Chapter 45 - The mode of performing Jīvacchrāddha rite

The sages said:

1. Thus, the sixteen auspicious rites of charitable gifts have been mentioned by you. Now it behoves you to narrate the procedure of the Śrāddha rite for the living ones.

Sūta said:

2-3. I shall succinctly mention the mode of Jīvacchrāddha that is approved of by everyone. Formerly, it was mentioned by Brahmā, the lord of Devas to Manu, to Vasiṣṭha, to the well-disciplined Bhṛgu and Bhārgava. It is great and conducive to the achievement of all Siddhis. Listen ye with great fervour.

4. O sages of good holy rites, I shall mention the manner and order of the Śrāddhas, the order of those who deserve Śrāddhas and the peculiarities of the Jīvacchrāddha.

5-7. The Jīvacchrāddha shall be performed on a mountain, on the banks of a river, in a forest or in one’s abode as also when death is imminent.^[1] When it is performed he is liberated even as he is alive; whether he does or does not perform the functions (ordained for him), whether he possesses perfect knowledge or not, whether he is well-versed in the Vedic passages or not, whether he is a Brahmin or a Kṣatriya or a Vaiśya or whether he follows the path of the Yoga. There is no doubt about this.

8-13. The ground shall be carefully scrutinized by its smell, colour, taste etc. All the weeds and stumps shall be assiduously taken out. The middle of the ground, a cubit in extent, shall be covered with sand. If a Kuṇḍa is dug it shall be long and splendid or the bare ground shall extend to an arrow’s length. The ground shall be scrubbed, cleaned and smeared with cowdung and fire shall be placed there in accordance with the injunctions in the scripture. Water shall be sprinkled all round. The rites pertaining to the fire shall be performed and concluded along the traditional lines as mentioned in one’s own branch of the Vedas by repeating the following mantras. After worshipping on the bare ground he shall perform Homas by means of sacrificial twigs, etc. Homas shall at the outset be performed with the twigs; then with Caru and ghee sparkling splendidly in a separate vessel. Homas shall be performed by oneself invoking^[2] the Tattvas and Bhūtas all round.

14-33. Oṃ Bhūḥ, obeisance to Brahmā. Oṃ Bhūḥ, Svāhā unto Brahmā. Oṃ Bhuvaḥ, obeisance to Viṣṇu. Oṃ Bhuvaḥ, Svāhā unto Visṇu. Oṃ Svaḥ, obeisance to Rudra. Oṃ Svaḥ, Svāhā unto Rudra. Oṃ Mahaḥ, obeisance to Īśvara. Oṃ Mahaḥ, Svāhā unto Īśvara. Oṃ Janaḥ, obeisance to Prakṛti. Oṃ Janaḥ, Svāhā unto Prakṛti. Oṃ Tapaḥ, obeisance unto Mudgala. Oṃ Tapaḥ, Svāhā unto Mudgala. Oṃ Ṛtam, obeisance unto Puruṣa, Oṃ Ṛtam, Svāhā unto Puruṣa. Oṃ Satyam, obeisance unto Śiva. Oṃ Satyam, Svāhā unto Śiva. Oṃ Śarva protect my earth, smell in the nose, obeisance unto lord Śarva, Bhūḥ, obeisance Oṃ Śarva, protect my earth, smell in the nose; Bhūḥ, Svāhā unto Śarva. Oṃ Śarva, protect my earth, smell with nose. Bhūḥ, obeisance to the wife of lord Śarva. Oṃ Śarva, protect my earth, smell in the nose; Bhūḥ, Svāhā unto the wife of Śarva.

34-37. Oṃ Bhava, protect my waters, taste in the tongue; Bhuvaḥ, obeisance to lord Bhava.

Oṃ Bhava protect my waters, taste in the tongue. Bhuvaḥ, Svāhā unto lord Bhava.

Oṃ Bhava, protect my waters, taste in the tongue. Bhuvaḥ, obeisance unto the wife of lord Bhava.

Oṃ Bhava, protect my waters, taste in the tongue. Bhuvaḥ, Svāhā unto the wife of Bhava.

38-41. Oṃ Rudra, protect my fire, colour in the eye; Svaḥ, Oṃ obeisance to Rudra.

Oṃ Rudra, protect my fire, colour in the eye. Svaḥ Svāhā, unto lord Rudra.

Oṃ Rudra, protect my fire, colour in the eye. Svaḥ Oṃ, obeisance unto the wife of Lord Rudra.

Oṃ Rudra, protect my fire, colour in the eye. Svaḥ Svāhā, unto the wife of lord Rudra.

42-45. Oṃ Ugra, protect my wind, touch in the skin; Mahaḥ, obeisance unto lord Ugra.

Oṃ Ugra, protect my wind, touch in the skin; Mahaḥ Svāhā, unto lord Ugra.

Oṃ Ugra, protect my wind, touch in the skin. Mahaḥ Oṃ, obeisance to the wife of lord Ugra.

Oṃ Ugra, protect my wind, touch in the skin. Mahaḥ Svāhā unto the wife of lord Ugra.

46-49. Oṃ Bhīma, protect my cavity, sound in the ears; Janaḥ Oṃ, obeisance unto lord Bhīma.

Oṃ Bhīma, protect my cavity, sound in the ears; Janaḥ Svāhā, unto lord Bhīma.

Oṃ Bhīma, protect my cavity, sound in the ears; Janaḥ, Oṃ, obeisance unto the wife of lord Bhīma.

Oṃ Bhīma, protect my cavity, sound in the ears; Janaḥ Svāhā unto the wife of lord Bhīma.

50-53. Oṃ Īśa, protect my Rajas (Guṇa), thirst for wealth; Japaḥ Oṃ, obeisance to lord Īśa.

Oṃ Īśa, protect my Rajas (Guṇa) thirst for wealth; Tapaḥ Svāhā unto lord Īśa.

Oṃ Īśa, protect my Rajas (Guṇa) thirst for wealth; Tapaḥ Oṃ, obeisance unto the wife of lord Īśa.

Oṃ Īśa protect my Rajas (Guṇa), thirst for wealth; Tapaḥ Svāhā unto the wife of Īśa.

54-57. Oṃ Mahādeva, protect my truth, faith in virtue; Ṛtam, obeisance to Mahādeva.

Oṃ Mahādeva, protect my truth, faith in virtue; Ṛtam Svāhā unto Mahādeva.

Oṃ Mahādeva, protect my truth, faith in virtue; Ṛtam obeisance unto the wife of Mahādeva.

Oṃ Mahādeva, protect my truth, faith in virtue; Ṛtam Svāhā unto the wife of Mahādeva.

58-63. Oṃ Paśupati, protect my noose, the state of the enjoyer and the enjoyment; Satyam, obeisance to lord Paśupati.

Oṃ Paśupati, protect my noose, the state of the enjoyer and the enjoyment; Satyam Svāhā unto lord Paśupati.

Oṃ Paśupati, protect my noose, the state of the enjoyer and the enjoyment; Satyam, obeisance unto the wife of lord Paśupati.

Oṃ Paśupati, protect my noose the state of being the enjoyer and the enjoyment; Satyam Svāhā unto the wife of lord Paśupati.

Oṃ obeisance to Śiva. Oṃ Satyam, Svāhā unto Śiva^[3].

64-66. Thus, Homa of Śiva shall be performed; that of Viriñci, etc. as before. Oṃ at the outset unto Viriñci^[4] and others, according to the paths of creation, O sages of good holy rites.

He shall, thereafter, worship the wife of Paśupati and Paśupati in order. After worshipping the lord, Homas shall be performed as before serially by using mantras. The article of Homa at the outset shall be ghee, then Caru and it shall conclude with sacrificial twigs. The sacrificer shall have concentration and mental purity.

67-68. Oṃ Śarva, split my earth, split the smell into the nose, dispel the dense fat—Bhuḥ Svāhā, Bhuvaḥ Svāhā, Svaḥ Svāhā. Bhūr Bhuvaḥ Svaḥ Svāhā. Thus, the devotee shall perform Homa separately a thousand, and five hundred, or a hundred and eight times with ghee alone.

A separate Homa shall be performed a hundred and eight times with ghee alone repeating the Virajā mantras^[5].

He shall perform Homa with ghee alone repeating the following mantra beginning with “Prāṇa” (as follows)—“Oṃ, I am placed within Prāṇa, I perform Homas of Amṛta (nectar).

O Śiva, enter me. Svāhā unto the burner unto Prāṇa. Svāhā unto the overlord of Prāṇa, unto Rudra, unto the slayer of Vṛṣa (?).

Oṃ Bhūḥ Svāhā; Oṃ Bhuvaḥ Svāhā; Oṃ Svaḥ Svāhā; Oṃ Bhūr Bhuvaḥ Svaḥ Svāhā.”

79. Thus, Homa shall be performed in this order as is mentioned in the treatises on Śrāddha. On the seventh day he shall feed leading Yogins and those who deserve to partake of the Śrāddha

80-81. To the brahmin devotees of Śiva,^[6] garments, ornaments, shawls, vehicles, beddings, bell-metal, copper and other vessels, pots made of gold and silver, cows, gingelly seeds, fields, other assets as well as male and female slaves shall be given. Dakṣiṇā also shall be given.

82. Balls of rice shall be given as before in eight^[7] ways separately. He shall feed a thousand brahmins and give them Dakṣiṇās too.

83. Or the devotee shall feed a single person engaged in the practice of Yoga. He shall strictly adhere to the Bhasman and shall have strict control over his senses. The Mahācaru shall be dedicated unto Rudra for three days.

84. Only particular things (about Jīvacchrāddha) have been mentioned here as other things are similar to all other Śrāddhas. If the devotee dies the Śrāddha may or may not be performed, since he becomes a liberated soul.

85. He can perform or eschew the obligatory and the optional rites. Even if any kinsman of his dies there is neither pollution nor purification of the same.

86-89. His post-natal pollution can no doubt be cleansed by mere bath. If afterwards he himself begets a son or a son is born to his wife, he shall perform all the holy rites for him. That son shall become a knower of Brahman. If a daughter is born to him, O sages of good holy rites, she will become one like Ekaparṇā or Aparṇā. Persons born in her family are liberated from hell. There is no doubt about this. By means of this holy rite his ancestors on his father’s as well as mother’s side are liberated.

90-94. When this brahmin passes away he shall either be buried after digging the ground or he shall be cremated. By performing all the duties of a son there cannot be any defect. He is not to attain any further salvation by means of later holy rites. Everything has been mentioned by Brahmā to the sages of sanctified souls. Again this was mentioned to Sanatkumāra by that intelligent lord.^[8] It was mentioned to Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana by the son of Brahmā. It was due to the grace of the intelligent saintly lord Vedavyāsa that everything was known by me. It was at his behest that everything was performed by me.

Thus, the secret doctrine has been mentioned to you. It yields the achievement of Brahman. O sages of good holy rites this should be imparted to a devotee having control over his senses and never to one who is not a devotee.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

mṛtakāla [mṛtakāle]—when death is imminent, but according to Śivatoṣiṇī. it means Vārdhakye—in old age.

[2]:

tattvabhūtāni manasā uddhṛtya—lit. extracting the twenty-four tattvas along with the mind. But Śivatoṣiṇī. explains ‘uddhṛtya) as ‘vicārya),—‘thinking upon), i.e. distinguishing one tattva from the other.

[3]:

Śivāya, but Śivatoṣiṇī. adds ‘mokṣāya’, i.e. for the achievement of salvation.

[4]:

Viriñcādyam—beginning with Viriñci (Brahmā).

[5]:

Virajā—by reciting Virajā mantras.

[6]:

śarvādīnām i.e. the Brahmins representing Śiva and other deities.

[7]:

aṣṭaprakārataḥ—in the eightfold manner, i.e. in the order of the eight-formed (aṣṭamūrti) Śiva.

[8]:

tena—i.e. by Brahmā.