Chapter 88

“Yudhishthira said, ‘O thou of great puissance, tell me what that objectis which, if dedicated to the Pitris, becomes inexhaustible! What Havi,again, (if offered) lasts for all time? What, indeed, is that which (ifpresented) becomes eternal?'”

“Bhishma said, ‘Listen to me, O Yudhishthira, what those Havis are whichpersons conversant with the ritual of the Sraddha regard as suitable inview of the Sraddha and what the fruits are that attach to each. Withsesame seeds and rice and barley and Masha and water and roots andfruits, if given at Sraddhas, the Pitris, O king, remain gratified forthe period of a month.[398] Manu has said that if a Sraddha is performedwith a copious measure of sesame, such Sraddha becomes inexhaustible. Ofall kinds of food, sesame seeds are regarded as the best. With fishesoffered at Sraddhas, the Pitris remain gratified for a period of twomonths. With mutton they remain gratified for three months and with theflesh of the hare for four. With the flesh of the goat, O king, theyremain gratified for five months, with bacon for six months, and with theflesh of birds for seven. With venison obtained from those deer that arecalled Prishata, they remain gratified for eight months, and with thatobtained from the Ruru for nine months, and with the meat of the Gavayafor ten months. With the meat of the buffalo their gratification lastsfor eleven months. With beef presented at the Sraddha, theirgratification, it is said, lasts for a full year. Payasa mixed with gheeis as much acceptable to the Pitris as beef. With the meat of theVadhrinasa the gratification of the Pitris lasts for twelve years.[399]The flesh of the rhinoceros, offered to the Pitris on the anniversariesof the lunar days on which they died, becomes inexhaustible. The potherbcalled Kalasaka, the petals of the Kanchana flower, and meat of the goatalso, thus offered, prove inexhaustible.[400] In this connection, OYudhishthira, there are some verses, originally sung by the Pitris, thatare sung (in the world). They were communicated to me in former days bySanatkumara.–He that has taken birth in our race should give us Payasamixed with ghee on the thirteenth day (of the dark fortnight), under theconstellation Magha, during the Sun’s southward course. One born in ourrace should, under the constellation Magha, as if in the observance of avow, offer the meat of goat or the petals of the Kanchana flower. Oneshould also offer us, with due rites, Payasa mixed with ghee, dedicatingit on a spot covered by the shadow of an elephant.–Many sons should becoveted so that even one may go to Gaya (for performing the Sraddha ofhis ancestors), where stands the banian that is celebrated over all theworlds and that makes all offerings made under its branchesinexhaustible.[401] Even a little of water, roots, fruits, meat, andrice, mixed with honey, if offered on the anniversary of the day of deathbecomes inexhaustible.'”