Adhyaya 71

हिन्दी अर्थ

दशभिस्तु कृशेदिव्य रसडगेस्तेमंनोजवेः । सकृद्युक्‍ते रथे तस्मिन्वहन्ते चा5थ्युगक्षयात्

English

After hearing this narrative of Su ta, the knower of Atman, the Brahmanas, subsequently asked him as follows: Sraddha is a form of ancestor worship. It is based on the belief in after-death survival of the deceased ancestors and their residence in a parti¬ cular region called Pitr-loka. It is an important topic and forms an integral part of Hindu Dharmasastra. This belief is pre-Vcdic as it dates back to the Indo-Iranian period {vide S.B.E. IV, ). Ancestor-worship was regarded essential for the continuation of one's race and prosperity to How was BhavanI who was formerly Satl, born for the second time? She was DaksayanI at first. How did she become (Who are the Pitrs) whose grandson was Mainaka and whose grand-daughters wei'e Uma, Ekaparna, Ekapatala and Gaiiga, the most excellent one among rivers as well as the eldest of them all? Even before this, all this has been already desired to be pointed out (by you). Please listen to all my requests. Are there many Pitrs P * 1 And then where do they stay? Welfare unto you. I wish to hear the great procedure of Sraddha. Whose sons are they (Pitrs) remembered to be? How are they the Pitrs? How were the Pitrs born and whose sons were they? Of what nature are they? Are there other Pitrs who are deities (i.e. worthy of wor¬ ship) unto the Devas in heaven? Thus I wish to hear the excellent creation of Pitrs and how the Sraddha performed by us (as per prescribed injunctions) propitiates Pitrs. What is regarded (in the Smrtis) as the reason of their being not visible? What types of Pitrs stay in heaven and what types in hell? What Sraddhas are to be offered (to Pitrs)? How do these Sraddhas reach Pitrs—the Sraddhas that are offered uttering the names of father, father's father and great¬ grandfather against the three ricc-balls (Pintfas)? How are they (Pitrs), if stationed in hell, competent to grant benefits? Who are these called by the name' Pitrs? Whom shall we worship again? We have heard that even Devas in heaven worship Pitrs. O extremely learned one, we wish to hear this in de¬ tail. It behoves you to explain the significance of this clearly. On hearing the words of the sages, Suta, the seer of reality, said in accordance with the questions and the desire in the minds of the sages. I shall describe to you (in detail) what I have heard (regaxding Sraddha), in accordance with my intellectual ability. In every Manvantara, Pitrs are born as the sons of Devas.' In the past and the future Manvantaras, they are respectively the eldest and the youngest. I shall precisely recount the Pitrs who have gone in the past Manvantaras along with Devas and who exist at present, They were cursed by Brahma—"O deluded ones! You will all become devoid of sense." They did not know anything. Then the whole world became deluded. All of them bowed to god Brahma and implored him. In order to bless the worlds, the lord spoke to them again. "Perform expiatory rites for the transgression which has been committed. Ask your sons and therefrom you will attain knowledge." Desirous of knowing (the procedure of) expiatory rites, Devas controlled themselves duly and asked their own sons mutually. Those sons who were conversant with real Dharma and possessed self-control, explained to them the various modes of expiatory rites—verbal, mental and physical. The heaven-dwellers who regained their senses became delighted and spoke to their sons—"You are our fathers (Pitrs), since we are enlightened by you. What boon should be granted— virtue, knowledge or love?". Then Brahma spoke to them—"You are the speakers of truth. Hence what is spoken by you shall be so and not otherwise. This is what is uttered by you—your own sons have been mentioned by you as your Pitrs (fathers;. They will be your Pitrs. Let this boon be given to them." On account of the words of Brahma, Paramesthin, the sons (Pitrs) attained the status of fathers (of Devas) and Devas, the real fathers, the status of sons. Hence it is declared (in Dharma-Sastra) that the sons (of Devas) are Pitrs and the status of Pitr-hood is proclai¬ med about them. "If anyone will perform any holy rite without worship¬ ping Pitrs in a Sraddha, Raksasas and Danavas will obtain the fruit (good results) thereof. The Pitrs propitiated and developed by means of Sraddhas (develop) the imperishable Soma. Propitiated and developed by you all, they will always increase. Soma (the Moon-god) strengthened and developed by means of Sraddhas, will develop the people and the entire world, along with mountains and forests surrounded ( = inhabi¬ ted) by mobile and immobile beings. Those men, who, desirous of nourishment, perform Sraddhas are always granted development and progeny by Pitrs. Those (Pitrs) to whom they (the performers of Sraddha) offer three balls of rice ( Pinzas ) mentioning their names and Gotraupto great-grandfather, they (Pitrs) who are present (everywhere), strengthen and develop their progeny by that offering of Sraddha." There is no doubt in this that Pitrs grant you perfect knowledge. After hearing these words of Suta possessing self- knowledge, the sages asked him again subsequently: How many are the groups of these Pitrs? At what time did those groups (come into existence)—Pitrs who were the excellent ancestors of Devas and who developed and strengthened Soma? I shall recount to you the most excellent creation of Pitrs. This is the same question which had been formerly put to his father Brhaspati by Sarhyu. As Brhaspati, the great expertin all fields of knowledge, was seated, his son Sarhyu endowed with humility, put this question. "Who are these Pitrs? What are their names? How were they born? How did they attain Pitr-hood? What is the reason for which Pitrs are worshipped at the outset in every Yajna? All the holy rites of noble souls begin with the performance of Sraddhas. To whom all these Sraddhas are to be offered? What is the great benefit when they are offered? In which of the holy centres and sacred rivers does the Sraddha performance yield ever-lasting benefit? What are those holy centres in Which excellent Brahmanas (ought to) perform Sraddha to obtain all (desired) benefits? What is the (proper) time for Sraddha? What is the procedure to be followed? O holy sire, I wish that what has been enquired by me be explained in detail in the proper sequence." Verses 20-34 explain the paradox why Pitrs who were the sons of Devas became the fathers of their own fathers? Manu III. 201, however, differs and states that Pitrs sprang from Sages and from Pitrs were born Devas (gods) and human beings. On being asked thus clearly and specifically, the highly intelligent Brhaspati, the most excellent of those who understand (the implications of) questions, answered all the questions in the proper order. O dear one! I shall explain the solemn excellent question which you ask me with due propriety and proper humility. At that time, there was neither the heaven nor the firmament, neither the earth nor the stars nor the quarters, neither the sun, nor the moon, nor the day, nor the night. O dear, the whole Universe was in complete darkness. Brahma alone performed an austere penance difficult for others to perform. Samyu again spoke to his father who was the most excellent among the knowers of Brahman, who always performed holy ablutions in the form of rites and who was the most ex¬ cellent of all knowers of perfect knowledge. "What sort of a penance did Prajapati, the lord of all living beings perform?" Of all types of penance, Yukti i.e. Yoga penance is the most excellent. Meditating on it, the lord then created all the worlds by means of that Yoga. The past and future (items of) knowledge, the entire worlds and Vedas were created after practising Yoga by Brahma, by means of his Yogic vision.

हिन्दी अर्थ

इत्येते नासभिः से दश चन्द्रमसो हयाः । एते चन्द्रससं देवं वहन्ति दिवसक्षयात् ४४ देवेः परिवृतः सोमः पितृभिश्चेव गच्छति । सोमस्य शुक्लपक्षादों भास्करे पुरतः स्थिते ॥ देवे: पीत॑ क्षये सोममाप्याययति नित्यदा । पीत॑ पञ्चदशाहूं तु रश्मिनेकेन भास्करः

English

The worlds, the heaven are named * Santanikas * where the shining deities of the Devas well-known as 'Vairajas* stay. Even at the outset then, the lord Brahma, endowed with Yoga and penance, had created Devas after practising the eternal Yoga. They are well known as Adidevas (the primordial Devas). They have great splendour and energy. They are the bestowers of all desires. They are worthy of being worshipped by Devas, Danavas and human beings. There are seven groups of those Devas. They are worshipped by aJl the three worlds. Three of them are Arnurtis (devoid of forms) and four of them have splendid forms. The three sets which have conceptual forms (Bkava murlis) are stationed above. The four Suksmamurlis (having subtle forms) are stationed beneath them. Thereafter, the (common) Devas are stationed and then the earth. This is the situation of the series of worlds. They (the groups of Devas) are stationed in this world The clouds take their origin from them, rain-showers are due to them and, thanks to rain-showers, the worlds (and people) are created again. Since they develop and strengthen the moon and the food-grains and make them flourish by means of Yogic power They are as speedy as mind. Svadhd constitutes their diet. They have every requisite they desire. They are devoid of greed, delusion and fear. They are certainly devoid of sorrow. After giving up Yoga, they have attained the worlds beautiful and pleasant to look at. They become divine, merit¬ orious and sinless noble souls. At the end of a thousand Yugas, they become expoun¬ ders of Brahman. Regaining the Yogic power once again., they attain salvation in a bodiless state. They forsake both the manifestand unmanifest (bodies) by means of their great Yogic power and perish (vanish) like a meteor or like the fading flash of lightning in the sky. By abandoning all the bodies (and other adjuncts) by means of their great Yogic power, they attain the state of namelessness like rivers merging into the ocean. Engaged everyday in holy rites and the worship of preceptors, Pitrs develop their Yogic power and satisfyall (make them flourish). Propitiated in Sraddha, Pitrs nourish Soma (the Moon) making use of their Yogic power whereby the three worlds sustain their lives. Hcncc Sraddhas must always be offered to Yogins 1 with (special efforts). Indeed, the mainstay of Pilfs is Yoga and from (thanks to) Yoga the Moon functions. One may feed thousands of Brahmanas or as many as do come, but listen that one knower of Yogas, if delighted, deserves all (propitiating a Yogin is as fruitful as feeding thousands of Brahmanas). What is taken in by a thousand invited (ordinary Brahmanas), or by a hundred Sndtakas (Brahmanas initiated into householder's life) or by one master of Yoga saves one from great fear. One Yogin excels a thousand householders, a hundred Vdnaprasthas (Forest-hermits) and a thousand Brahmacarins (celibate students). Prajapati has ordained: "(One may be) an atheist, an evil-doer, a person of mixed caste or a thief, (but) he cannot have redemption 2 ( Tdranam ) from anything else, except (by offering) a charitable gift unto those who have Yogic power. His ancestors are delighted like the husbandmen by a good timely rain, even if his son or grandson feeds a (Yogic) meditator. If meditating mendicants are not available, one should feed two Brahmacarins. When they too are not available, one should feed a householder not much engrossed in worldly affairs." It is the injunction of Brahma that a meditating Yogin is greater than one. who (performs penance) for a hundred years standing on one leg and taking in nothing but air. The Siddhas roam over the Earth in the guise of Brahmanas. Hence one should approach the in-coming guest with palms joined in reverence. He should honour him with the vessel containing materials of worship. He shall offer him place of residence and food. The masters of Yoga assume diverse forms Karanam in the text is irrelevant and obscure. Hence Tarariam, the reading in Bd. P. ibid V. 71 is accepted. In heaven, there are seven excellent groups of highly intelligent Pitrs. Four of them have forms and three are formless (Amurta) A Understand as I shall recount their creative activity in the world. (I shall describe) those who are proclaimed (in Smrtis) as their daughters and daughters' sons. There are three excellent groups of those who assume Dharmic bodies and forms. I shall briefly recount their names and creative activity. The disembodied groups of Pitrs, the sons of Prajapati, abide in the shining worlds named Virajas. O Brahmanas, they belong to Virajas. Hence they are famous as excellent Vairajas. I have thus mentioned the first group of Vairajas. 'Sanctifying the worlds'—Bd. P. V. 76. This chapter is textually similar to Bd. 3,10. Reference are given to verses in that chapter. For similar seven divisions of Pitrs vide Pd. P. V.9.2-3, Bd. P. V-l, Their fair-complexioned mental daughter Mena is the wife of the great mountain Himavan. From her the son Mainaka was born. The mountain Mainaka, the holder of all medicinal herbs, the mine of all gems, the holy leader of mountains, was born of her. Kraunca was his son. The king of mountains procreated three daughters of Mena, viz. Aparna, Ekaparna and the third Ekapatala. Two of them had support (They had their permanent abodes). But Aparna performed penance without an abode. Ekaparna had a Nyagrodha tree as her abode and Ekapatala had Pa tala (trumpet flower) tree as her abode. For a hundred thousand years, they performed such a penance as was difficult to be performed even by Devas and Danavas. A single leaf was the diet of Ekaparna and a single Patala flower (trumpet flower) was the diet of Ekapatala. Both of them took their food once, (when) a thousand years had been completed. One of the daughters (viz. Aparna) remained without taking food. Their mother spoke to her thus. Out of affection, the distressed mother forbade her with the words "U" <c Ma " (O daughter! do not). Since she was addressed thus by her mother, the blessed gentle lady per¬ forming the difficult task (penance) became famous as "Umd". The auspicious lady got the name derived from her action. 1 The world of (supported by?) these three ladies will survive for ever. It will be proud of (drptam) their penance, while the earth lasts. All the three, endowed with Yogic power, sustained their bodies by means of their penance. All those blessed gentle ladies possessed permanent youth. All of them were expounders of Brahman. All of them were celibate. Uma was the greatest (eldest), the most excellent (girl) of the fairest complexion. Ekaparna was the wife of Asita. She was chaste and firm m her holy vows. She was given to that intelligent master of Yoga by Himavan. She gave birth to the mental son Devala who was engrossed in meditation on Brahman. Ekapatala, the third of these daughters, wooed Jaigi- savya, the son of Satasilaka, as her husband. Rudrani was the best among them. She excelled others by her good attributes. Between Uma and Sankara the mutual love (was ideal). On realising that they were in close embrace, the slayer <5f Vrtra (i.e. Indra) became apprehensive. (Fire-god) was sent near them by Indra who was afraid of the birth of a child from them engaged in sexual intercourse. (He said to Agni) "O Fire-god, create an impediment in their sexual intercourse. You are present everywhere. So there cannot be any blame (on you in your going there)". When he was told thus, Fire-god acted accordingly. Forsaking (i.e. aside from) the body of Uma, the semen virile was discharged on the ground (by Siva). O Samsapayana, then Fire-god was cursed by the infuriated goddess. With words choked with anger, she spoke to Fire-god thus: "O Fire, since you have caused an impediment in sexual intercourse even before I had been satisfied, therefore you have committed an action which you should nothave committed, you evil-minded one!

हिन्दी अर्थ

बालखिल्य ऋषियों द्वारा आवुत होकर दिन-रांत किया करते हैं। अग्रगामी मह॒षि अभिमत बचनों द्वारा उनकी स्तुति करते हैं और गन्धवे-अप्सराएँ नृत्य-गीत से उनकी सेवा करती हैं। इस प्रकार आकाहगामो दिन नामक सूर्य अश्वों के साथ भ्रमण करते हैं ।४७-४५। चन्द्रमा भी नक्षत्रों की गलियों से चला करते हैं । इनकी किरणों का भी सूर्य की तरह वृद्धि और नाश हुआ करता है । चन्द्रमा के रथ में तीन चकके हैं ओर

English

Since the lustrous semen virile of Rudra has not been retained (in my womb), you should hold the foetus yourself by way of punishment (for this act)". The reading danla-kanvoiana is obscure. Bd. 3.10.18 reads dattakaSco- Sanas etc. is clear and is supported by Puraijas. Hence its acceptance here. Smrti works are attributed to them, though the antiquity of those works is doubtful. Approaching (the river) Ganga, he said—"O excellent river, may this be heard. Excessive distress is caused to me by the retention of the foetus. O river, for my relief and welfare, please carry this foetus. Due to my gracious favour, your trouble will be less". Saying "So be it", the highly delighted great river held the foetus (although) with a mind burning (as there was burn¬ ing sensation within her). Distressed by the great pain though she was, she retain¬ ed the foetus for a long time. The foetus was dropped into an auspicious crevasse of Himavan by her. There is an auspicious forest named Saravana where diverse trees were in bloom. It was there that she depo¬ sited the foetus that was blazing like fire. It was there that the son of Rudra, Agni and Ganga was born. He had rosy lustre. He was valorous and brilliant like hundreds of suns. When that blessed son (Kumara) of Jahnavl (Ganga) was born, the sky was covered (crowded) with aerial cars, as if by birds. Celestial drums produced sweet sound in the sky. Siddhas and Caranas moving about in the sky discharged sho¬ wers of flowers. The chief Gandharvas, Yaksas, Vidyadharas and all the Siddhas and Kinnaras sang (laudatory songs) everywhere. Thousands of great serpents and excellent birds approached with reverence the son of Sankara born through Agni. Daityas, Danavas and Raksasas were struck (down) by him by means of his prowess. Even at the very outset, the son of Agni was observed by the wives of the Seven Sages (excepting Arundhati) who had come there for their ablutions. The lordly on of Rudra, resembling the rising sun, was surrounded by those ladies who were very affectionate (towards him), as though they were his.real mothers. Desirous of seeing all those ladies simultaneously, out of affection for them, the extremely lustrous son of Jahnavi created six faces and he was very glorious. 1 He was glorious and he resembled the midday sun He had eyes like the petals of lotus. When he was born, the lustre of all the worlds was bedimmed. The groups of Danavas who could not brook Devas, had a purge ( Skandita ) when that great (deity) was born and (hence) that valorous (deity) became known as 'Skanda.' 2 Because the ancient (deity), the slayer of Asuras, had been nourished (breast-fed and) nurtured by the Krttikas, he became famous as Karttikeya. While that enemy of Daityas was yawning, his (we¬ apon) Sakti (spear) called Aparajita (unvanquished) came out of his mouth, blazing with flames of fire. For the purpose of Skanda's play, two birds named Prabhadrakas, a peacock and a cock, were created out of Garutfa by Visnu, the powerful god. A banner was given by Vayu (Wind-god). A great Vina (lute) of loud sound was presented by Sarasvati. A goat was given by the self-born (deity) (i.e. Brahma) and a ram was given by Sambhu. O Brahmanas, when the (mountain) Kraunca was felled down in his sport out of Maya (his illusive power), when the rising leader of Asuras, Taraka was also struck down, the lordly son of Agni, the valorous enemy of Daityas was crowned as commander-in-chief (of their army) by the blessed Devas including Indra and Upendra. Mbh. AnuS&sana chs. 85 & 86 give a different version of Skanda'i birth and the cause of his six faces. According to Mbh. Anu 86.14, the child came to be known as Skanda due to the casting off of the semen of £iva by Agni and Ganga (skannatvdt skanda tam prdptah) (While) Slipping from heaven and falling down, she saw the aerial chariots as small as a mote and in them she saw the fallen Pitrs. They were very subtle and unforsakcn 2 (?) (a-parityak- tan). They were like sparks of fire imposed on sparks of fire. Falling down topsy-turvy, she appealed to them, "Save, ye She was consoled by them—"Do not be afraid 55. When thus urged, she became steady. Then she propitiated those Pitrs with pitiable words. Those Pitre spoke to the girl who fell down from her glory due to her transgression: "O lady of sparkling smiles, you are fallen from your prosperity due to your own fault. (Hence) you fall. Deities (god) attain (experience) the fruits of their actions by means of the same bodies with which they perform those actions. In the case of Devas, the actions fructify immediately. In the case of human beings, they fructify after death. Hence you will attain the status of the child of Amavasu after death and will attain the fruit 55. On being told thus (by her Pitrs), she again propitiated Pitrs. After meditating (for a while), they took pity on her and became pacified and pleased. The missing lines are traceable to Bd. 3.10. w. 53-b to 58. They are translated here to supply the lacuna: 53b-54. "It is heard that the Pitrs named Barbisads are somapas (imbibers of Soma). The mental daughter of the Pitrs was the river named Acchoda. Those Pitrs had never before been seen by her. She was born as their mental daughter. Hence she did not know her Pitrs. Transgressing those real Pitrs, she chose Amavasu as her father. He was traversing the sky accompanied by the Apsaras named Adrika. He was seated man aerial chariot. in the firmament. But due to her trans¬ gression (of her real father), she was unable to move about in the sky. After seeking another father (viz. Amavasu) she slipped from her Yogic power and fell down." On foreseeing what is surely destined to happen, Devas, the Soma-imbibing Pitrs spoke to the girl, "You will become the daughter of the noble-souled king Amavasu who is born on the earth as a human being and thereafter attain these worlds of your own. In the twenty-eighth Dvapara Yuga you will be born of the womb of a fish; you will be the daughter of this very same king Amavasu and (the celestial damsel) Adrika. You will give birth to the successor of the sage Para- Sara. That Brahmanical sage will divide the single Veda into four parts. You alone will give birth to two sons who will heighten the glory of Mahabhisa (?) Santanu—the sons Vicitravlrya, the knower of Dharma, and Citrangada, the king endowed with the attributes of brilliance and strength. After giving birth to these sons, you will regain your own worlds. Due to your transgression towards the Pitrs, you will attain that despicable birth. You will become the daughter of the very same king and Adrika. After becoming (his) daughter, you will regain these worlds." In the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna, she was born of the fish Adrika, She was born as the daughter of Amavasu in Adrika the fish. 1 Indeed, she was the daughter of that king (being bom of) the semen virile of the king. There the Pitrs are the Agnisvattas of shining lustre. With a desire for (attaining) excellent fruits, groups of Danavas, Yaksas, Raksasas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Bhutas, ser¬ pents and Pisacas worship them. Thus, these sons of Pulaha, the Prajapati, have been recounted. These groups are said to be three. They are auspicious and assumers of Dharma-form. In the missing lines in the text supplemented from Bd. P. (w. 55- 58) and w. 51-66, the Purana writers have used the curse-motif to explain the unusual matrimonial life of Satyavati. Their mental daughter is (will be) famous by the name of Pivarl. She was (will be) reputed to be a YoginI, a Yogic wife and a Yogic mother. In the (future) twenty-eighth Dvaparayuga (a sage) of great penance named Suka will be born in the family of Parasara.

हिन्दी अर्थ

दोनों तरफ घोड़ जुने हुये हैं। इसका यह यह रथ अरृव और सारथि के साथ जल के भीतर से उत्पन्न हुआ है । इस रथ में एक सौ अरायें, तीन, तीन चक्‍्के और उज्ज्वल वर्ण के उत्तम घोड़े जुते हुये हैं ।४६-५४०। ये दिव्य अहव गिनती में दस हैं। ये मन की तरह वेगवान्, केश, असज्भ ओर कल्पादि में एक बार जोते गये हैं, जो युगान्त पर्यन्त रथ का वहन करते हैं । रथ में जुते हुए उज्ज्वल वर्ण के वे अष्व के समान कान्तिवाले चन्द्र के रथ को आकाश में खींचते रहते हैं ।५१०-५२। चन्द्रमा के दसों घोड़ों के नाम हैं--ययु, त्रिमना, वष, राजीवल, वाम, तुरण्य, हंस, व्योमी और मृग । ये घोड़े चन्द्रदेव को कल्पांत पर्यन्त वहन करते हैं देवों और पितरों द्वारा सेव्यमान होकर चन्द्रमा इसी प्रकार गमन करते हैं ।१३-१५५॥ शुक्ल पक्ष में सूर्य चन्द्रमा के आगे रहते हैं और देवों द्वारा पिये गये चन्द्र को दिवस क्रम से नित्य प्रति परिपुष्ट कर तृप्त करते हैं। इस प्रकार

English

O excellent Brahmanas, he will be a glorious and great Yogin. Yoga (will spread) from him. He will be born of Vyasa, from the AranI (a piece of wood used for the production of fire by attrition) like the smokeless fire. In the (mental) daughter of the Pitrs, he will beget these well-known Yogic preceptors, viz. Krsna, Gaura, Prabhu, Sambhu and Bhurisruta. He will beget a daughter Klrtimati who will be a YoginI and a Yogic mother. She will become the queen of Anuha and the mother of Brahmadatta. After begetting these children and attaining great Yogic power, he will become a great Yogin and ascetic. He will attain that goal from which there is no return. Like the rays of the sun, he will attain the status of no rebirth. The great sage will become omnipresent and liberated. These three are the disembodied Pitrs who assume Dharmic forms. There are four others. (Listen and) understand. O excellent Brahmanas! The Pitrs whom I shall describe assume forms of great lustre. They are Kavyas*, sons of Agni, Kavi (the wise one?) born of Svadha. These are the Pitrs shining i n the worlds of Devas with their lustre amidst the luminaries. They are richly endowed with all desirable objects and the -Brahmanas revere them. Their mental daughter was famous in heaven by There were thirty-one Pit r s who heightened the glory of Bhrgus. Their worlds were known as Maricigarbhcs (having rays within) which envelop the heavens. Those sons of Angiras, nourished along with Sadhyas, are remembered as the Pitrs Upahutas. They shine in heaven. Looking up to them, the Pitr Groups of Ksatriyas, those who are desirous of benefits, revere them. Their mental daughter is well known by the name of Yaioda. She was the wife of Visvamahan and the daughter-in- law of Visvasarmin. 2 The gentle lady was the mother of the saintly king Khatvanga of noble soul, in whose Yajna Gatha (a laudatory verse) was sung formerly by great sages. After seeing the birth of fire (in the Yajna) of the noble-souled Sanqlilya, the deathless Devas conquering heaven with purity of mind observe the Yajamana (under whose auspices the Yajna is performed) Dilipa, the noble soul of truthful rites. Ajyapaswere the Pitrs of Kardama, the Prajapati, who was born of Pulaha. They were born of him again. Moving about in the sky, they are stationed in these worlds that go about as they please. Groups of Vaisyas who are desirous of benefits, revere these in Sraddha. Their mental daughter is famous by the name of Viraja. The chaste lady was the wife of Nahusa and the mother of Yayati. This is the translation of *Datlasend Kumareria.* The absurdity of the text is obvious. 3d. P. ibid V. 87 reads Dattd Sanatkumareria 'She was given by Sanatkumara*. The reading in Bd. P. deserves adoption here as the next line reads "She became the beloved...of Sukra". The combined verses can be constructed as follows: Sukalas are the Pitrs of Vasistha, the Prajapati. They are the sons of Hiranyagarbha. There are the worlds named Manasas where these are stationed. Their mental daughter is Narmada, the most excellent of rivers. Flowing in the southern region, she sanctifies living beings. She was tiie wife of Purukutsa and the mother of Trasadasyu. Manu became the lord of Manvantara by adopting these (Pitrs). In the beginning of Manvantara, he initiates all types of Sraddhas. O excellent Brahmanas, (I have recounted), all the Pitrs in their proper order. Hence Sraddha is to be* offered with faith in accordance with one's Dharma. A Sraddha offered in silver vessels or those of silver alloy, after proferring Svadha, propitiates Pitrs. By the propitiation of Soma, Agni and Vaivasvata (Manu) and by the performance of Homo, in the sacrificial fire during the northern transit (of the sun), one shall attain the fruit of an Asvamcdha (a Horse Sacrifice). Pitrs delight him who propitiates Pitrs with devo¬ tion. There is no doubt in this that Pitrs bestow nourish¬ ment or progeny. The rites of pitrs are always far superior to the rites of deities. It is ordained that the propitiation of Pitrs must be given priority over that of deities. The subtle movement (or goal) of Yoga or the satiation of Pitrs is not visible through the physical eye. Thus Pitrs, their worlds, their grandsons, their Yajamanas and those who been recounted. (Out of the seven classes of Pitrs) four hav< and three are formless. Devas honour them ar oraddhas to them devoutly and assiduously. 1 All the Devas including Indra concentrate their minds on them. They join their palms in reverence and de¬ votedly worship them. Visvedevas, Sikatas, Prsnijas, Srrigins Krsnas, Svetas and Ajas worship them duly. Desirous of benefits, the subjects Vatarasanas, DivakJrtyas, Lekhas Maruts, Brahma and other heaven-dwellers, Atri, Bhr«n/ Angiras and all other sages, Yaksas, Nagas, Suparnas, Kinnaras and Raksasas always worshipped Pitrs. These noble-souled (Pitrs), if duly honoured and worshipped in Sraddha, grant all desires hundred-fold and thousand-fold. These grandfathers (Pitrs) bestow Yogic Power (and prosperity) and liberation (from Samsara) after one has aban¬ doned the three worlds of normal existence involving old age and death. Pitamahas, the deities of subtle bodies, grant the means of salvation, AiSvarya (prosperity), complete detachment and infiniteness. Practised Yoga is AiSvarya', and Ativarya is the excellent wealth. Without Yoga and Aisvarya liberation (from Sarhsara) is impossible (to be achieved). Vairajas Barhisads Agnisvattas Kavyas (sons of Agni and Svadha) Upahutas (sons of Angiras) Ajyapas (sons of Pulaha) Sukala (sons of Vasisfha It (Moksa) is as impossible as the movement of a wingless bird in the sky. il4bA/a-Dharma is the greatest of all Dharmas and eternal. Pitamahas (manes) grant thousands of aerial chariots attended by groups of Apsaras-s and richly equipped with all desirable things. Intellect, nourishment, power of memory, brain, kingdom and health can be attained only through the grace of the noble-souled Pitrs. Pitamahas grant crores of gems, pearls, lapis lazuli, garments and thousands of horses and elephants. Pitamahas always bestow on men chariots fitted with swans and peacocks, studded with pearls and lapis lazuli and decorated with tinkling bells and provided with perpetual flowers and fruits.