Vishnupurana 3.15.7
The Vishnu Purana: A System of Hindu Mythology and Tradition 3.15.7
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3.15.7
"In this manner an enlightened householder will celebrate the obsequial worship of his paternal and maternal ancestors, who, satisfied by his offerings, will grant him all his desires. Three things are held pure at obsequies, a daughter's son, a Nepal blanket, and sesamum-seeds; and the gift, or naming, or sight of silver is also propitious. The person offering a Śráddha should avoid anger, walking about, and hurry; these three things are very objectionable. The Viśwadevas, and paternal and maternal ancestors, and the living members of a man's family are all nourished by the offerer of ancestral oblations.
3.15.7.n1
We have here the words of Manu; III. 235. Three things are held pure at such obsequies, the daughter's son, the Nepal blanket, and sesamum-seed.' Sir Wm. Jones's translation of these terms rests upon the explanation of Kullúka Bhat́t́a of this and the verse preceding; 'Let him give his daughter's son, though a religious student, food at a Śráddha, and the blanket for a seat.' The commentator on our text says that some understand by Dauhitra, clarified butter made from the milk of a cow fed with grass gathered on the day of new moon; and some explain it a plate or dish of buffalo horn. Kutapa he interprets by Asht́ama Muhúrtta, the eighth hour of the day, or a little after noon, although he admits that some render it a blanket made of goats' wool. These explanations are also noticed in the Nirńaya Sindhu, p. 302; and, upon the authority of the Matsya P., Kutapa is said to mean eight things; which equally consume (Tapa) all sin (Ku), or noon, a vessel of rhinoceros' horn, a nepal blanket, silver, holy grass, sesamum, kine, and a daughter's son.
3.15.7.n2
So the Matsya P. has 'the gift, sight, and name of silver are desired.' The notion originates with Manu, III. 202.
Linked texts (1)
- Viṣṇupurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit