LXXIII.
1. One desirous of celebrating a Sr�ddha must invite the Br�hmanas on the day before (it is to take place).
2. On the next day, in the forenoon, if it falls in the bright half of the month, and in the afternoon, if it falls in the dark half of the month, the Br�hmanas, who must have duly bathed and duly sipped water, must be placed by him, in the order of their seniority' (or) of their sacred knowledge, upon seats covered with Kusa grass.
3. (He must entertain) two (Br�hmanas) facing the east at the Sr�ddha of the gods (Visvedev�s), and three facing the north at the Sr�ddha of the manes;
4. Or one only at each Sr�ddha.
5. After having (worshipped the Visvedev�s and) offered a burnt-oblation: during the recitation of the first Pa�kaka (pentad) at a Sr�ddha repast consisting
[LXXIII. 1-32. �sv. II, 5, 11-14; IV, 7; Gobh. IV, 2-4; P�r. III, 10, 48-55; S�nkh. IV, 1; M. III, 125, 204-259; Y. I, 225-248; �past. II, 7, 17, 11-19; Gaut. XV, Regarding the corresponding section of the K�thaka Grihya-s�tra, see Introduction. This chapter opens the section on Sr�ddhas (funeral oblations), which consists of thirteen chapters (LXXIII-LXXXV. Nand.)
1. The Ekoddishta and Sapind�karana Sr�ddhas have been described above, XXI. The rules given in the present chapter refer to all the remaining kinds of Sr�ddhas, See 5-9, LXXIV, LXXVI-LXXVIII.
2. 1 At the Sr�ddha of the manes the oldest Br�hmana represents the great-grandfather; the one next to him in age, the grandfather; the youngest of the three, the father of the sacrificer. (Nand.)
5-9. The three Pa�kakas referred to in S�tras 5-9 are respectively vv. 1-5, 6-10, and 11-15 of K�thaka XXXIX, 10. (Nand.) The great majority of the Mantras quoted in S�tras 11-26 have not been traced in the Berlin US. of the K�thaka, nor indeed in any other Samhit� of the Veda, but there can be no doubt that they, belong, to the school of the Kathas, as nearly all are quoted by their Prat�kas in the K�thaka Grihya-s�tra, and given at full in Devap�la's Commentary on the latter. The above renderings of the Prat�kas rest upon Devap�la's interpretations. That the rules in 5 seq. teach the performance of a Sr�ddha according to the rites of the Katha school, is confirmed by Nand. in his remarks on 5 seq. and 9 seq.]
of undressed grain or performed for the gratification of a special desire[1];
6. At a Sr�ddha repast consisting of meat, during the recitation of the second Pa�kaka;
7. At a new moon (Sr�ddha), during the recitation of the last Pa�kaka;
8. On the Ashtak�s (or eighth days) of the (three) dark halves subsequent to the full moon day of the month �grah�yana (or M�rgas�rsha)[1], during the recitation of the first, second, and last Pa�kakas respectively;
9. Likewise on the Anvashtak�s (or ninth days of the dark halves of those months);
10. He must invite the manes, after having received permission to do so from the Br�hmanas[1].
11. Having driven away the Y�tudh�nas by strewing grains of sesamum and by reciting the two
[5. 1 See LXXVIll.
8. The days referred to are the eighth days of the dark halves of the months M�rgas�rsha, Pausha, and M�gha.
9. 'And on the Sr�ddhas taking place on the seventh day of the dark half, as ka indicates.' (Nand.) This statement does not, however, deserve much credit, as such Sr�ddhas are neither mentioned in our work nor in the K�thaka Grihya-s�tra.
10. 1 'The permission of the Br�hmanas has to be asked with the Mantra, "I shall invite (the manes);" and their answer must be, "Invite the,!"' (Nand.)
11. The Y�tudh�nas are a class of demons supposed to disturb the effect of a Sr�ddha. The second Mantra, according to Devap�la, is from the Rig-veda, X, 15, 1.]
Mantras (the first of which begins with the words), 'May the Asuras go away;'
|