Vishnupurana 3.13.p2

3.13.p2

"Having washed the dead body with sacred water, adorned it with garlands and reduced it to ashes outside the village, the relatives having bathed with their clothes on, should stand with their faces to the south and offer libations to the dead, addressing him by name and saying, 'Whatever thou mayst be.' (And if it is burnt during the day,) they should return to the village along with the cattle coming from pasture, and when stars appear, should go to rest, sleeping on mats spread upon the earth. (And as long as the mourning lasts) every day a ball of food should be placed on the ground as an offering to the dead and they should take rice without flesh. And as long as the mourner wishes he should feed the Brāhmans for the soul of the dead derives pleasure in as much as his kinsmen are satisfied with their entertainment. (After the death of a person) on the first day, or the third, or seventh or ninth, his relatives should change their clothes and bathe out of doors and offer a libation of water with sesamum-seeds. On the fourth day the bones and ashes should be collected; after which the body, of one connected with the dead by offerings of funeral cakes, should be touched without thereby incurring impurity. And those who are related by presentation of water are qualified for any business. The former class of kinsmen are allowed to use beds but still they are prohibited from using arguments and flowers and must observe continence after ashes and bones have been collected. When a child is dead, or one who is abroad, or one who is degraded, or one who is a spiritual guide, or when one commits suicide, or when one destroys himself by water, fire or by hanging, the period of uncleanliness is over as soon as the news is received. The food of a family, in which a relation is dead, should not be taken for ten days. During the period of uncleanliness, gifts, acceptance, sacrifice and the study of sacred writings should be suspended. The term of uncleanliness for a Brāhmin is ten days; for a Kshatriya twelve days; for a Vaiçya fifteen days and for a Sudra a whole month. On the first day after the period of impurity is over, the nearest relative of the dead should feed Brāhmins at his pleasure, but in uneven number and should offer to the dead a ball of rice upon holy grass placed near the remaining portion of the food that has been consumed. After the Brāhmans have been fed, the mourner, according to his caste, should touch water, a weapon of goad or a staff—for he is purified by such contact. He should then resume the duties assigned to his caste and maintain his livelihood by the acquisition of wealth.