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XXI.
Page 1
1. Now then [1], (on the day) after the impurity is over, let him bathe duly (during the recitation of Mantras), wash his hands and feet duly, and sip water duly, (and having invited some Brâhmanas), as many as possible, who must cleanse themselves in the same way and turn their faces towards the north, let him bestow presents of perfumes, garlands, clothes and other things (a lamp, frankincense, and the like) upon them, and hospitably entertain them.
2. At the Ekoddishta (or Srâddha for one recently deceased) let him alter the Mantras[1] so as to refer to (the) one person (deceased)[2].
[XXI. 1-11. Âsv. IV, 7; Par. III, 10, 48-53; Sânkh. IV, 2; M. III, 247; Y. III, 250, 251, 255.--12-23. Sânkh. IV, 3; V, 9; Y. I, 252-254. Regarding the parallel passages of the Kâthaka Grihya-sûtra, see the Introduction.
1. 1 'Having said, in the previous Chapter (XX, 30), that "the obsequies should be performed," he now goes on to describe that part of the obsequies which has not yet been expounded, viz. the "first Srâddha."' (Nand.)
2. 1 The Mantras here referred to are those contained in the description of the Pârvana and other ordinary Srâddhas in Chapter LXXIII. Thus, the Mantra, 'This is your (share), ye manes' (LXXIII, 12, 13), has to be altered into, 'This is thy (share), father;' and so on. Devapâla, in his Commentary on the Kâthaka Grihya-sûtra, gives an accurate statement of all the modifications which the ordinary Mantras have to undergo at the Ekoddishta.-- 2 Nand. states that not only the Mantras, but the whole ritual should be modified. The nature of the latter modifications is stated by Yâgñavalkya loc. cit. and by Sânkhâyana loc. cit.]
3. Close to the food left (by the Brâhmanas) let him offer a ball of rice, at the same time calling out his name and (that of) his race.
4. The Brâhmanas having taken food and having been honoured with a gift, let him offer, as imperishable food, water to the Brâhmanas, after having called out the name and Gotra of the deceased; and let him dig three trenches, each four Angulas in breadth, their distance from one another and their depth also measuring (four Angulas), and their length amounting to one Vitasti (or twelve Angulas).
5. Close by the trenches let him light three fires, and having added fuel to them, let him make three oblations (of boiled rice) in each (fire, saying),
6. 'Svadhâ and reverence to Soma, accompanied by the manes.
7. 'Svadhâ and reverence to Agni, who conveys the oblations addressed to the manes.
8. 'Svadhâ and reverence to Yama Angiras.'
9. Then let him offer balls of rice as (ordained) before (in Sûtra 3) on the three mounds of earth (adjacent to the three trenches).
10. After having filled the three trenches with
[3. This must be done with the Mantra, 'This is for you.' (Nand.) Regarding this Mantra, see note on Sûtra 10.
4. The 'imperishable water,' akshayyodakam, derives its name from the Mantra, with which it is delivered, expressing the wish that the meal 'may give imperishable satisfaction' (akshayyam astu). This is the explanation which Nand. gives of the term akshayyodakam in his gloss on LXXIII, 27. In his comment on the present Sûtra he says that the 'imperishable water' must be presented with the (further?) Mantras, 'Let arrive' and 'Be satisfied.' See Y. I, 251 Sânkh. IV, 2, 6.
10. The whole Mantra runs as follows, 'This is for you, father,
{footnote p. 85 and for those after you.' But in the present case (at a 'first Srâddha') the name of the deceased has to be substituted for the word 'father.' (Nand.) Although Nand. quotes this Mantra from Âsvalâyana's Srauta-sûtra, it seems probable that the author of the Vishnu-sûtra took it from the Kâthaka (IX, 6 of the Berlin MS.)]
rice, sour milk, clarified butter, honey, and meat, let him mutter (the Mantra), 'This is for you.'
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