History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.t1.343
History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.t1.343
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In medieval and modern times in the different provinces of India different manuals are followed by the followers of the several Vedas. For example, in Bengal the Sāmavedins, Yajurvedins and Ṛgvedins follow the procedure of pārvana-śrāddha laid down in the manuals (or *paddhatis*) of Bhavadeva, Paśupati and Kāleśī respectively and there are many persons who follow the rules laid down by Raghunandana in his Śrāddhatattva and Yajurvediśrāddha-tattva. In Mithilā, Śrīdatta wrote his Pitṛbhakti for Yajurvedins and the Śrāddha-kalpa for Sāmavedins and the Śrāddha-ratna of Mahāmahopādhyāya Lakṣmīpati (between 1500 to 1640 A. D ) which is printed at Darbhanga and claims to be the traditional manual for Maithilas (Maithila-sāmpradāyika-śrāddhapaddhati) in several places says that it follows the Sugatīsopāna of Pratihastaka for Chandogas and also for Vājasaneyins. In the Madras State Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇas follow special treatises on *Pūrva* and *Apara kriyās* of Vaidika-Sārvabhauma or Hārīta Veṅkaṭācārya or Tolappar and Smārta brāhmaṇas follow the Smṛtimuktāphala of Vaidyanātha, which does not much differ in major matters from the works of Vaidikasārvabhauma. Often the only differences are in the saṅkalpa and at the end It is impossible to exhibit in this work the contents of all these manuals and to compare and contrast them. Therefore I shall set out here a model pārvaṇaśrāddha rite as performed by Ṛgvedins in Western India and then a Śukla Yajurveda rite.
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The Pratisāṁvatsarika śrāddha¹⁰⁹³ rite for Ṛgvedins in Western India may be set out as follows:—(From the references added in the text and notes it will be clear that this modern rite is all inclusive i. e. it follows the Āśv. Śr. often taking passages verbatim from it, the smṛtis and purāṇas). The performer wears white garments (lower and upper) and sits on a seat of *kuśas* or of wool or deer skin and then sips water twice and wears a *pavitra* on the finger next to the small finger with Ṛg. IX. 83 1. He ties his top knot on the head and sacred thread with *kuśas*, and ties three *kuśa* blades with tilas on the left of the *dhotī* worn by him. Then he performs prāṇāyāma and declares the resolve (*saṅkalpa*)¹⁰⁹⁴ to perform (the Sāṁvatsarika) śrāddha after referring to the time and place and together with agnaukaraṇa, piṇḍadāna &c The invited brāhmaṇas reply ‘do so’. Then the performer puts into a copper vessel water with the mantra ‘imam me Gaṅge’ (Ṛg X. 75. 5), sandalwood paste with the mantra ‘Gandhadvārām,’ yava grains with the mantra ‘thou art yava, king of cereals, Varuṇa is thy patron, thou art endowed with sweetness, thou art the remover of all sins and art known by all sages as holy’, betelnut (with Ṛg X. 97.15), gold (or some coin) with the mantra ‘Hiraṇya-rūpaḥ’ (Ṛg. II. 35.10), flowers and basil leaves.
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(Then he becomes prācīnāvīti)¹⁰⁹⁵ and puts sesamum grains in the water (in another vessel) with the mantra 'Tilosi' (quoted in note 966), Bhṛṅgarāja leaf with the mantra 'mā kākam' (Ṛg. VI. 48. 17), betelnut, gold (or coin). Then he repeats the Puruṣa-sūkta¹⁰⁹⁶ (Ṛg. X. 90), Ṛg X 128 1-9, IX 58 1-4, Ṛg X. 126. 1-8, Ṛg. IV. 40 5, Ṛg. VII. 89 5, the sacred Gāyatrī with *om* and the three Vyāhṛtis, Ṛg. VII 56. 12, Ṛg VIII. 44. 21, 17, Ṛg. VIII. 95. 7-9. Then after repeating the well-known verse 'apavitraḥ pavitro vā'¹⁰⁹⁷ (whoever, whether pure or impure or being in any state whatever, remembers the name of Viṣṇu becomes pure externally as well as internally), he requests 'May everything such as the place and the materials be rendered pure'. The brāhmaṇas reply 'let it be so.' Then placing some coin on the ground, the performer having in his hand sesamum grains, water and kūśas goes round (pradakṣiṇā) the brāhmaṇas thrice, and repeats three verses (in classical sanskrit) in praise of the dust of the feet of brāhmaṇas and a Vedic passage from Tai Ā. II. 15¹⁰⁹⁸ 'All the devatās reside in a brāhmaṇa who knows the Veda; therefore every day one should perform obeisance to brāhmaṇas knowing the Veda. He should not utter anything derogatory or evil (either true or false) about them. (By doing so) he pleases all these *devatās*.' After making obeisance (to the brāhmaṇas) twice he should be prācīnāvītī, repeat the verse 'akrodhanaiḥ' (note 913 p.
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407 above) and request the brāhmaṇas 'may you be pleased to say that I have complete *adhikāra* to perform the sāmvatsarikaśrāddha of my pitṛs this day.' The brāhmaṇas should reply 'let there be this adhikāra for the performance of śrāddha.' Then being *upavītīn* the performer requests 'may you declare that this time is the proper time and that the food cooked is fit for being offered' The brāhmaṇas reply 'let it be so.' Then he asks the permission to give invitation to the brāhmaṇas. They give it. Then he touches the right knee of one brāhmaṇa and says 'you should find time to accept the invitation to act as representing the Viśve-devas named Purūrava and Ārdrava in this pratisāmvatsarika śrāddha of my pitṛs'. The brāhmaṇa replies 'yes, be it so.' Then the performer addresses the second Vaiśvadevika brāhmaṇa in the same way (if two brāhmaṇas have been invited for the purpose) and then wearing the sacred thread in the prācīnāvīta way should touch the left knee of the brāhmaṇa (*pitrya*) and say to him 'you should accept the invitation to represent my father, grandfather and great-grandfather in this pratisaṁvatsarika śrāddha.' The brāhmaṇa should reply 'so be it.' He should request 'you should repair to my house.' The brāhmaṇa replies 'I shall do so' Then he should make maṇḍalas¹⁰⁹⁹ for the daiva and pitrya brāhmaṇas. Then *savyam*.
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The performer should offer seat, sandalwood paste, flowers and say 'may all the items (upacāras) of showing honour be complete by means of yava grains.' Then *apasavyam*. He offers āsana (seat), sandalwood paste and flowers and declares 'may all the upacāras be completed by means of sesamum grains.' Then *savyam*. He offers welcome to the *daiva* brāhmaṇas, to which they respond by saying 'susvāgatam' (it is a good welcome). Then he should say 'here is pādya for you, O Viśve devas called Purūrava and Ārdrava! Bhūr-bhuvaḥ-svaḥ to the (daiva) brāhmaṇa'; the response is 'supādyam'. He should wash the feet of (the *daiva*) brāhmaṇa or brāhmaṇas with the mantra 'śan no devīr' (Ṛg X. 9.4, vide n. 968). Then he wears the thread in the apasavya way and offers welcome to the pitrya brāhmaṇa or brāhmaṇas representing the three male ancestors¹¹⁰⁰ and offers to give *pādya* to them and they respond with the words 'susvāgatam' and 'supādyam'. He also employs the verse 'śan no devīr' as in the case of *daiva* brāhmaṇas.