History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.273

v5.c72.273

⁵⁹⁴ In modern times great importance is attached by many people to a crow touching and pecking at the piṇḍa food. There is a common belief that if a crow does not touch the piṇḍa then the deceased had some intense wish at his death that was unfulfilled and it is certainly heart-rending and a source of poignant sorrow even for passers-by to see the relatives waiting for hours and tempting the crow or crows to come down from trees with dainty pieces of *copra* and other things and also loudly declaring that they would do this or that and fulfil the last desire of the deceased Often it so happens that no crow touches the piṇḍa food in honour of the deceased, a very old and venerable man, and relatives are very much distressed to find that their venerable ancestor who could have hardly any ambition or desire at the advanced age of 80 or 90 (except to die speedily), judging from the reluctance, of the crow, had some unfulfilled desire. Often the crow immediately touches the piṇḍa offered to one who died very young (say 25 or 30 years old) and who would naturally be presumed to have many unfulfilled desires In such cases the relatives feel very much relieved at the thought that their young relative passed away without any unfulfilled desires The Śuddhirkaumudī refers to this offering to crows as a usage सदाचारात् काकबलिदानम् । पिण्डशेषमन्नं पात्रे कृत्वा अमुकगोत्रस्य प्रेतस्यामुकशर्मणो विक्षेपतृप्तये यमद्वारोपस्थितवायसाय एष बलिर्न म इत्युत्सृज्य कृताञ्जलि —काक त्वं यमदूतोऽसि गृहाण बलिमुत्तमम् । यमलोकगतं प्रेतं त्वमाप्यायितुमर्हसि ॥ काकाय कारुरुषाय वायसाय महात्मने । तुभ्यं बलिं प्रयच्छामि प्रेतस्य तृप्तिहेतवे ॥ इति पठेत् । शुद्धिकौमुदी p. 135.