History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c48.s1.1.6

v3.c48.s1.1.6

Then he should wait upon the pitṛs with salutation and mutter the mantra 'salutation to you, Pitṛs, for (securing) food, salutation to you, Pitṛs, for strength' &c. ²⁴³⁸ and also the three verses 'manonvāhuvāmahe' (Ṛg. X. 57. 3-5).²⁴³⁹ He should then make the pitṛs start forward on a stream of water (i. e. by pouring water on the piṇḍas) with the mantra 'O well-disposed pitṛs! May you depart away by the ancient and awe-inspiring paths, after bestowing on us wealth and welfare. May you send down to us prosperity including all manly sons' (vide Tai. S. I. 8. 5. 2 for first half). He should walk a little towards the dakṣiṇāgni with the verse Ṛg. IV. 10. 1 and then towards the gārhapatya with the mantra 'May the gārhapatya fire deliver me from whatever sin I may have committed against Heaven and Earth, or parents and may the same fire make me sinless' (Tai. S. I. 8. 5. 3). He should take hold of the middle piṇḍa with the words 'O pitṛs! bestow on me a valiant (son)' and should make his wife eat that ball of rice with the mantra ²⁴⁴⁰ 'O pitṛs! may you deposit an embryo that will be a young boy wearing a lotus wreath, so that he may be unhurt' (compare Vāj. S. II. 33). The other two piṇḍas may be thrown into water or fire or a person who has recently lost all appetite for food may eat the two or one who is harassed by some incurable disease (such as leprosy or tuberculosis) may eat them, the result being that he is either cured or dies. Kāt. IV. 1.