SHRI DEVI said:

I have now learned from Thee, O Lord! of the ordinances relating to Kushandika and the ten Sang-skaras. Do Thou now,O Deva! reveal to Me the ordinances relating to Briddhi Shraddha (1). O Shangkara! tell Me in detail, both for My pleasure and the benefit of all beings, in which of the sacramental and dedicatory ceremonies Kushandika and Briddhi Shraddha should be, or be not, performed. Say this, O Maheshana (2-3).

Shri Sadashiva said:

O Gentle One! I have already in detail spoken of all that should be done in the ten Sangskaras commencing from Jiva-seka and ending in marriage (4), and of all that which should be performed by wise men who desire their own weal.O Beauteous One! I will now speak of what should be done in other rites. Do Thou listen to it (5).

My Beloved! in consecrating tanks, wells, and ponds, images of Devatas houses, gardens and in vrata, the five Devas and the celestial Mothers should be worshipped, and the Vasu-dhara should be made and Briddhi Shraddha and Kushandika should be performed (6-7). In ceremonies which may be, and are, performed by women alone there is no Briddhi Shraddha, but (in lieu thereof) a present of edibles should be made for the satisfaction of the Devatas and the Pitris (8).

O Lotus-faced One! in such ceremonies the worship of the Deva, Vasu-dhara, and Kushandika should be devoutly performed by the women through the aid of priests (9). If a man cannot perform a rite himself, then his son, the son's son, the daughter's son, agnate relatives, sister's son and son-in-law and the priest, are, O Shiva! the best substitutes (10). I will, O Kalika! now in detail speak of Briddhi Shraddha. Do Thou listen to it (11).

After performing the daily duties, a man should with mind intent worship Ganga, Vishnu.the Lord of Sacrifice, the Divinity of the homestead, and the King (12); and inwardly reciting the Pranava, he should make nine, seven, five, or three Brahmanas of Darbha grass (13). The Brahmanas should be made with ends of the grass which have no knots in them, by twisting the upper ends of the blades from right to left two and a half times (14).

In Briddhi Shraddha and Parvana Shraddha there should be six Brahmanas, but, O Shiva! in Ekoddishta Shraddha there should be only one (15). The wise one should place the Brahmanas made of kusha grass all in one receptacle, with their faces to the north, and bathe them with the following (16)

Mantra

May the Divinity of water, who is like the Maya Vija, be propitious for the attainment of our desire. May He be propitious in that which we drink, May He always stand forward for our good (17).

Then with scents and flowers the Brahmanas made with kusha grass should be worshipped (18). The wise one should then place on the west and the south six vessels in pairs with kusha, sesamum-seed, and Tulasi (19). On the two vessels placed on the west two of the Brahmanas should be seated facing east, and on the four seats on the south the four Brahmanas should be seated facing north (20).

The Divinities should be imagined to be in the two seated on the west and the paternal Ancestors in the two seated on the left of those on the south and the maternal ancestors on the right. Know this, O Parvati (21).

In Abhyudayika Shraddha the Nandimukha fathers and the Nandimukhi mothers, as also the maternal Ancestors in the male line and in the female line, should be mentioned by name. Before this, however, one should turn to his right and face the north, and after the performance of the requisite ceremonies for the worship of the Devas he should turn to his left and face the south and perform the rites necessary for the offering of the Pindas (22-23).

In this Abhyudayika Shraddha, O Shiva! all the rites should be performed in their order, beginning with the rites relating to the Devas, and if there be any deviation the Shraddha fails in its object (24).

The word of supplication addressed to the Devas should be said whilst facing the north, and when the same is addressed to the paternal or maternal Ancestors it should be said whilst facing south. And now, O Thou of pure Smiles! I will first state the words of entreaty which should be addressed to the Devas (25).

After mentioning the name of the month and paksha, the tithi and the occasion, the excellent worshipper should say "for the prosperous result of the ceremony." Then he should repeat the names and gotras of the three fathers and of the three mothers, and of the three maternal grandfathers and of the three maternal grandmothers, in the possessive case, and he should thereafter say: "I am performing the Shraddha of the Vishva-Devas represented by the image of the two Brahmanas made of kusha grass." These, O Great Devi! are the words of entreaty" (26-29).

O Parvati! when the Anujna-vakya is either for paternal or maternal Ancestors, the same words should, with the necessary alterations, be said for the paternal and maternal Ancestors, and the Vishva-Devas left out (30). Then, O Shiva! the worshipper should recite the Brahma-Vidya Gayatri ten times (31). He should next say the following

Mantra

I salute the Divinities, the Fathers.i.e., the Fathers and Mothers.the great Yogis; I salute Pushti and Svaha; may we have such auspicious occasions over and over again.

The excellent worshipper, having repeated the above Mantra three times, and taking water in his hand, should wash the Shraddha articles with the

Mantra

Vang, Hung, Phat (32-33).

O Mistress of the Kula! a vessel should next be placed in the corner of Agni. Then uttering the

Mantra

O Water! Thou art the nectar which killest the Rakshasas, protect this sacrifice of mine.

Water with Tulasi-leaves and barley should be put into it; and the wise one should, after first offering handfuls of water to the Devas and then to the Vipras, give them seats of kusha grass (34-35).

The learned men, O Shiva! should then invoke the Vishva-Devas, the fathers, the mothers, the maternal grandfathers, and the maternal grandmothers (36). Having so invoked them, the Vishva-Devas should first be worshipped; and then the three fathers, the three mothers, the three maternal grandfathers, and the three maternal grandmothers should be worshipped, with offets of Padya, Arghya, Achamaniya, incense, lights, cloths. Then, O Beauteous One! permission should be asked in the first place of the Devas for the spreading of the leaves (37-38).

Then a four-sided figure should be drawn uttering the Maya Vija, and then in a similar way for the paternal and maternal sides two figures each should be drawn (39). After these have been sprinkled with the Varuna Vija, leaves should be spread over the figures. These leaves should be sprinkled with the Varuna Vija, and then drinking-water and different kinds of edibles and rice should be distributed in their order (40).

After giving honey and grains of barley and sprinkling the offerings with water, accompanied by the

Mantra

Hrang, Hrung, Phat, the worshipper possessed of the knowledge of Truth should dedicate the edibles by the names of the Vishva-Devas, the fathers, the mothers, the maternal grandfathers and the maternal grandmothers, and thereafter repeat the Gayatri ten times and thrice repeat the

Mantra

"I salute the Divinities," as aforesaid.

After this, O Adya! he should take the directions (of the officiating Brahmanas) relating to the disposal of the remnants of edibles and of the Pindas (41-43).

Upon receiving the directions of the Brahmana, he should, O Beloved! make twelve Pindas of the size of bael fruits with the remnants of the Akshata and other things (44).

He should make one more Pinda equal in size with the others, and then, O Ambika! he should spread some kusha grass and barley on the Nairrita corner of the figure (45).

Mantra

Such of my family as have none to offer Pindas to them whom neither son nor wife survive, who were burnt to death or were killed by tigers or other beast of prey, such kinsmen of mine as themselves are without kinsmen, all such as were my kinsmen in previous births, may they all obtain imperishable satisfaction by the Pinda and water hereby given by me (46-47).

O Adored of the Devas! having with the above Mantra offered the Pinda to those who have no one to offer them Pindas, he should wash his hands and inwardly recite the Gayatri, and repeat the

Mantra

"I salute the Divinities," and so forth, three times, and then make the square (48).

O Devi! the wise man should in front of the vessels containing the remnants of the offerings make such squares in twos (for his Ancestors), beginning with the paternal Ancestors (49).

O Shive! he should then sprinkle the squares with water with the Mantra already prescribed, and then spread kusha grass over them and sprinkle them with the Vayu Vija (49), beginning with the kusha spread on the square for the paternal (male) Ancestors, and then offer three Pindas, one at the top, another at the bottom, and one in the middle, in each of the squares (50).

O Maheshvari! the names of each of the Ancestors should be mentioned, inviting him or her, and then the Pinda should be given with honey and barley, concluding with Svadha (51). After the Pindas are given (in manner aforesaid) the Lepa-bhoji Ancestors should be satisfied by the offer to them of the remnants which remain on the hand. These should be scattered on all sides with the

Mantra

Ong, may the Lepa-bhoji Ancestors be pleased.

In Ekoddishta Shraddha the offering to the Lepa-bhoji Ancestors is not made (52).

Then for the satisfaction of the Devas and Pitris the Gayatri should be inwardly recited ten times, and the Mantra, "I salute the Divinities," as aforesaid should be similarly recited three times, and then the Pindas should be worshipped (53). Lighting an incense-stick and a light, the wise one should, with closed eyes, think of the Pitris in their celestial forms partaking of their allotted Pindas, each his own, and should then bow to them, uttering the following (54)