CHAPTER – 96
Hearing the words of the ancestral manes his mind was greatly agitated and that Brahmana saint, desirous of having a bride, wandered over the earth. (1) But being unable to secure a bride and burnt by the fire of the words of the manes he was stricken with great anxiety and his mind was agitated. (2) (He thought) “Where shall I go? What shall I do? How can I secure a bride by which immediate prosperity may be secured unto my ancestors”. (3) Thus thinking the high-souled one arrived at the determination: – “By ascetic observances I shall worship the lotus-sprung deity Brahma”. (4) Thereupon he carried on devout penances dedicated to Brahma for a hundred celestial years. And observing proper regulations he worshipped him.
(5) Thereat the Great Patriarch Brahma appeared before him and said, “I am pleased with thee, tell me what thou desirest”. (6) Thereupon saluting Brahma, the lord of the universe, he communicated unto him what he sought for in accordance with the words of the ancestral manes. And hearing of his wished for object Brahma said to the Vipra Ruchi. (7) “Thou shalt be a patriarch and create progeny. Having created progeny and begotten sons and performed all the ceremonies, thou shalt, at the expiration of thy time, attain to Siddhi. Therefore as commanded by thy manes do thou take a wife. (9) Having thus determined do thou worship thy ancestral manes. They, being pleased, will confer upon thee, thy wished for spouse and offspring; when gratified what cannot the ancestral manes give”? (10)
MARKANDEYA said: -Hearing those words of the unborn Brahma he began to offer oblations to the manes on the banks of the river Vivikti. (11) With whole mindedness, care and with his shoulders bending low with humility that Vipra began to propitiate them with the following hymns. (12)
Ruchi said: – Salutation unto those ancestral manes who appear as presiding deities on the occasion of the Sraddhas and whom even the celestials gratify with the recitation of Swadhas. (14) Salutation unto those ancestral manes in heaven whom even the great saints, desirous of emancipation, gratify at Sraddhas with great devotion. (14) Salutation unto those ancestral manes whom in heaven even the Siddhas, on the occasion of Sraddhas propitiate with the present of diverse most excellent celestial articles. (15) Salutation unto the manes, whom even the Guhyakas, desirous of great Riddhi, propitiate with whole-minded devotion.
(16) Salutation unto those manes whom the mortals on earth propitiate by performing
Sraddhas with reverence and who confer on them wished for regions. (17) Salutation unto those ancestral manes whom the Brahmanas worship on earth for the attainment of desired for objects and on whom they confer the dignity of patriarchs. (18) Salutation unto those ancestral manes who are worshipped by the dwellers of the forest who have their sins washed off by devout penances and with regulations laid down in the Aranyakas accompanied by the restriction of diet. (19) Salutation unto those manes who are propitiated duly by the Brahmanas, observant of pure rites, who engage in meditation by controlling themselves. (20) Salutation unto those ancestral manes capable of conferring the fruits of the three worlds whom the Kshatryas worship with Swadhas and with various Kavyas. (21) Salutation unto those manes who are daily worshipped by the Vaisyas on this earth, intent upon the performance of the duties of their own order with flowers, incense, food and water.
(22) Salutation unto those manes who are celebrated under the name of Sukalin, to whom on this earth Sudras offer oblations on the occasion of the Sraddhas. (23) Salutation unto those manes whom the Asuras, renouncing pride and haughtiness, worship in the nether region on the occasion of the Sraddhas and whose food is Swadha. (24) Salutation unto those manes whom the Nagas in Rasatala duly worship in view of many desired for objects by performing Sraddhas accompanied by various objects of enjoyment. (25) Salutation unto those manes, whom even the serpents in Rasatala gratify by reciting duly Mantras and dedicating objects of enjoyment on the occasion of a Sraddha. (26) Salutation unto those manes who reside in the region of the celestials, in etherial atmosphere and on the earth and whom even the deities worship. May they accept what I dedicate unto them. (27) Salutation unto those ancestral manes who are the great souls, and who, assuming forms, drive the chariots, with whom the ascetics of pure souls seek refuge and who are the instruments of the cessation of miseries. (28) Salutation unto those ancestral manes who live in heaven with forms, who live on Swadha, who are capable of fulfilling all desires, who confer emancipation on those shorn of desire, who grant the fulfillment of the desires of those who seek them, who confer the dignity of gods, that of Indra, or even that superior to it, and who give offspring, animals, wealth, strength, home and other things. May they be gratified with my humility. (29-30) May those ancestral manes find gratification in the water, food and scents and attain to nourishment therefrom, and who reside in the rays of the moon, rays of the sun and white cars. (31) May those ancestral manes here be propitiated with the water and food offered by me, who are satisfied with Havi offered in the fire, who take their food in the guise of the Brahmanas and who are delighted with the offerings of pinda. (32) May they attain to gratification here who are propitiated by the celestials and leading saints with the meat of rhinoceros, beautiful celestial black sesame and black vegetables. (33) I dedicate those scents, food and edibles unto them, who find delight in various Kavyas and who are adored by the immortals; may they come nearer. (34) May those ancestral manes find gratification here who accept worship every day, at the end of every month, at Ashtaka and are worshipped at the end of every year. (35) I always bow unto those ancestral manes who, invested with the lustre of lilies and the moon, are worshipped by the Brahmanas, by the Kshatriyas in their hue of the rising sun, by the Vaisyas in the hue of pure gold and by the Sudras in that of dark-blue. May they find gratification from the incense, food, Water etc., which I dedicate as well as from the Homa ceremony. (36-37) I bow unto them who feed, with great satisfaction, on Kavyas that are offered to the deities in the holy fire, and delighted thereat who bestow various prosperity; may they be propitiated here. (38) I bow unto them who extirpate the Rakshasas, the fierce Asuras and the ghosts and destroy the inauspiciousness of creatures, who are the precursors of the celestials, and who are worshipped by the leading immortals. May they find gratification here. (39) I offer oblations to the ancestral manes called Agnishvatwa, Vahirshada, Ajyapa and Somapa; may they find gratification in this Sraddha. (40) May the ancestral manes called Agnishvatwa protect my western side and may the ancestral manes called Vahirshada protect my south. (41) May the manes called Ajyapa protect the east and the ancestral manes called Somapa the north. May their king Yama protect me against the Rakshasas, ghosts, Picachas and Asuras. Vishwa, Vishwabhuk, Aradhya, Dharma, Dhanya, Shubhanana, Bhutida, Bhutikrit and Bhuti these are the nine classes of the ancestral manes. (42-43) Again Kalyana, Kalyata, Karta, Kalya, Kalyatarashraya, Kalyatapetu and Avadha – these are the six classes. (44) Vara, Varenya,
Varada, Pushtida, Tushtida, Vishwapata and Dhata these are the seven classes. (45) Mahan, Mahatma, Mahita, Mahimavan, Mahavala – these five constitute the class that destroys sins.
(46) Sukhada, Dhanada, Dharmada, Bhutida, these are the four classes of the ancestral manes mentioned. (47) These are the thirty-one classes of the ancestral manes who reside all over the entire universe. May they obtain satisfaction and nourishment at my Sraddha and always encompass my well-being. (48)