History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c46.101.2

v3.c46.101.2

On the day these eight śrāddhas are performed or on the next day he should shave off the whole head after keeping six hairs out of his top-knot, pare his nails, then take his bath, then he is to donate to brāhmaṇas and his sons all his wealth except his wearing apparel and the materials for *homa*. The garments he is to wear should be dyed with red chalk; he should secure a bamboo staff as high as his head &c. and as thick as his finger and brought by a brāhmaṇa; that staff should be sprinkled over with water from a conch to the accompaniment of 'om', the *puruṣa* hymn (Rg. X. 90) and such names (of Viṣṇu) as Keśava. He should also keep ready a water jar, a strip for his loins and a garment to cover his body and a wallet and *pādukās* (sandals). He should declare his resolve (saṅkalpa) to become a paramahaṁsa and perform the worship of Gaṇeśa, puṇyāhavācana, worship of mother goddesses and Nāndī-śrāddha. He should then perform *japa* by saying 'namaḥ' to Brahmā (in the dative), Viṣṇu, Rudra, Sūrya, Soma, Ātman, Antarātman, Paramātman and also repeat the first *pādas* of each of the four Vedas. He should then eat three handfuls of barley flour with 'om' and touch his navel. He should then sip thrice clarified butter or water mixed with milk and curds repeating the mantras 'trivṛd-asi', 'pravṛd-asi', 'vivṛd-asi' (all three in Vāj. S. 15. 9) and then drink water with the mantra 'may the waters purify' (Tai. Ār. 10. 23), then perform ācamana and declare his resolve to fast.