः॥ ३०.१४ ॥

apasavyañca tatrāpi bhojayedayujo dvijān viśeṣastatra cānyo 'sti pratimāsaṃ kriyādhikaḥ

"There too it should be performed with the sacred thread reversed, and an odd number of brahmanas should be fed. There is also another distinctive feature there, in addition to the monthly rite."

Verse 15 (markandeya.30.15)

तं कथ्यमानमेकाग्रो वदन्त्या मे निशामय । तिलगन्धोदकैर्युक्तं तत्र पात्रचतुष्टयम्॥ ३०.१५ ॥

taṃ kathyamānamekāgro vadantyā me niśāmaya tilagandhodakairyuktaṃ tatra pātracatuṣṭayam

"Listen attentively as I now explain it to you: four vessels are required there, filled with water mixed with sesame seeds and fragrant substances."

Verse 16 (markandeya.30.16)

कुर्यात् पितॄणां त्रितयमेकं प्रेतस्य पुत्रक । पात्रत्रये प्रेतपात्रमर्घ्यञ्चैव प्रसेचयेत्॥ ३०.१६ ॥

kuryāt pitṝṇāṃ tritayamekaṃ pretasya putraka pātratraye pretapātramarghyañcaiva prasecayet

"My son, three of these vessels should be set aside for the ancestors, and one for the deceased; the deceased's vessel, together with its argha offering, should then be poured into the three vessels."

Verse 17 (markandeya.30.17)

ये समाना इति जपन् पूर्ववच्छेषमाचरेत् । स्त्रीणामप्येवमेवैतदेकीद्दिष्टमुदाहृतम्॥ ३०.१७ ॥

ye samānā iti japan pūrvavaccheṣamācaret strīṇāmapyevamevaitadekīddiṣṭamudāhṛtam

"While reciting the verse 'ye samanah,' the remainder of the rite should be performed exactly as before. This same ekoddishta rite has been declared for women as well."

Verse 18 (markandeya.30.18)

सपिण्डीकरणं तासां पुत्राभावे न विद्यते । प्रतिसंवत्सरं कार्यमेकोद्दिष्टं नरैः स्त्रियाः॥ ३०.१८ ॥

sapiṇḍīkaraṇaṃ tāsāṃ putrābhāve na vidyate pratisaṃvatsaraṃ kāryamekoddiṣṭaṃ naraiḥ striyāḥ

"In the absence of a son, the sapindikarana rite for women does not apply; instead, men should perform the ekoddishta rite for the deceased woman every year."

Verse 19 (markandeya.30.19)

मृताहनि यथान्यायं नृणां यद्वदिहोदितम् । पुत्राभावे सपिण्डास्तु तदभावे सहोदकाः॥ ३०.१९ ॥

mṛtāhani yathānyāyaṃ nṛṇāṃ yadvadihoditam putrābhāve sapiṇḍāstu tadabhāve sahodakāḥ

"On the day of death, following what has been declared here for men, in the absence of a son the sapinda relatives should perform this rite, and in their absence, the sahodaka relatives."

Verse 20 (markandeya.30.20)

मातुः सपिण्डा ये च स्युर्ये च मातुः सहोदकाः । कुर्युरेनं विधिं सम्यगपुत्रस्य सुतासुतः॥ ३०.२० ॥

mātuḥ sapiṇḍā ye ca syurye ca mātuḥ sahodakāḥ kuryurenaṃ vidhiṃ samyagaputrasya sutāsutaḥ

"Whoever are the mother's sapinda or sahodaka kin — and, for a man without a son, the daughter's son — should properly perform this rite."

Verse 21 (markandeya.30.21)

कुर्युर्मातामहायैवं पुत्रिकास्तनयास्तथा । द्व्यामुष्यायणसंज्ञास्तु मातामहपितामहान्॥ ३०.२१ ॥

kuryurmātāmahāyaivaṃ putrikāstanayāstathā dvyāmuṣyāyaṇasaṃjñāstu mātāmahapitāmahān

"In the same way, the sons of an appointed daughter (putrika) should perform this rite for the maternal grandfather; and those known as dvyamushyayana, belonging to two lineages —"

Verse 22 (markandeya.30.22)

पूजयेयुर्यथान्यायं श्राद्धैर्नैमित्तिकैरपि । सर्वाभावे स्त्रियः कुर्युः स्वभर्तॄणाममन्त्रकम्॥ ३०.२२ ॥

pūjayeyuryathānyāyaṃ śrāddhairnaimittikairapi sarvābhāve striyaḥ kuryuḥ svabhartṝṇāmamantrakam

"— should duly honor both the maternal and paternal grandfathers with shraddha rites, including the occasional ones. If all these are absent, the wives should perform this rite for their husbands, without the recitation of mantras."

Verse 23 (markandeya.30.23)

तदभावे च नृपतिः कारयेत् स्वकुटुम्बिना । तज्जातीयैर्नरैः सम्याग् दाहाद्याः सकलाः क्रियाः॥ ३०.२३ ॥

tadabhāve ca nṛpatiḥ kārayet svakuṭumbinā tajjātīyairnaraiḥ samyāg dāhādyāḥ sakalāḥ kriyāḥ

"And should even that be absent, the king should have this performed by the man's own household community or by men of his own caste, so that all the rites, beginning with cremation, are duly carried out."

Verse 24 (markandeya.30.24)

सर्वेषामेव वर्णानां बान्धवो नृपतिर्यतः । एतास्ते कथिता वत्स ! नित्यनैमित्तकास्तथा॥ ३०.२४ ॥

sarveṣāmeva varṇānāṃ bāndhavo nṛpatiryataḥ etāste kathitā vatsa ! nityanaimittakāstathā

"For the king is the kinsman of every caste without distinction. These, my child, are the constant-occasional rites that I have described to you."

Verse 25 (markandeya.30.25)

क्रियां श्राद्धाश्रयामन्यां नित्यनैमित्तिकीं शृणु । दर्शस्तत्र निमित्तं वै कालश्चन्द्रक्षयात्मकः । नित्यातां नियतः कालस्तस्याः संसूचयत्यथ॥ ३०.२५ ॥

kriyāṃ śrāddhāśrayāmanyāṃ nityanaimittikīṃ śṛṇu darśastatra nimittaṃ vai kālaścandrakṣayātmakaḥ nityātāṃ niyataḥ kālastasyāḥ saṃsūcayatyatha

"Now hear of another rite resting on shraddha, one that is both constant and occasional. In it, the new-moon is the occasioning cause, and its timing follows the waning of the moon; its fixed, recurring schedule indicates its constant nature."