History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.74

v5.c73.74

It has already been stated above (pp. 349-350) that in very ancient times there were only three rites for departed ancestors, viz. Piṇḍa-pitṛ-yajña (offered by those who had consecrated the śrauta fires) or monthly śrāddha in the case of those who had not done so (vide e. g. Āśv. Gṛ. II. 5. 10, Hiraṇ. Gṛ. II. 10. 1, Āp. Gṛ. VIII. 21. 1. Viṣṇupurāṇa III. 14. 3 &c.), the Mahāpitṛ-yajña and the Aṣṭakā śrāddhas. The first two have been already described in vol. II. (as said above), but the Aṣṭakā śrāddhas have not been described at all so far. Therefore some remarks will be offered here about them. They are of special importance, but the authorities present great variations on almost all points such as the number of days and the months in which they were to be performed, the deities to be worshipped, the offerings to be made and the procedure to be followed.