Chapter 28 - The Description of the Rite of Śrāddha

[Full title: The Description of the Rite of Śrāddha (śrāddhakriyā-varṇana)]

[See notes regarding the rite of śrāddha below]

Sanaka said:

1. O leading sage, listen to the excellent procedure in the performance of Śrāddha, on hearing which one is undoubtedly liberated from sins.

2. On the day previous to the Kṣayāha (day of the Death-anniversary) the householder should take his bath. He should take only a single meal on that day. He should duly invite the Brāhmaṇas (for the next day). In the night he should observe celibacy and lie on the ground.

3. The performer of Śrāddha should avoid cleaning of the teeth, chewing the betel leaves, anointing the body with oil, and foodstuffs of an aphrodisiac nature.

4. The performer of Śrāddha and the partaker of food therein should avoid long journey, quarrel, fury, sexual intercourse, bearing of burdens and sleep during the day.^[1]

5. If he, who is invited for a Śrāddha indulges in sexual intercourse, incurs the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter and falls into hell.

Qualifications of the Brāhmaṇa Invitee for Śrāddha:

6. The Brāhmaṇa who has the following characteristics can be invited for a Śrāddha^[2] : He should be well-versed in the Vedas and devoted to Viṣṇu. He should be an abider by his own conventional conduct of life. He should be born of a good family and be of quiet nature.

7. He should be devoid of passionate attachment and hatred. He should be an expert in the interpretation of the Purāṇas. He must be conversant with the madhu verses (viz. Ṛgveda I.90.6-8. Vāj.S. 13.27-29 in which the word madhu occurs) and must have studied the Trisuparṇa, (viz. the three anuvākas beginning with brahmametu mām etc. (Tait. Āraṇyaka X.48-50).

8. He should be engaged in the worship of the deities and be an adept in the principles of Smṛtis. He must be a past-master in the knowledge of the principles of the Upaniṣads. He must be interested in the welfare of all worlds.

9-10. He should be grateful and richly endowed with all good qualities. He must be engaged in serving his preceptor. He must be engaged in advising others by recounting the good scriptural texts. These are the Brāhmaṇas, O leading sage, who can be employed in a Śrāddha. I shall mention those who should be excluded from the Śrāddhas. Listen with great attention.

Disqualifications of an Invited

11-18. One who is physically a deformed being wanting in a limb or by having a superfluous limb, a miser, a sickly person, a leper, one with deformed nails, a person with long suspended ears, one who has broken his religious vows, a person whose livelihood is the reading of the stars (i.e. astrology), he who (professionally) burns corpses, a person indulgent in heretical arguments, the younger brother who marries when the elder brother is yet a bachelor; a professional worshipper of idols, a rogue, a person who speaks ill of others; a hot-tempered person, a knave, the village priest, one who is interested in unholy scriptures, one who is devoted to (and dependent on) other men’s food, one who supports the son of a Śūdra woman, the paramour of a Śūdra woman, Kuṇḍas and Golakas (i.e. bastards born of adultery when the husband is alive or when the husband is dead), one who performs the Yajña of those who are not eligible to perform it, a man of fraudulent conduct, a man who shaves off his head without purpose, one who is enamoured of another man’s wife or wealth, one who is devoid of devotion to Viṣṇu; one who turns his face away from devotion to Siva, those who sell the Vedas (i.e. accept fee for recitation and teaching of the Vedas), the sellers of Vratas. those who sell Smṛtis, and Mantras (who charge fees for these), professional musicians, composers of poems, those who maintain themselves by means of practising medicine (for money), one who is engaged in decrying the Vedas, arsonists of villages and forests, one who is over-passionate, one who sells intoxicating beverages and one who indulges in deceitful arguments. All these should be excluded scrupulously from the Śrāddha.

19. He should invite the Brāhmaṇa the previous day or on the same day. The Brāhmaṇa who is invited should maintain celibacy and conquer his sense organs.^[3]

20. With his sense-organs duly subdued, a householder should take darbha-grass in his hands and invite an intelligent Brāhmaṇa with the following words: “O excellent Sir, you should do me a favour and accept my invitation for Śrāddha”.^[4]

21. He should get up early in the morning and 'perform the daily morning routine. The learned man should perform the Śrāddha at the hour called Kutapa^[5] (i.e. the eighth muhūrta or five hours and thirty six minutes after the sunrise).

22. That hour in the eighth Kāla (Muhūrta) of the day when the sun begins to be less fierce is called the Kutapa. That which is given to the Pitṛs at: that time is of everlasting benefit.

23. The afternoon is the time granted to the Pitṛs by the self-born deity (god Brahmā). Hence, the Kavya (oblations to Pitṛs) should be given by excellent Brāhmaṇas only at that time.

24. O excellent sage, if the Kavya is offered along with the monetary gifts at the wrong hour it should be known as belonging to the Rākṣasas. It never reaches the Pitṛs.

25. The Kavya offered in the evening too becomes something pertaining to the Rākṣasas. The giver as well as the partaker of food falls into the hell.

Decisions about Śrāddha-Tithis^[6]

26. If the duration of the Tithi of the annual Śrāddha be of only one ghaṭikā (daṇḍa = 24 minutes) on the previous day, O Brāhmaṇa the Śrāddha must be performed on the Tithi the afternoon of which is affected (touched) by another Tithi, by a person knowing (the required religious rite).^[7]

27. If the Tithi (lunar-day) of the death anniversary spreads over the afternoons of two (consecutive) days, the Śrāddha should be performed on the previous day if there be the Kṣaya (less duration, loss) of the (particular) Tithi and on the next day if that Tithi has extended duration (Vṛddhi).

28. If the Tithi of the death-anniversary is for two Muhūrtas (i.e. one hour and thirty-six minutes) in the previous day and spreads till evening on the next day, the latter is recommended for Śrāddha.

29. Some opine that when the Tithi (of the death-anniversary is of the duration of two muhūrtas, the Śrāddha should be performed on the previous day, but O chief of sages, this is not a universally held view about the performance of Śrāddha.

30. O excellent Brāhmaṇa, when the invited Brāhmaṇas have all assembled together, the householder with his sons purified through expiation, should formally solicit their permission.

31. On being formally permitted to perform the Śrāddha, he should invite the Brāhmaṇas again in accordance with the injunctions—two for the purpose of Viśvedevas and three for the Pitṛs.

32. Or he should invite one for each, i.e. for Devas and the Pitṛs respectively; when he has been permitted to perform Śrāddha, he should make two mystic diagrams called Maṇḍala^[8] (on the ground).

33. The diagram of a Brāhmaṇa (performer of Śrāddha) should be square or four-cornered; that of the Kṣatriya triangular; that of a Vaiśya should be known as circular. As for a Śūdra the consecration by sprinkling is enough.

34. If Brāhmaṇas are not available, one should engage even one’s own brother or son or the Ātman himself but he should never engage a Brāhmaṇa devoid of the Vedas.

35. He should wash the feet of the Brāhmaṇas. After they had performed the Ācamana rite, they must be seated. Remembering Lord Nārāyaṇa, they should be suitably worshipped.

36. Repeating the ṚK mantra—apahatāḥ (Ṛgveda X.76.4, V.S. 11.29) etc., the householder should strew gingelly seeds in between the Brāhmaṇas and at the threshold.

37. He should offer the seat to the devas by means of barley grains and Darbha grass, saying “This is the seat unto the Viśvedevas”. After giving this he should offer Kṣaṇa-pratīkṣaṇa (a formality of invitation).

38. For the expression of imperishability and the offering of seat, Ṣaṣṭhī (the genitive case) is used; in invoking Dvitīyā (the accusative case) is used; in offering food Caturthī (the Dative case) is used; all the rest are addressed as Sambuddhis (the Vocative case).^[9]

39. He should take up two vessels joined together by means of the Darbha grass. Repeating the ṛk Śanno Devi (Vaj.S. 36.12, (Ṛgveda.X.9.4)—(May the divine waters be for our happiness, etc.), he should sprinkle water on it.

40. Restrained in speech he should offer scents and flowers after putting barley grains repeating the Mantra Yavosi (V.S. 5.26) etc. Thereafter, he should invoke Devas by means of the ṛk viśve devāsaḥ (Ṛgveda I.3.7, V.S. 7.34)—“Come, Ye all gods, listen to this my call and sit on this darbha grass.”

41. With great attention he should offer Arghya repeating the Mantra—yā divyā (TB. II.7.15.4a), etc. Thereafter, he should worship by means of scents, leaves, flowers, incense and lamps.

42. After being permitted by the Brāhmaṇas representing Devas, he should worship the groups of the Pitṛs. He should offer them good seats by means of Darbhas mixed with sesamum seeds.

43. He should take up three vessels. The Brāhmaṇa should place them as before for the purpose of Arghya. Reciting the Mantra—śanno devī (Ṛgveda X.9.4) etc. he should pour water and then put gingelly seeds repeating Tilosi (Āśvalāyana Gṛhyasūtra 4.7.11), etc.

44. With great attention the Brāhmaṇa should invoke the Pitṛs by means of the ṛk uśantaḥ (Ṛgveda X.16.12) etc. He should offer Arghya as before by means of the Mantra—yā divyā, etc. (TB. II.7.4a).

45. O excellent one, he should honour and worship them in accordance with his capacity, by means of scents, leaves, flowers, incense and lamps as well as garments and ornaments.

Agnau-K araṇa^[10]

46. The intelligent householder should take up a portion of the cooked rice soaked in ghee and say, “I shall consign it to the fire”, and solicit their formal permission.

47. O sage, on being asked by him saying, “May I do?”, “Let me do”, those Brāhmaṇas should say, “Please do”, “It may be done”, “You may do”.

48. After kindling the fire for worship in accordance with the injunctions mentioned in his own Gṛhyasūtras, he should utter thus—“Svadhā and obeisance to Soma accompanied by the Pitṛs.

49. Or he should utter—“Svadhā and obeisance to Agni the conveyor of the Kavya”. Or as in the Pitṛ Yajña, the intelligent householder can perform Homa by means of Svāhā endings as well.

50. The satisfaction of the Pitṛs shall be everlasting even, ṃanks to these two Āhutis. If the fire is not available, Homa can be performed in the hands of the Brāhmaṇa.

51. O Brāhmaṇa, he should perform it in the hand or in the fire according to the conventional practice. When the Pārvaṇa rites are to be performed, fire cannot be kept far off.

52. O Brāhmaṇa, if the Agni is far off, when the Pārvaṇa rites are in vogue, he should kindle the fire (ordinary fire, not the hereditarily kept one) perform the rite and be contented after ritualistically dismissing it.

53-55. When the day of death-anniversary arrives but the hereditary fire is not available, he should make his brothers duly perform the Śrāddha, those brothers who are Brāhmaṇas with the sacrificial fire (duly maintained). When the Upāsanā fire (traditionally kept fire or gṛhyāgni) is far off, but the brother is nearby and the brothers are maintaining only ordinary fire, if the Homa is performed in the worldly fire or in the hand (of the Brāhmaṇas) he would be a sinner; when the Upāsanā fire is far off, some Brāhmaṇas wish for this (i.e. they recommend it).

56. The balance of that he should strew into the dishes of the Brāhmaṇas duly remembering Hari. He should propitiate the Brāhmaṇas with various kinds of edibles, tasty dishes and lambatives.

57-58. With due attention on either side, he should perform the rite of Annatyāga—“Eschewal of the food”. He should then pray to Devas—“O Viśvedevas, O powerful ones, O blessed ones, come ye all. Be alert in your respective places wherever you have been enjoined and he should repeat the ṛk ye devāsaḥ (Ṛgveda I.139.11, etc.)

59-61. By means of the ṛk ye ca ha (Ṛgveda.X.15.13) he should request the Brāhmaṇas, “Among them embodied and the unembodied Pitṛs of illuminating splendour, I bow down always to them who meditate and those who have the Yogic vision.” After bowing to the Pitṛs thus, he should be devoted to Nārāyaṇa and offer the rite, and havis that had been offered to Viṣṇu. Thereafter, all the Brāhmaṇas should be restrained in speech and partake of the food.

62. If any one speaks out or laughs, the Havis offering shall become one pertaining to the Rākṣasas. According to convention wine and meat can be served.

63-65a. Those persons of restrained speech and occupying the (place near) the plates (dishes), should praise the cooking, etc. If any Brāhmaṇa engaged in the Śrāddha, sets aside his dish, he should be known as the destroyer of Śrāddha. He is fit only for the hell. If the Brāhmaṇas taking food touch one another, they should continue their meal, but after completing it, they should perform one hundred and eight Japa of the Gāyatrī-mantra.

65b-67. While Brāhmaṇas partake of their food, he should remember Lord Nārāyaṇa with great faith. He should remember the infinite Lord, the unvanquished deity. He should repeat the hymns pertaining to Viṣṇu, the Rakṣoghnī hymns (viz. Ṛgveda IV.4. 1-15, Ṛgveda X.87, VII.104, X.1118 and 162). He should specially recite the hymns pertaining to Pitṛs (viz. Ṛgveda X.15.1-13). He should perform the japa of (or recite) the Puruṣasūkta (Ṛgveda X.90), the three Naciketa hymns^[11], the Trimadhu^[12] (Ṛgveda I.90.6.8), Trisuparṇa^[13] (Ṛgveda V.57.2), Pavamāna Sūkta and hymns from the Yajurveda.

68. He should repeat the Uktha and other Sāman Mantras that bestow merit. He should also recite verses from Itihāsas, Purāṇas and Dharma śāstras.

69. As long as the Brāhmaṇas continue their meal, he should repeat these mantras, etc. O Brāhmaṇa, when the Brāhmaṇas have completed their meal, he should strew (two lumps of rice called) Vikira.

70-71. He should enquire “What should be done about the remaining food?” He should repeat Madhu Sūkta O Nārada, then he should wash his own feet and perform the Ācamana rite. When the Brāhmaṇas have finished their meals and performed the Ācamana rite, he should offer the Piṇḍas. He should then perform the rites of Svasti Vācanaka (utterance of benediction) and Akṣayyodaka (getting the blessing that food and water be inexhaustible).

72-74. After offering the same, with great concentration he should offer salutations to the Brāhmaṇas. If the Brāhmaṇas utter benediction without stirring the vessel, their Pitṛs will be the partakers of Ucchiṣṭa (leavings of food) for a full year. With these utterances of the Smṛti, viz. “May our donors flourish...” (Yājñavalkya I.245-46), etc. he should receive the blessings from them and then prostrate himself before them. According to his ability, he should offer Dakṣiṇā and the betel-leaves mixed with sweet scents.

75. He should then bring the vessel that had been placed with face downwards and repeat the Svadhā-kāra (the word Svadhā). With the ṛk vāje vāje (Ṛgveda VII.38.8) etc. he should ritualistically dismiss the Pitṛs and Devas.

76. The performer of the Śrāddha and the partaker of the food thereat should avoid sexual intercourse that night. He should assiduously refrain from the study of the Vedas and undertaking a long journey on foot.

77. A wayfarer, a sick man and a person devoid of funds should perform Amāśrāddha (Śrāddha with uncooked rice). One whose wife cannot be touched (i.e. is in her monthly courses) shall perform Śrāddha through the offer of gold.

78. If funds are not available, or if the Brāhmaṇas are not available he should prepare the food alone. The wise man should then perform the Homa repeating the Sūkta belonging to the Pitṛs.

79. If one cannot afford the Havya offerings at all, he may offer grass unto the cows according to his ability. O Brāhamaṇa, as an alternative, let him take his bath and duly perform the Tarpaṇa rite with gingelly seeds.

80. Or he may go to a lonely forest and lament very loudly. The wise man should proclaim “I am indigent. I am a great sinner”.

81. If a performer of Śrāddha does not perform the rite of Tarpaṇa for the Pitṛs, the next day that family will perish. He will incur the sin of Brāhmaṇa-slaughter.

82. O leading sage, those faithful persons who perform Śrāddha do become rich. Their line is never extinct.

83. Virtually, Viṣṇu has been worshipped by those who worship the pitṛs. If the Lord of the Universe is pleased, the deities are also pleased.

84. It is eternal Hari himself who manifests as the Pitṛs, deities, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Yakṣas, Siddhas, and human beings.

85. Hence, the person who performs the Śrāddha and he who partakes of it—everyone is Viṣṇu, the eternal Lord, from whom the entire universe including the mobile and immobile beings, has originated.

86. O Brāhmaṇa, whatever exists, what does not exist, the visible and the invisible—everything should be known as identical with Viṣṇu. There is nothing else other than that.

87. He is the being that supports the universe; He is the Ātman of all living beings. He comprises all beings in himself; He is unchanging and of incomparable nature. He is the Lord who partakes of Havya and Kavya.

88. Janārdana is the only Lord who can be called Parabrahman (the Supreme Brahman). The eternal Viṣṇu does everything himself and makes everyone do so.

89. Thus, O excellent sage, the excellent procedure of the Śrāddha rite has been narrated to you. The sins of those who perform it, perish instantaneously.

90. If any excellent Brāhmaṇa reads this with piety and devotional feelings at the time of Śrāddha, the Pitṛs are delighted, his progeny flourishes.

Notes regarding the Rite of Śrāddha:

This is an important topic as it forms an integral part of Hindu Dharma Śāstra. The belief in the after-death survival of deceased ancestors and their separate world (Pitṛ-loka) belongs to the Indo-Iranian period and as such is pre-Vedic (vide S.B.E. Vol. IV, p. 262 for the Iranian Fravarshis of Yima-Yama). Ancestor-worship for one’s prosperity, continuation of one’s race is as old as the Ṛg-Veda. It is not only Nārada Purāṇa but several other Purāṇas deal with the ritual of śrāddha, e.g. Agni Purāṇa 163.2-42, Garuḍa Purāṇa I.210. Kūrma Purāṇa II.22.20-62, Padma Purāṇa (Sṛṣṭi-Khaṇḍa) 9.140-186, Viṣṇu Purāṇa.III. 15.13-49, MP. 17.12-60. Most of them prescribe practically the same procedure as given in the Gṛhya Sūtras and Smṛtis of Manu and Yājñavalkya. If the author of a Purāṇa follows a particular Sūtra, he prescribes the procedure of his Sūtra. For example, in the present case, the procedure of Śrāddha given in the Nārada Purāṇa shows much resemblance to the details given in the Śrāddha Sūtra of Kātyāyana (which by the way has so much similarity with the procedure of Śrāddha given in the Yājñavalkya Smṛti).

We find that Nārada Purāṇa and Kātyāyana use the same full mantras, tilo'si, yā divyā prescription of the repetition of the word madhu thrice (in addition to the Gāyatrī and Madhumatī verses) and recital of the following texts while the Brāhmaṇas are being fed:

The Gāyatrī (once or thrice), the five Rakṣoghnī verses (Ṛgveda IV.4.1-5); the Puruṣa Sūkta (Ṛgveda X.90), the Apratiratha hymns (Ṛgveda X.103.1-13), the Svadhā-vācana relates both to paternal and maternal ancestors (cf. Yājñavalkya Smṛti I.244).

In addition to the blessing recorded in Yājñavalkya 1.246-47, Kātyāyana requires the performer to pray for and receive from Brāhmaṇas the following blessings:

(i) “May the Pitṛs be not terrible to us and
(ii) May our family prosper.

The Mādhyandina Brāhmaṇas of Bengal follow Raghunandana’s Yajurvedī-Śrāddha-tattva which is based on the Śrāddha-sūtra of Kātyāyana. Possibly the author of the Nārada Purāṇa who prescribes the rules of Kātyāyana’s Śrāddhasūtra might be an East Indian.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

These restrictions are both on the invitee and the inviter. Kātyāyana prescribes that from the time of giving invitation by the performer of Śrāddha to the time of completion of the Śrāddha ritual marked by the final ācamana, Brāhmaṇas should remain pure, free from anger, hurry, negligence, should speak the truth, avoid journey, sexual intercourse, hard work, study the Veda and control speech and the Brāhmaṇas invited should observe the same rules (Śrāddha sūtra I)

akrodhano'tvaro'mattaḥ satyavādī samāhitaḥ /
bhāram maithunam adhvānaṃ śrāddhā-kṛd varjayed japam //

Compare also Matsya Purāṇa 16-27-28.—Kūrma Purāṇa.II.22.6.

[2]:

The qualities and qualifications required of a Brāhmaṇa invitee for Śrāddha. Cf. Smṛticandrikā III (Śrāddha-kāṇḍa) pp. 389-394. Matsya Purāṇa. 16:8-10 state the same qualities as in Nārada Purāṇa The ancient Smṛtis insist on the pure character and not so much on the scholarship of the invitee. As Manu says (II.118) “A Brāhmaṇa who knows only the Gāyatrī but is self-controlled, is preferable to a Brāhmaṇa who knows three Vedas but lacks in self-control, eats every thing and sells anything (prohibited by Dharma)”. He insists on the close enquiry of the antecedents of such an invitee. Later Purāṇas slackened these restrictions.

[3]:

brahmacārī, etc. ‘The invited Brāhmaṇa should abstain from sexual intercourse, etc. Some Purāṇas (e.g. Matsya Purāṇa 16-20) and some Smṛtis (Prajāpati 63) state that the invited Brāhmaṇa should be requested with the traditional verse:

akrodhanaiḥ śaucaparaiḥ satatam brahmacāribhiḥ /
bhavitavyam bhavadbhiś ca mayā ca śrāddha-kāriṇā //

[4]:

The procedure of invitation to Śrāddha as detailed in Matsya Purāṇa 16-17-20 is as follows:

The inviter should respectfully invite the Brāhmaṇas on the previous day or in the morning of the day of Śrāddha. He should (with darbha = grass in his hand) touch the right knee of the invitee and extend the invitation. SC—Śrāddha (p. 406) quotes Padma Purāṇa Sṛṣṭi 9.85-88 which are the same as Matsya Purāṇa

[5]:

kāle kutapa saṃjñite: ‘In the period of the day called Kutapa’, Although SC. (Śrāddha), p. 433 gives eight meanings of Kutapa, here ‘The 8th muhūrta from the sunrise’ is applicable. Its derivation is from ku (bad, a sin) + tapa (that which bums). The muhūrta begins from five hours and thirty-six minutes after the sun-rise. Prajāpati states that out of the fifteen muhūrtas comprising a day, Kutapa is the 8th and a Śrāddha should begin from the 8th muhūrta and should not extend beyond the (12th) Rauhiṇeya-muhūrta.

ārambhaṃ kutape kuryād rauhiṇaṃ na tu laṅghayet /
etat pañca muhūrtā'ntaḥ śrāddha-kāla udāhṛtaḥ //—Prajāpati Smṛti 158.

[6]:

Verses 26-29 give decisions regarding the Tithi (lunar-day) acceptable for Śrāddha. When the particular Tithi is not full (covering the civil day) but spreads over two days, etc. (for discussion of Tithis vide the next chapter).

[7]:

Verses repeated in Saura Purāṇa 19.13-14.—P.V. Kane states that two maṇḍalas are to be drawn in front of the performer’s residence to receive the Brāhmaṇas. Of the two Maṇḍalas one should be on the northern side sloping towards the north for Brāhmaṇas representing devas and the second on the southern side sloping towards the south for Brāhmaṇas representing Pitṛs.—(H.D. IV. pp. 456-57).

[8]:

There is nothing mystical here but application of the rules of SK. grammar: The use of genitive case:

asmat-pitṛ-pitāmahaprapitāmahānām—idam āsanam /

(This seat is for my father, grand-father, great-grand-father).

The use of the accusative case:

pitṛ-pitāmahān āvāhayāmi

(I invoke my father...great grand sire).

Ṛgveda X.16.12 uses the same case wherein Agni is requested to invite the ancestors.

[9]:

The use of the Dative case:

pitre idam arghyaṃ dattaṃ na mama /

‘The Arghya is given to my father’...

Saying ṃis the performer is to offer water mixed with sesamum seed on the palm of the invited Brāhmaṇa.

[10]:

Verses 46-51 describe what is technically known as agnau-karaṇa. When domestic sacrificial fires are not maintained (as is the case of majority of homes now-a-days), the right hand of the Brāhmaṇa is regarded as fire and the oblations are offered in his hand as if it is the sacrificial fire, with the mantras mentioned in these verses.

[11]:

Though the translation follows the text tri-nāciketaṃ...(japet), the term trināciketa is variously explained: Triṇāciketa is a person who knows the Nāciketa fire or a person who has thrice kindled the Nāciketa fire or a person who has studied the Anuvāka called virajas. Tait. Br. (III. 11.7-8) describes the Nāciketa fire and the story of Naciketas.

[12]:

Trimadhu—The three Vedic verses (Ṛgveda I.90.6-8; VS. 13-27-29, TS. IV. 2.9.3) in which the word madhu occurs three times.

[13]:

Trisuparṇa—Haradatta applies the name to the three Anuvākas beginning with brahmametu mām (Tait. Ar. X.48-50). Paitrika hymns are Ṛgveda X.15.1-13.

There has been some difference of opinion about the texts to be recited: vide Padma Purāṇa Sṛṣṭi 9.165-69 also Matsya Purāṇa. 17.37-39.