Bruhaspati said:
1. Henceforth I shall recount the various types of religious gifts and the benefits thereof. A religious gift enables all living beings to cross the ocean of worldly existence). It is the pleasing pathway unto heaven.
1. Though ancient works on Dharma Shastra insist upon avoidance of lavishness in Shraddha, later Purānas encourage profuse expenditure on Shräddha, e.g. Pd. P. Srushti-Khanda 9.179-181, Varaha P. 13.50-51, VP. III. 14.22-23. Pitris are reported to have two Gáthas expressing their desire to have a descendant who would bestow on Brāhmaṇas (for the benefit of Pitris) jewels, clothes, land, costly vehicles. This text encourages lavish gifts in Shraddha. The reward promised is happiness in heaven. There is little rational co-relation between religious gift (dana) and the reward obtained.
2. That which is the most excellent in the world, that which is conducive to the attainment of heaven, nay, everything that is pleasing to oneself, must be offered to Pitris by one who seeks one’s own eternal salvation.
3. A person who offers cooked rice, derives the benefit of attaining a divine golden chariot dazzling like the sun and filled with divine Apsaras-s.
4. He who gifts a cloth fresh from the loom at the time of the Shraddha rite attains longevity, ample wealth, beauty and a son.
5. The knower of Dharmas who gives a sacred thread at the time of Shraddha and offers water to all Brähmaņas attains the fruit of Brahmadāna (the gift of Vedic learning).
6. If anyone offers a good waterpot at the time of Shraddhas to the Brāhmaṇas, a cow exuding honey and milk approaches the donor.
7. He who gives a circular waterpot at the time of Shraddha obtains a milk-yielding divine cow that can be milked for whatever he wishes.
8. If anyone gives a complete bed-equipment decorated with garlands of flowers, it becomes a palace and follows him as he goes (to heaven).
9. By giving a house full of gems, furnished with bed, seats and food, at the time of Shraddha to ascetics, one rejoices in heaven.
10-14. He obtains pearls, lapis lazuli, garments, varieties of precious stones, divine vehicles, hundred thousand and trillions in number and a divine aerial chariot that dazzles like a great blazing fire, that has the lustre of the moon and the sun and that is furnished with jewels according to one’s’ desire. The aerial chariot has the speed of the mind and can go anywhere as per his pleasure. It is surrounded by Apsaras-s. He remains at the head of the aerial chariot eulogised by everyone all round. The Gandharva-s and Apsaras-s sprinkle him with divine scents and showers of flowers. They sing and play on the instruments.
Youthful and prominent maidens accompanied by groups of Apsaras-s, wake him up in sweet pleasing voices.
15. By the gifts of a thousand horses, a hundred chariots and a thousand elephants, a man lives with a Yogini.
16. He who offers water (and) lamp to Pitris and Yogins, attains the fruit of the gift of thousands of gold coins.
17. No other gift is more excellent than the gift of life. Hence, by all means protection to life should be given.
18. Non-violence is holier than all the Devas. It bestows everything. Learned men say that the gift of life is the noblest unto all living beings.
19. At the time of Shråddha, one should give golden vessels having good characteristics. Sweet (divine) juices and beverages, good foodstuffs and good fortune approach him.
20. One shall give beautiful metallic vessel while feeding in Shrāddha. He will become a recipient of the objects of cherished desires and of beauty and wealth.
21. In the Shrāddha rite, one should give a silver or gold vessel. By giving it, the donor gets ample virtue (as reward).
22. He who makes a gift of a cow that has calved but once, along with a milking pot, at the time of a Shrāddha, obtains several cows and the nourishment of the cows.
23-26a. At the time of winter, one shall offer fire and plenty of wood. He who gives fuel to Brahmanas at the onset of winter, becomes always victorious in battle. He shines with glory. One should honour Brähmaņas and offer fragrant garlands and sweet scents as well as vessels. Great rivers flowing with fragrant scents and all sorts of happiness approach the donor. So also youthful maidens of pleasing manners (approach him).
26b. Beautiful beds and seats, grounds and vehicles (are to be given).
27-28. He who gives the above-mentioned articles at a Shräddha, attains the benefit of a horse-sacrifice. In ordinary Shraddhas or at the time of Darśha Shräddha, one should give to the Brāhmaṇas of good qualities, vessels full of ghee with very great respect. He shall attain good memory and fine intellect.
29. He obtains the benefit of many cows yielding potfuls of milk. In this world, he rejoices with chariots and good horses.
30. By giving the thing wished for, at the time of Shraddha, one gets the benefit of the sacrifice called Pundarīka. By giving a beautiful residential place, one attains the fruit of Rājasūya sacrifice.
31-33. By giving a forest full of flowers and fruits, one obtains sweet smelling substances. By giving wells, parks, tanks, fields, cowsheds and houses, one rejoices in heaven as long as the moon and the stars stay. By giving beds and bedsheets embellished with jewels, one attains endless heavenly pleasure. Pitts are pleased with him. He is worshipped (honoured) by kings. He flourishes with wealth and grain.
34-35. Woollen and silk garments, excellent blankets, deer-skin, gold brocade, coloured cloth and wool-these should be given to Brāhmaṇas after duly feeding them. A person who has faith then gets the benefit of a hundred Vājapeya Yajñas.1
1. The promise of the fruit of sacrifices (which require a lot of trouble and expenditure) for dana must have resulted as a disincentive for performance of sacrifice and these Brahmanical advocates of such cheap and easy ways of gaining sacrificial merits get the dubious credit of adversely affecting the Vedic institution of Sacrifice.
36. Many beautiful women, sons, servants and attendants, nay all living beings, become submissive to him in this world. He becomes free from all ailments.
37. He who gives silk, Woven silk, cotton and velvet cloth, in Shraddhas obtains the fulfilment of all his cherished desires.
38. He dispels all inglorious things and misfortunes immediately like the darkness at the time of sunrise. He shines on an aerial chariot like the moon among stars.
39. A garment is praised by all Devas; garment belongs to all the deities. In the absence of cloth, no holy rite-neither Yajñas nor (study of) Vedas nor penances, can be performed.
40. Hence clothes should be given at the time of Shraddha particularly. He obtains all those things-Yajñas, the Vedas and the penances.
41. He who always gives them during Shraddhas with faith and purity, obtains all his desires and all realms.
42-43. He obtains the fruit of a sacrifice richly equipped with all desirable things. He who gives different kinds of edibles, grains, flour mixed with curds, flour cakes, ghee and sugar, milk, milk puddings, Kruśharas1 and Madhuparka and pies fried in ghee, obtains the fruit of Agnișhtoma.
1. A dish consisting of sesamum and grain (mixture of rice peas with a few spices)-MW, p. 308.
44. Pitris are eager for curds and other milk products and different kinds of edibles and cooked rice during the rainy season and at the time when the constellation Magha is ascendant.
45. One shall feed Brāhmaṇas with ghee. A little of ghee must be poured on the ground. By gifting elephants in Gayà, one can be free from all worries about Shräddha.
46. By giving cooked rice, milk pudding, ghee, honey, fruits and roots as well as different types of food, one rejoices here and after death.
47. Beaten rice mixed with sugar and milk is always of everlasting benefit. If Masürā dal and Kṛuśhara (rice cooked with spices and pulses) are offered, Pitřis will be pleased for a year.
48. Fried grain-powder, fried rice, pies, cooked horse-gram dishes-all mixed with curds-He who gives all these in Shrāddha obtains the treasure of Kubera.
49. He who assiduously gives fresh vegetables in Shrāddhas after duly honouring the guests, attains all enjoyments. He is revered when he goes to heaven.
50. The man who offers the most excellent foods and edibles, beverages, lambatives and juicy things, becomes the most excellent of all.
51. The flesh of the rhinoceros is the best Havis in the rites for Viśhvedevas and Soma. But the best horn of the rhinoceros should be avoided to mitigate the malice (of deities)?
52. The devotee, with palms joined in reverence, should offer the best seat to the guests while feeding. He shall then attain the excellent fruit of all the rites and Yajñas.
53. Well-cooked food should be served hot and quick to the hungry. It should not be over-cooked. After honouring him assiduously vegetable dishes soaked in ghee should be offered devotedly.
54. The person who offers food attains an aerial chariot resembling the mid-day sun and fitted with swans for three crores of Kalpas (crores of maidens in Bd, P.).
55. There is nothing here greater than the gift of food and they are sustained by it without any doubt.
56. There is no gift nobler than the gift of life. The set of the three worlds lives by means of food. That is the fruit of offering cooked rice.
57. All the worlds are founded (dependent) on food. It is the fruit of the gift of the worlds. Food is Prajapati ‘himself. All these worlds are pervaded by it. Hence a gift on par with that of food has never been before nor will there be any ever in future.
58. A man devoted to Pitris immediately attains all the jewels, vehicles and women on the earth.
59. One should with palms joined in reverence, always offer shelter to the guests. They are the Devas awaiting in thousands, for the divine hospitality.
60. He who makes all gifts (mentioned before) shall be the sole emperor on the earth. He shall become happy even if he makes three, two or even one of those gifts.
61. Making gifts is the greatest virtue (Dharma). It is honourd and revered by good men. The Lordship of the three worlds is to be attained only through Däna.
62. A king regains his kingdom; a poor man gets excellent wealth; a man about to die, attains longevity. Whatever a man devoted to Pitris desires in his mind, will be granted by his Pitris.