The Determination of the Fourteenth-Day Shraddha for Those Slain by Weapons

Verse 1 (skanda.6.222.1)

भर्तृयज्ञ उवाच येषां च शस्त्रमृत्युः स्यादपमृत्युरथापि वा उपसर्गान्मृतानां च विषमृत्युमुपेयुषाम्

bhartṛyajña uvāca yeṣāṁ ca śastramṛtyuḥ syādapamṛtyurathāpi vā upasargānmṛtānāṁ ca viṣamṛtyumupeyuṣām

Bhartriyajna said: Those who die by weapons, or by an untimely death, or those who die from affliction, or those who meet death by poison,

Verse 2 (skanda.6.222.2)

वह्निना च प्रदग्धानां जलमृत्युमुपेयुषाम् सर्पव्याघ्रहतानां च शृंगैरुद्बन्धनैरपि

vahninā ca pradagdhānāṁ jalamṛtyumupeyuṣām sarpavyāghrahatānāṁ ca śṛṁgairudbandhanairapi

those consumed by fire, or those who meet death by drowning, and those killed by serpents or tigers, or by horns, or by hanging —

Verse 3 (skanda.6.222.3)

श्राद्धं तेषां प्रकर्तव्यं चतुर्दश्यां नराधिप तेषां तस्मिन्कृते तृप्तिस्ततस्तत्पक्षजा भवेत्

śrāddhaṁ teṣāṁ prakartavyaṁ caturdaśyāṁ narādhipa teṣāṁ tasminkṛte tṛptistatastatpakṣajā bhavet

— for these, the shraddha should be performed on the fourteenth day, O lord of men. When it is performed for them on that day, the satisfaction arising from that fortnight comes to them.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.222.4)

आनर्त उवाच कस्माच्छस्त्रहतानां च प्रोक्ता श्राद्धे चतुर्दशी नान्येषां दिवसे तत्र संशयोऽयं वदस्व मे

ānarta uvāca kasmācchastrahatānāṁ ca proktā śrāddhe caturdaśī nānyeṣāṁ divase tatra saṁśayo'yaṁ vadasva me

Anarta said: Why is the fourteenth day prescribed for the shraddha of those slain by weapons, and not that of others on any other day? Resolve this doubt of mine.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.222.5)

एकोद्दिष्टं न शंसंति सपिण्डीकरणं परम् कस्मात्तत्र प्रकर्तव्यं वदैतन्मम विस्त रात्

ekoddiṣṭaṁ na śaṁsaṁti sapiṇḍīkaraṇaṁ param kasmāttatra prakartavyaṁ vadaitanmama vista rāt

They do not recommend the ekoddishta rite beyond the sapindikarana — why then should it be performed here? Tell me this in detail.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.222.6)

कस्मान्न पार्वणं तत्र क्रियते दिवसे स्थिते प्रेतपक्षे विशेषेण कृते श्राद्धेऽखिलेऽपि च

kasmānna pārvaṇaṁ tatra kriyate divase sthite pretapakṣe viśeṣeṇa kṛte śrāddhe'khile'pi ca

And why is the parvana rite not performed on that day, especially when the shraddha is performed throughout the entire ancestral fortnight?

Verse 7 (skanda.6.222.7)

भर्तृयज्ञ उवाच बृहत्कल्पे पुरा राजन्हिरण्याक्षो महासुरः बभूव बलवाञ्छूरः सर्वदेवभयंकरः

bhartṛyajña uvāca bṛhatkalpe purā rājanhiraṇyākṣo mahāsuraḥ babhūva balavāñchūraḥ sarvadevabhayaṁkaraḥ

Bhartriyajna said: In the Brihat kalpa, formerly, O king, there was a great asura named Hiranyaksha, who was powerful and valiant, a terror to all the gods.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.222.8)

ब्रह्मा प्रतोषितस्तेन विधाय विविधं तपः कृष्णपक्षे विशेषेण नभस्ये मासि संस्थिते

brahmā pratoṣitastena vidhāya vividhaṁ tapaḥ kṛṣṇapakṣe viśeṣeṇa nabhasye māsi saṁsthite

Brahma was pleased by him, when he performed various austerities, especially during the dark fortnight, in the month of Bhadrapada.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.222.9)

ब्रह्मोवाच परितुष्टोस्मि ते वत्स प्रार्थयस्व यथेप्सितम् अदेयमपि दास्यामि तस्मात्प्रार्थय मा चिरम्

brahmovāca parituṣṭosmi te vatsa prārthayasva yathepsitam adeyamapi dāsyāmi tasmātprārthaya mā ciram

Brahma said: I am well pleased with you, my child; ask for whatever you desire. I shall give even what should not be given; therefore ask without delay.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.222.10)

हिरण्याक्ष उवाच भूताः प्रेताः पिशाचाश्च राक्षसा दैत्यदानवाः बुभुक्षिताः प्रयाचंते मां नित्यं पद्मसंभव

hiraṇyākṣa uvāca bhūtāḥ pretāḥ piśācāśca rākṣasā daityadānavāḥ bubhukṣitāḥ prayācaṁte māṁ nityaṁ padmasaṁbhava

Hiranyaksha said: O lotus-born one, the bhutas, pretas, pishachas, rakshasas, daityas, and danavas, being hungry, constantly beg of me.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.222.11)

प्रेतपक्षे कृते श्राद्धे कन्यासंस्थे दिवाकरे एकस्मिन्नहनि प्रायस्तृप्तिः स्याद्वर्षसंभवा

pretapakṣe kṛte śrāddhe kanyāsaṁsthe divākare ekasminnahani prāyastṛptiḥ syādvarṣasaṁbhavā

When the shraddha is performed during the ancestral fortnight, while the sun stands in Kanya, on a single day, generally a satisfaction lasting a year arises.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.222.12)

तत्त्वमद्य दिनं देहि तेभ्यः कमलसम्भव तेन तृप्तिं गताः सर्वे स्थास्यंत्यब्दं पितामह

tattvamadya dinaṁ dehi tebhyaḥ kamalasambhava tena tṛptiṁ gatāḥ sarve sthāsyaṁtyabdaṁ pitāmaha

'Grant them a day of their own, O lotus-born; by which, once satisfied, all of them will remain content for a year, O Grandsire.'

Verse 13 (skanda.6.222.13)

श्रीब्रह्मोवाच यः कश्चिन्मानवः श्राद्धं स्वपितृभ्यः प्रदास्यति प्रेतपक्षे चतुर्दश्यां नभस्ये मासि संस्थिते

śrībrahmovāca yaḥ kaścinmānavaḥ śrāddhaṁ svapitṛbhyaḥ pradāsyati pretapakṣe caturdaśyāṁ nabhasye māsi saṁsthite

Sri Brahma said: Whatever man shall offer the shraddha to his own ancestors on the fourteenth day of the ancestral fortnight, in the month of Bhadrapada —

Verse 14 (skanda.6.222.14)

प्रेतानां राक्षसानां च भूतादीनां भविष्यति मम वाक्यादसंदिग्धं ये चान्ये कीर्तितास्त्वया

pretānāṁ rākṣasānāṁ ca bhūtādīnāṁ bhaviṣyati mama vākyādasaṁdigdhaṁ ye cānye kīrtitāstvayā

— that shall belong to the pretas, rakshasas, bhutas, and the others whom you have named — by my word, without doubt.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.222.15)

दुर्मृत्युना मृता ये च संग्रामेषु हताश्च ये एकोद्दिष्टे सुतैर्दत्ते तेषां तृप्तिर्भविष्यति

durmṛtyunā mṛtā ye ca saṁgrāmeṣu hatāśca ye ekoddiṣṭe sutairdatte teṣāṁ tṛptirbhaviṣyati

Those who died a wretched death, and those slain in battle — when the ekoddishta rite is offered by their sons, satisfaction shall come to them.

Verse 16 (skanda.6.222.16)

एवमुक्त्वा ततो ब्रह्मा ततश्चादर्शनं गतः हिरण्याक्षोऽपि संहृष्टः स्वमेव भवनं ययौ

evamuktvā tato brahmā tataścādarśanaṁ gataḥ hiraṇyākṣo'pi saṁhṛṣṭaḥ svameva bhavanaṁ yayau

Having spoken thus, Brahma then vanished from sight; and Hiranyaksha too, greatly delighted, went to his own abode.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.222.17)

यच्च शस्त्रहतानां च तस्मिन्नहनि दीयते एकोद्दिष्टं नरैः श्राद्धं तत्ते वक्ष्यामि कारणम्

yacca śastrahatānāṁ ca tasminnahani dīyate ekoddiṣṭaṁ naraiḥ śrāddhaṁ tatte vakṣyāmi kāraṇam

And as for why the ekoddishta shraddha is given by men on that day for those slain by weapons, I shall tell you the reason.

Verse 18 (skanda.6.222.18)

संख्ये शस्त्रहता ये च निर्विकल्पेन चेतसा युध्यमाना न ते मर्त्ये जायते मनुजाः पुनः

saṁkhye śastrahatā ye ca nirvikalpena cetasā yudhyamānā na te martye jāyate manujāḥ punaḥ

Those who, while fighting in battle, are slain by weapons with an undivided mind, are not born again as men in the mortal world.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.222.19)

पराङ्मुखाश्च हन्यंते पलायनपरायणाः ते भवंति नराः प्रेता एतदाह पितामहः

parāṅmukhāśca hanyaṁte palāyanaparāyaṇāḥ te bhavaṁti narāḥ pretā etadāha pitāmahaḥ

But those who are struck down while turning their backs, intent on fleeing — these men become pretas. So has the Grandsire declared.

Verse 20 (skanda.6.222.20)

सम्मुखा अपि ये दैन्यं हन्यमाना वदंति च पश्चात्तापं च वा कुर्युः प्रहारैर्जर्जरीकृताः

sammukhā api ye dainyaṁ hanyamānā vadaṁti ca paścāttāpaṁ ca vā kuryuḥ prahārairjarjarīkṛtāḥ

And those who, even while facing the enemy, cry out in distress as they are struck, or who, mangled by blows, feel remorse —

Verse 21 (skanda.6.222.21)

तेऽपि प्रेता भवन्तीह मनुः स्वायंभुवोऽब्रवीत् कदाचिच्चित्तचलनं शूराणामपि जायते

te'pi pretā bhavantīha manuḥ svāyaṁbhuvo'bravīt kadāciccittacalanaṁ śūrāṇāmapi jāyate

— they too become pretas here. So spoke Svayambhuva Manu: 'Even in brave men, a wavering of mind sometimes occurs.'

Verse 22 (skanda.6.222.22)

तेषां भ्रांत्या दिने तत्र श्राद्धं देयं निजैः सुतैः अपमृत्युमृतानां च सर्वेषामपि देहिनाम्

teṣāṁ bhrāṁtyā dine tatra śrāddhaṁ deyaṁ nijaiḥ sutaiḥ apamṛtyumṛtānāṁ ca sarveṣāmapi dehinām

Because of this uncertainty, the shraddha for them should be given on that day by their own sons — and likewise for all beings who have died an untimely death.

Verse 23 (skanda.6.222.23)

प्रेतत्वं जायते यस्मात्तस्माच्छ्राद्धस्य तद्दिनम् श्राद्धार्हं पार्थिवश्रेष्ठ विशेषेण प्रकीर्तितम्

pretatvaṁ jāyate yasmāttasmācchrāddhasya taddinam śrāddhārhaṁ pārthivaśreṣṭha viśeṣeṇa prakīrtitam

Since in all these cases the possibility of the preta-state remains, therefore, O best of kings, that day has been declared, in particular, as fit for the shraddha.

Verse 24 (skanda.6.222.24)

एकोद्दिष्टं प्रकर्तव्यं यस्मात्तत्र दिने नरैः सपिंडीकरणादूर्ध्वं तत्ते वक्ष्याभि कारणम्

ekoddiṣṭaṁ prakartavyaṁ yasmāttatra dine naraiḥ sapiṁḍīkaraṇādūrdhvaṁ tatte vakṣyābhi kāraṇam

As for why the ekoddishta rite must be performed by men on that day, even after the sapindikarana — I shall tell you the reason for that.

Verse 25 (skanda.6.222.25)

यदि प्रेतत्वमापन्नः कदाचित्स्वपिता भवेत् तृप्त्यर्थं तस्य कर्तव्यं श्राद्धं तत्र दिने नृप

yadi pretatvamāpannaḥ kadācitsvapitā bhavet tṛptyarthaṁ tasya kartavyaṁ śrāddhaṁ tatra dine nṛpa

If one's own father should ever chance to be still in the state of a preta, the shraddha should, O king, be performed for him on that day for the sake of his satisfaction.

Verse 26 (skanda.6.222.26)

पितामहाद्यास्तत्राह्नि श्राद्धं नार्हंति कुत्रचित् अथ चेद्भ्रांतितो दद्याद्धियते राक्षसैस्तु तत्

pitāmahādyāstatrāhni śrāddhaṁ nārhaṁti kutracit atha cedbhrāṁtito dadyāddhiyate rākṣasaistu tat

The grandfather and the others are not, on that day, entitled to the shraddha at all; and should one, out of confusion, offer it to them, it is carried off by the rakshasas —

Verse 27 (skanda.6.222.27)

ब्रह्मणो वचनाद्राजन्भूतप्रेतैश्च दानवैः तेनैकोद्दिष्टमेवात्र कर्तव्यं न तु पार्वणम्

brahmaṇo vacanādrājanbhūtapretaiśca dānavaiḥ tenaikoddiṣṭamevātra kartavyaṁ na tu pārvaṇam

— by the word of Brahma, O king, by the bhutas, pretas, and danavas. Therefore, on this day, only the ekoddishta should be performed, never the parvana rite.

Verse 28 (skanda.6.222.28)

पितृपक्षे चतुर्दश्यां कन्यासंस्थे दिवाकरे पितामहो न गृह्णाति पित्रा तेन समं तदा

pitṛpakṣe caturdaśyāṁ kanyāsaṁsthe divākare pitāmaho na gṛhṇāti pitrā tena samaṁ tadā

On the fourteenth of the ancestral fortnight, while the sun stands in Kanya, the grandfather does not accept the offering together with the father at that time,

Verse 29 (skanda.6.222.29)

न च तस्य पिता राजंस्तथैव प्रपितामहः

na ca tasya pitā rājaṁstathaiva prapitāmahaḥ

nor, O king, does his own father accept it then, nor likewise the great-grandfather.

Verse 30 (skanda.6.222.30)

एतस्मात्कारणाद्राजन्पार्वणं न विधीयते तस्मिन्नहनि संप्राप्ते व्यर्थं श्राद्धं भवेद्यतः

etasmātkāraṇādrājanpārvaṇaṁ na vidhīyate tasminnahani saṁprāpte vyarthaṁ śrāddhaṁ bhavedyataḥ

For this reason, O king, the parvana rite is not enjoined; for on that day, were it performed, the shraddha would become fruitless.

Verse 31 (skanda.6.222.31)

नान्यस्थानोद्भवैर्विप्रैः श्राद्धकर्मव्रतानि च नागरो नागरैः कुर्यादन्यथा तद्वृथा भवेत्

nānyasthānodbhavairvipraiḥ śrāddhakarmavratāni ca nāgaro nāgaraiḥ kuryādanyathā tadvṛthā bhavet

A Nagara should perform the rites and vows of the shraddha with Nagara brahmins, not with brahmins arising from other places; otherwise it becomes futile.

Verse 32 (skanda.6.222.32)

अन्यस्थानोद्भवैर्विप्रैर्यच्छ्राद्धं क्रियते ध्रुवम् संपूर्णं व्यर्थतां याति नागराणां क्रियापरैः

anyasthānodbhavairviprairyacchrāddhaṁ kriyate dhruvam saṁpūrṇaṁ vyarthatāṁ yāti nāgarāṇāṁ kriyāparaiḥ

A shraddha performed with brahmins from another place, by Nagaras intent on the rite, certainly becomes entirely fruitless.

Verse 33 (skanda.6.222.33)

अथाचारपरिभ्रष्टाः श्राद्धार्हा एव नागराः वलीवर्दसमानोऽपि ज्ञातीयो यदि लभ्यते किमन्यैर्बहुभिर्विप्रैर्वेदवेदांगपारगैः

athācāraparibhraṣṭāḥ śrāddhārhā eva nāgarāḥ valīvardasamāno'pi jñātīyo yadi labhyate kimanyairbahubhirviprairvedavedāṁgapāragaiḥ

Even Nagara brahmins who have fallen from proper conduct are indeed fit for the shraddha; if a kinsman can be found, even one as dull as an ox, what need is there of many other brahmins, however learned in the Veda and its auxiliary sciences?