Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c10.s1.78

c10.s1.78

Of the midday rites and duties, the foremost is the midday worship, performed after an actual or symbolical (by means of Mantra) bath in the same manner as described above. In the sixth part of the day one should perform, with rice dedicated to Kṛṣṇa, the five "great" Gṛhya sacrifices (Pañca Mahāyajña), namely, Deva-yajña (sacrifice to the gods by means of Homa or offer of oblations), Bhūta-yajña (offer of food, Bali, to all created beings), Pitṛ-yajña (dedication of oblation, Piṇḍa, to the dead ancestors), Manuṣya-yajña (entertainment of guests) and Brahma-yajña (study of the Veda or Purāṇa). In this connexion Gopāla Bhaṭṭa makes some incidental remarks on the ceremony of Vaiṣṇava Śrāddha, the daily or periodical present of food and water to the dead ancestors. It should be performed with food, first dedicated to the Bhagavat and mixed with Tulasi. The Vaiṣṇavas are to be fed, but while eating, non-Vaiṣṇavas should not be allowed to sit on the same row. Regarding things which should be dedicated to the Bhagavat, it is said that such food, light, flower water and so forth, as are meant for any other deity, should not be offered to the Bhagavat. A Vaiṣṇava should not eat until the worship of the deity is finished.