136 If there is a father ignorant of the sacred texts whose son has learned one whole recension of the Veda and the Angas, and a son ignorant of the sacred texts whose father knows an entire recension of the Veda and the Angas,

137 Know that he whose father knows the Veda is the more venerable one of the two; yet the other one is worthy of honour, because respect is due to the Veda which he has learned.

138 Let him not entertain a personal friend at a funeral offering; he may gain his affection by other valuable gifts; let him feed at a Sraddha a scholar whom he considers neither as a foe nor as a friend.

139 He who performs funeral offerings and offerings for God's sake chiefly for the sake of gaining friends reaps after death no reward for Sraddhas and sacrifices.

140 That meanest among initiated men who in his folly contracts friendships through a funeral offering loses the Garden, because he performed a Sraddha for the sake of friendship.

141 A gift of food by the initiated, consumed with friends and relatives, is said to be a worthless gift; it remains in this world alone like a blind cow in one stable.

142 As a husbandman reaps no harvest when he has sown the seed in barren soil, even so the giver of sacrificial food gains no reward if he presented it to a man unacquainted with the Rik verses.

143 But a present made in accordance with the rules to a learned man makes the giver and the recipient partakers of rewards both in this life and after death.

144 If no learned scholar be at hand, he may rather honour a virtuous friend than an enemy, though the latter may be qualified by learning and so forth; for sacrificial food eaten by a foe bears no reward after death.

145 Let him take pains to feed at a Sraddha an adherent of the Rig-veda, who has studied one entire recension of that Veda, or a follower of the Yajur-veda who has finished one Sakha, or a singer of Samans who likewise has completed the study of an entire recension.

146 If one of these three dines, duly honoured, at a funeral offering, the ancestors of him who gives the feast, as far as the seventh person, will be remembered with blessing for a very long time.

147 This is the chief rule to be followed in offering sacrifices for God's sake and in memory of the departed; know that the virtuous always observe the following subsidiary rule.

148 One may also entertain on such occasions one's maternal grandfather, a maternal uncle, a sister's son, a father-in-law, one's teacher, a daughter's son, a daughter's husband, a cognate kinsman, one's own officiating priest or a man for whom one offers sacrifices.

149 For a rite performed for God's sake, he who knows the law will not make too close inquiries regarding an invited scholar; but when one performs a ceremony in memory of the departed, one must carefully examine the qualities and parentage of the guest.

150 Manu has declared that those scholars who are thieves, outcasts, eunuchs, or atheists are unworthy to partake of offerings made for God's sake and in memory of the departed.

151 Let him not entertain at a Sraddha one who wears his hair in braids as a student, one who has not studied the Veda, a gambler, nor those who sacrifice for a multitude of sacrificers.

152 Physicians, keepers of idol temples, sellers of meat, and those who subsist by shop-keeping must be avoided at sacrifices offered for God's sake and in memory of the departed.

153 A paid servant of a village or of a king, one who opposes his teacher, one who has forsaken the sacred observances, and a usurer;

154 One who subsists by tending cattle, a younger brother who marries or kindles the sacred fire before the elder, one who neglects the five great sacrifices, an enemy of the scholar class, an elder brother who marries or kindles the sacred fire after the younger, and one who belongs to a company or corporation,

155 An actor or singer, one who has broken the vow of studentship, the son of a remarried woman, and he in whose house a paramour of his wife resides;

156 He who teaches for a stipulated fee and he who is taught on that condition, he who speaks rudely, the son of an adulteress, and the son of a widow,

157 He who forsakes his mother, his father, or a teacher without a sufficient reason, he who has contracted an alliance with outcasts either through the Veda or through a marriage,

158 An incendiary, a prisoner, he who eats the food given by the son of an adulteress, a seller of Soma, he who undertakes voyages by sea, a bard, an oil-man, a suborner to perjury,

159 He who wrangles or goes to law with his father, the keeper of a gambling-house, a drunkard, he who is accused of a mortal sin, a hypocrite, a seller of substances used for flavouring food,

160 A maker of bows and of arrows, he who lasciviously dallies with a brother's widow, the betrayer of a friend, one who subsists by gambling, he who learns the Veda from his son,

161 An informer, a madman, and he who cavils at the Veda must all be avoided.

162 A trainer of elephants, oxen, horses, or camels, he who subsists by astrology, a bird-fancier, and he who teaches the use of arms,

163 He who diverts water-courses, and he who delights in obstructing them, an architect, a messenger, and he who plants trees for money,

164 A breeder of sporting-dogs, a falconer, one who defiles maidens, and he who delights in injuring living creatures,

165 He who does not follow the rule of conduct, a man destitute of energy like a eunuch, one who constantly asks for favours, and he who lives by agriculture, and he who is censured by virtuous men,

166 A shepherd, a keeper of buffaloes, the husband of a remarried woman, and a carrier of dead bodies, all these must be carefully avoided.

167 A scholar who knows the sacred law should shun at sacrifices both for God's sake and in memory of the departed these lowest of the initiated, whose conduct is reprehensible, and who are unworthy to sit in the company at a repast.

168 As a fire of dry grass is unable to consume the offerings and is quickly extinguished, even so is it with an unlearned scholar; sacrificial food must not be given to him, since it would be offered in ashes.

169 I will fully declare what result the giver obtains after death, if he gives food, destined for God's sake or in memory of the departed, to a man who is unworthy to sit in the company.

170 The food eaten by scholars who have not fulfilled the vow of studentship, by a Parivettri and so forth, and by other men not admissible into the company, is wasted, as if the evil ones had consumed it.

171 He must be considered as a Parivettri who marries or begins the performance of the Agnihotra before his elder brother, but the latter as a Parivitti.

172 The elder brother who marries after the younger, the younger brother who marries before the elder, the female with whom such a marriage is contracted, he who gives her away, and the sacrificing priest, as the fifth, all fall into hell.

173 He who lasciviously dallies with the widow of a deceased brother, though she be appointed to bear a child by him in accordance with the sacred law, must be known to be a Didhishupati.

179 And if a scholar, though learned in the Veda, accepts through covetousness a gift from such a man, he will quickly perish, like a vessel of unburnt clay in water.

180 Food given to a seller of Soma becomes ordure, that given to a physician pus and blood, but that presented to a keeper of an idol temple is lost, and that given to a usurer finds no place in the Garden.

181 What has been given to a scholar who lives by trade is not useful in this world and the next, and a present to a scholar born of a remarried woman resembles an oblation thrown into ashes.

182 But the wise declare that the food which is offered to other unholy, inadmissible men, enumerated above, is turned into adipose secretions, blood, flesh, marrow, and bone.

183 Now hear by what chief of the initiated men

a company defiled by the presence of unworthy guests is purified, and the full description of the scholars who sanctify a company.

184 Those men must be considered as the sanctifiers of a company who are most learned in all the Vedas and in all the Angas, and who are the descendants of men learned in the Veda.

185 One who knows the Trinaciketa, one who keeps five sacred fires, one who knows the Trisuparna, one who is versed in the six Angas, the son of a woman married according to the Brahma rite, one who sings the Jyeshthasaman,

186 One who knows the meaning of the Veda, and he who expounds it, a student, one who has given a thousand cows, and a centenarian must be considered as scholars who sanctify a company.

187 On the day before the Sraddha-rite is performed, or on the day when it takes place, let him invite with due respect at least three scholars, such as have been mentioned above.

188 A scholar who has been invited to a rite in memory of the departed shall always control himself and not recite the Veda, and he who performs the Sraddha must act in the same manner.

190 But a scholar who, being duly invited to a rite for God's sake or in memory of the departed, in any way breaks the appointment, becomes guilty of a crime.

191 But he who, being invited to a Sraddha, dallies with a woman, is guilty of a grave sin.

192 The righteous departed are remembered as free from anger, careful of purity, ever chaste, averse from strife, and endowed with great virtues.

193 Now learn fully the ceremonies with which they ought to be remembered.

202 Even water given in charity with faith, in vessels made of silver or adorned with silver, produces endless reward.

203 For the initiated the rite for God's sake takes precedence; for the offering for God's sake which precedes the Sraddhas has been declared to be a means of fortifying them.

204 Let him first invite a scholar for the offering made for God's sake as a protection for the memorial offering; for the evil ones spoil a funeral meal which is left without such a protection.

205 Let him make the Sraddha begin and end with a rite for God's sake; it shall not begin and end with a rite in memory of the departed; for he who makes it begin and end with a rite in memory of the departed soon perishes together with his progeny.

206 Let him smear a pure and secluded place with cowdung, and carefully make it sloping towards the south.

207 Offerings of charity are best made in open, naturally pure places, on the banks of rivers, and in secluded spots.

208 The sacrificer shall make the invited scholars, who have duly performed their ablutions, sit down on separate, prepared seats, on which blades of Kusa grass have been placed.

209 Having placed those blameless scholars on their seats, he shall honour them with fragrant garlands and perfumes, beginning with those who are invited for the offering made for God's sake.

210 Having presented to them water, sesamum grains, and blades of Kusa grass, the scholar who is the sacrificer shall offer oblations in the sacred fire, after having received permission to do so from all the scholar guests conjointly.

211 Having first, according to the rule, performed, as a means of protecting the Sraddha, oblations in the names of God the Radiant, God the Giver of provision, and God the Judge, let him afterwards give a gift of sacrificial food in charity in memory of the departed.

212 But if no sacred fire is available, he shall place the offerings into the hand of a scholar; for scholars who know the sacred texts declare, "As is a light, even such is a learned man."

213 They also call those first of the initiated men free from anger, easily pleased, and employed in making men prosper.

214 After he has performed the oblations in the fire, and the whole series of ceremonies in such a manner that they end in the south, let him sprinkle water with his right hand on the spot where the portions are to be placed.

215 But having made three portions out of the remainder of that sacrificial food, he must, concentrating his mind and turning towards the south, place them on Kusa grass exactly in the same manner in which he poured out the libations of water.

216 Having offered those portions according to the prescribed rule, being pure, let him wipe the same hand with the roots of those blades of Kusa grass.

217 Having next sipped water, turned round towards the north, and thrice slowly suppressed his breath, the sacrificer who knows the sacred texts shall give thanks to God for the six seasons and pray for the departed.

218 Let him gently pour out the remainder of the water near the portions, and, with fixed attention, smell those portions, in the order in which they were placed on the ground.

219 But taking successively very small portions from them, he shall make those seated scholars eat them, in accordance with the rule, before their dinner.

220 But if the sacrificer's father is living, he must offer the portions to three remoter ancestors; or he may also feed his father at the funeral meal as one of the scholar guests.

221 But he whose father is dead, while his grandfather lives, shall, after pronouncing his father's name, mention that of his great-grandfather.

222 Manu has declared that either the grandfather may eat at that Sraddha as a guest, or the grandson, having received permission, may perform it, as he desires.

223 Having poured water mixed with sesamum, in which a blade of Kusa grass has been placed, into the hands of the guests, he shall give to each that above-mentioned portion, saying, "In God's name, for those who have passed on!"

224 But carrying the vessel filled with food with both hands, the sacrificer himself shall gently place it before the scholars, remembering the departed.

225 The evil ones forcibly snatch away that food which is brought without being held with both hands.

226 Let him, being pure and attentive, carefully place on the ground the seasoning for the rice, such as broths and pot herbs, sweet and sour milk, and honey,

227 As well as various kinds of hard food which require mastication, and of soft food, roots, fruits, savoury lawful meat, and fragrant drinks.

228 All this he shall present to his guests, and, being pure and attentive, successively invite them to partake of each dish, proclaiming its qualities.

229 Let him on no account drop a tear, become angry or utter an untruth, nor let him touch the food with his foot nor violently shake it.

230 A tear, anger, falsehood, contact with the foot, or a violent shaking spoils the gift.

231 Whatever may please the scholars, let him give without grudging it; let him offer discourses on God and riddles from the Veda, for that is agreeable to the guests.

232 At a memorial meal, he must let his guests hear the Veda, the Institutes of the sacred law, legends, tales, Puranas, and Khilas.

233 Himself being delighted, let him give delight to the scholars, cause them to partake gradually and slowly of each dish, and repeatedly invite them to eat by offering the food and praising its qualities.

234 Let him eagerly entertain at a funeral meal a daughter's son, though he be a student, and let him place a Nepal blanket on the seat of each guest, scattering sesamum grains on the ground.

235 There are three means of sanctification to be used at a Sraddha, a daughter's son, a Nepal blanket, and sesamum grains; and they recommend three other things for it, cleanliness, suppression of anger, and absence of haste.

236 All the food must be very hot, and the guests shall eat in silence; even though asked by the giver of the feast, the scholars shall not proclaim the qualities of the sacrificial food.

237 As long as the food remains warm, as long as they eat in silence, as long as the qualities of the food are not proclaimed, so long the food keeps its blessing.

238 What a guest eats, covering his head, what he eats with his face turned towards the south, what he eats with sandals on his feet, that the evil ones consume.

239 A village pig, a cock, and a dog must not look at the scholars while they eat.

240 What any of these sees at a burnt-oblation, at a solemn gift, at a dinner given to scholars, or at any rite for God's sake and in memory of the departed, that produces not the intended result.

241 A boar makes the rite useless by inhaling the smell of the offerings, a cock by the air of his wings, a dog by throwing his eye on them.

243 To a scholar householder, or to an ascetic who comes for food, he may, with the permission of his scholar guests, show honour according to his ability.

244 Let him mix all the kinds of food together, sprinkle them with water and put them, scattering them on Kusa grass, down on the ground in front of his guests, when they have finished their meal.

245 The remnant in the dishes, and the portion scattered on Kusa grass, shall be given in charity in memory of children who died young, and of those who unjustly forsook noble wives.

246 They declare the fragments which have fallen on the ground at a Sraddha to be the share of honest, dutiful servants.

247 But before the performance of the Sapindikarana, one must feed at the funeral meal in memory of a recently deceased man one scholar, without the Vaisvadeva offering, and give one portion only.

248 But after the Sapindikarana of the deceased father has been performed according to the sacred law, the sons must offer the portions with those ceremonies described above.

251 Having addressed the question, "Have you dined well?" to his guests, let him give water for sipping to them who are satisfied, and dismiss them, after they have sipped water, with the words, "Rest either here or at home!"

252 The scholar guests shall then answer him, "Let it be blessed"; for at all rites in memory of the departed the word of blessing is the highest benison.

253 Next let him inform his guests who have finished their meal of the food which remains; with the permission of the scholars let him dispose of that, as they may direct.

254 At a Sraddha in memory of the departed one must use, in asking the guests if they are satisfied, the word svaditam; at a Goshthi-Sraddha, the word sumitam; at a Vriddhi-Sraddha, the word sampannam; and at a rite for God's sake, the word ruchitam.

255 The afternoon, Kusa grass, the due preparation of the dwelling, sesamum grains, liberality, the careful preparation of the food, and the company of distinguished scholars are true riches at all funeral meals.

256 Know that Kusa grass, purificatory texts, the morning, sacrificial viands of all kinds, and those means of purification mentioned above, are blessings at a sacrifice for God's sake.

257 The food eaten by hermits in the forest, milk, Soma-juice, meat which is not prepared with spices, and salt unprepared by art, are called, on account of their nature, sacrificial food.

258 Having dismissed the invited scholars, let him, with a concentrated mind, silent and pure, look towards the south and ask these blessings of God:

259 "May liberal men abound with us! May our knowledge of the Vedas and our progeny increase! May faith not forsake us! May we have much to give to the needy!"

260 Having thus offered the portions, let him, after the prayer, cause a cow, a scholar, a goat, or the sacred fire to consume those portions, or let him throw them into water.

261 Some make the offering of the portions after the dinner; some cause them to be eaten by birds or throw them into fire or into water.

262 The sacrificer's first wife, who is faithful and intent on piety, may eat the middle-most portion, if she be desirous of bearing a son, praying to God for it.

263 Thus, by God's leave, she will bring forth a son who will be long-lived, famous, intelligent, rich, the father of numerous offspring, endowed with the quality of goodness, and righteous.

264 Having washed his hands and sipped water, let him prepare food for his paternal relations and, after giving it to them with due respect, let him feed his maternal relatives also.

265 But the remnants shall be left where they lie until the scholars have been dismissed; afterwards he shall perform the daily domestic Bali-offering; that is a settled rule of the sacred law.

266 I will now fully declare what kind of sacrificial food, given in memory of the departed according to the rule, will bring a blessing that serves for a long time or for eternity.

267 The blessing of the gift endures for one month with sesamum grains, rice, barley, masha beans, water, roots, and fruits, which have been given according to the prescribed rule,

268 Two months with fish, three months with the meat of gazelles, four with mutton, and five indeed with the flesh of birds,

269 Six months with the flesh of kids, seven with that of spotted deer, eight with that of the black antelope, but nine with that of the deer called Ruru,

270 Ten months with the meat of boars and buffaloes, but eleven months indeed with that of hares and tortoises,

271 One year with cow-milk and milk-rice; with the flesh of a long-eared white he-goat the blessing endures twelve years.

272 The vegetable called Kalasaka, the fish called Mahasalka, the flesh of a rhinoceros and that of a red goat, and all kinds of food eaten by hermits in the forest serve for an endless time.

273 Whatever food, mixed with honey, one gives on the thirteenth lunar day in the rainy season under the asterism of Magha, that also procures endless reward.

274 Pious men pray, "May such a man be born in our family who will give milk-rice, with honey and clarified butter, on the thirteenth lunar day of the month of Bhadrapada and in the afternoon when the shadow of an elephant falls towards the east."

275 Whatever a man, full of faith, duly gives according to the prescribed rule, that becomes in the other world a perpetual and imperishable reward.

276 The days of the dark half of the month, beginning with the tenth, but excepting the fourteenth, are recommended for a funeral meal; it is not thus with the others.

277 He who performs it on the even lunar days and under the even constellations gains the fulfilment of all his wishes; he who remembers the departed on odd lunar days and under odd constellations obtains distinguished offspring.

278 As the second half of the month is preferable to the first half, even so the afternoon is better for the performance of a funeral meal than the forenoon.

279 Let him, untired, duly perform the rites in memory of the departed in accordance with the prescribed rule, passing the sacred thread over the right shoulder, proceeding from the left to the right and holding Kusa grass in his hands, up to the end of the ceremony.

280 Let him not perform a funeral meal at night, because the night is declared to belong to the evil ones, nor in the twilight, nor when the sun has just risen.

281 Let him offer here below a funeral meal, according to the rule given above, at least thrice a year, in winter, in summer, and in the rainy season, but that which is included among the five great sacrifices, every day.

282 The burnt-oblation offered at a memorial sacrifice must not be made in a common fire; a scholar who keeps a sacred fire shall not perform a funeral meal except on the new-moon day.

283 Even when a scholar, after bathing, remembers the departed with water given in charity, he obtains thereby the whole reward for the performance of the daily Sraddha.

285 Let him daily partake of the vighasa and daily eat amrita; but vighasa is what remains from the meal of scholar guests and the remainder of a sacrifice is called amrita.

286 Thus all the ordinances relating to the five daily great sacrifices have been declared to you; hear now the law for the manner of living fit for scholars.