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**Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 1: ****Ourvah - ****Brahmendra rudranaasatya soorya agni vasu maarutaan | **Vishvedevaan pitru ganaan vayaamsi manujaan pashoon || *Ourva Rishi *- As a part of the uttara kriyaa, what is done is told here. Shraaddha is that which is done with a lot of shraddhe, a lot of devotion. If one does the shraaddha kaaryaas with such devotion, he is going to please all the beings. They are *Brahma, Indra, Rudra, Ashvini devaas, Soorya, Agni, Vasu, Marudganaas, *Vishve devaas, Pitru ganaas, all the birds, humans, animals, … **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 2: ****Sareesrupaan rushiganaan yat cha anyat bhoota sanjnyitam | **Shraaddham shraddhaanvitah kurvan preenayati akhilam jagat || … snakes, all the rishis, all beings, the whole world will be pleased if one does the shraaddha kaaryaas. The importance of the shraaddha kaaryaas, done with great devotion, is told here. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 3: ****Maasi maasyasite pakshe pancha dashyaam nareshvara | **Tathaa ashtakaasu kurveeta kaamyaan kaalaan shrunushva me || There are also kaamya shraaddhaas. Which can be done every month, on *Krushna *Paksha, Amaavaasyaa. Then also on Ashtakaas. I will tell you the kaala. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Maasi iti | Atha ukta kriyaanaam kaalah | Ashtakaasu * Hemanta shishirayoh ****chaturnaam aparapakshanaam ashtameeshu asthakaah * iti aashvalaayana ****uktam aasapanchake krushna paksha saptami aadyaah tisrastisroshtakaa iti **uktaah taasu | In the Hemanta and Shishira maasaas, there are four *apara pakshaas, Krushna *pakshaas; in these, the ashtamis are said to be ashtakaas. There are three *ashtaka *shraaddhaas. Each ashtaka shraaddha has got three *shraaddhaas - saptami, *ashtami, navami. On these three days, three times is to be done. This is as per Ashvalaayana. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 4: ****Shraaddhaarham aagatam dravyam vishishtam atha vaa dvijaan | **Shraaddham kurveeta vijnyaaya vyateepaate ayane tathaa || These Kaamya shraaddhaas, when one can do is when he receives the material required good for performing a shraaddha. It is not easy to get a good material all the time. If one receives good material with which he can perform shraaddha well, he can do a kaamya shraaddha at that time. Or, if he gets a Brahmin who is very www.sadagopan.org [[161]] of 219
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eligible. Or also, when the Vyateepaata yoga is there, one can do *kaamya *shraaddha. Or also ayana, uttaraayana and *dakshinaayana *- when the day is longest or shortest. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 5: ****Vishuve cha api sampraapte grahane shashi sooryayoh | **Samasteshu eva bhoopaala raashishu arke cha gacchati || Or also, when the Vishnuva comes - solstice, when the day and night are equal. Or also during a lunar or solar eclipse, one can do shraaddha. When sun enters all the raashis, one can do shraaddha. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 6: ****Nakshatra graha peedaasu dushta svapna avalokane | ****Icchaa shraaddhaani kurveeta nava sasya aagame tathaa || **When there is nakshatra graha peedaa, when the times are bad for the stars or planets, at that time also shraaddha can be done. These are kaamya shraaddha. When one sees bad dreams, one can do shraaddha, to get rid of the bad effects. Also, when new harvest is reaped, one can do shraaddha. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: **Nakshatra iti | Icchaa shraaddhaani kaamyashraaddhaani | **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 7: ****Amaavaasyaa yadaa maitra vishaakhaa svaati yoginee | ****Shraaddhai pitru ganah truptim tathaa aapnoti ashta vaarshikeem || **When one does shraaddha during Amaavaasyaa, when *Anuraadhaa, Vishaakhaa, *Svaati nakshatraas, are there, the pitru gana will get trupti for 8 years. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: **Amaavaasyaa iti | Maitram anuraadhaa | **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 8: ****Amaavaasyaa yadaa pushye roudre atharkshe punarvasou | ****Dvaadashaabdam tathaa truptim prayaanti pitaro architaah || **Or, when the Amaavaasyaa is on a day when Pushya, Aridraa, or *Punarvasu *nakshatra is there, if one performs shraaddha, with great devotion, the *pitru *ganaas will be satisfied for 12 years. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 9: ****Vaasavaajaikapaadarkshe pitruunaam truptim icchataam | **Vaarune vaa api amaavaasyaa devaanaam api durlabhaa || During Dhanishtaa or Poorvabhaadrapada, or Shatabishaa, when it is there on Amaavaasyaa, such a day is extremely difficult to get, even for devaas. If one does shraaddha with a lot of shraddhe, this will please pitrus a lot. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Vaasava iti | Vaasavam dhanishthaa | Ajaikapaat poorvaabhaadram | Vaarunam ****shatabhishak | **
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**Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 10: ****Navasu vruksheshu amaavaasyaa yadaiteshu avaneepate | ****Tadaa hi truptidam shraaddham pitruunaam shrunu cha aparam || **All these nine nakshatraas, which were told here, on those days, when Amaavaasyaa is there, when shraaddhaas are done, it will please the pitrus a lot. I will tell you some more about it. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 11: ****Geetam sanatkumaarena yathailaaya mahaatmane | **Prucchate pitru bhaktaaya prashrayaavanataaya cha || There are other days also which cause a lot of satisfaction, and happiness to pitrus, which were told by Sanatkumaara. I am going to tell you those. Pururavas approached Sanatkumaara with great devotion, and asked him “I want to do pitru shraaddhaas and want to please them, what are the good days”. Sanatkumaara tells about them. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: **Geetam iti | Ailah purooravaah | **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 12: ****Sanatkumaarah - ****Vaishaakhamaasasya cha yaa truteeyaa navami asou kaartika shukla pakshe | ****Nabhasya maasasya cha krushna pakshe trayodashee panchadashee cha maaghe ****|| **Sanatkumaara - Vaishaakha maasa truteeyaa, or navami in *Kaarthika shukla *paksha, Bhaadrapada maasa - trayodashi and panchadashi of the Krushna paksha, in Maagha nakshatra. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 13: ****Etaa yugaadyaah kathitaah puraaneshu ananta punyaasthita yah chatasrah | **Upaplave chandramasoh raveh cha trishu ashtakaasu api ayana dvaye cha || These are said to be Yugaadis, and in the Puraanaas, these are all extremely sacred days, for performing the pitru shraaddhaas. *Grahana kaala *- lunar and solar eclipse days, and three ashtakaas which were told, Hemanta and Shishira maasa. And two ayanaas - Dakshinaayana and Uttaraayana. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Etaa iti | Trishu tisrushu | ****Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 14: ****Peenaayamapi atra tilaih vimishram dadyaat pirtubhyah prabhato manushyah | ****Shraaddham krutam tena samaasahasram rahasyam etat pitaro vadanti || **With great effort, one has to at least offer tila with water, for pitrus on these days. When they do shraaddhaas on these days, it will please them for thousand years. The pitrus have told this rahasya. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 15: ****Maagho asite panchadashee kadaachit upaiti yogam yadi vaarunena | ****Rukshena kaalasya parah pitruunaam na hi apla punyaih nrupa labhyate asou || **www.sadagopan.org [[163]] of 219
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In the Maagha maasa, Krushna paksha, panchadashee, which is Amaavaasyaa, if it has Shatabhishaa nakshatra, this time is extremely rare, and it will not be possible for one who has done great punya, to come across such a day for performing the shraaddha. Those who have done less punya can never come across such a day for performing the shraaddha. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 16: ****Kaale dhanishthaa yadi naama tasmin bhavet tu bhoopaala tadaa pitrubhyah | ****Dattam jala annam pradadaati truptim varshaayutam tat kulajaih manushyaih **|| At the same time ( Amaavaasya of Maagha maasa), if Dhanishtaa nakshatra is there, if one offers tila with water, on this day, this will give trupti for 10000 years for the pitrus. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 17: ****Tatra eva chet bhaadrapadaah tu poorvaah kaale yadaa tat kriyate pitrubhyah | **Shraaddham paraam truptim upaiti tena yugam sahasram pitarah svapanti || At the same time ( Amaavaasya of Maagha maasa), if Bhaadrapada nakshatra is there, if one does pitru tarpana, with tila and water, with great devotion, their forefathers will be pleased for 1000 yugaas. Being satisfied with the shraaddha which is done. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 18: ****Gangaam shatadrum yamunaam vipaashaam saraswateem naimisha gomateem ****vaa | ****Tatra avagaahya archana maadarena krutvaa pitruunaam duritaani hanti || **If one does tarpana for pitrus, in places where punya teerthaas are there, like Gangaa, Shatadru, Yamunaa, Vipaashaa, Saraswatee, Naimishaa, Gomatee, with devotion, this will cause good things for pitrus. All their difficulties will be destroyed. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 19: ****Gaayanti cha etat pitarah kadaa nu varshaamaghaatruptim avaapya bhooyah | ****Maaghaasitaante shubha teertha toyaih yaasyaama truptim tanayaadidattaih || **Sanatkumaara is telling Pururavas, and this is told by Ourva rishi. If the pitrus are telling - “When do we attain this trupti, happiness”, or also *Maagha maasa, *Amaavaasyaa, if one is giving with shubha teertha, the son and others who have given tarpana during this time, they will be thinking that “When do we get this kind of tarpana”. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Gaayanti iti | Varshaamagha iti nabhasya krushna pakshe maghaayukta **trayodashee nirdeshah | **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 20: ****Chittam cha vittam cha nrunaam vishuddham shastrah cha kaalah kathito vidhih ****cha | ****Paatram yathaa uktam paramaa cha bhaktih nrunaam prayacchanti ****abhivaanchitaani || **www.sadagopan.org [[164]] of 219
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If one does pitru kaaryaas, with clean mind and also money earned in the right means, at the right, good time, and as per shaastra vidhi, and keeping Brahmins who are most eligible, and with great devotion, such men can get whatever they desire, it is said. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 21: ****Pitru geetaa tathaa eva atra shlokaan taan shrunu paarthiva | **Shrutvaa tathaa eva bhavataa bhaavyam tatraadrutaatmanaa || Pitru geetaas, I am going to tell you those shlokaas. Having listened to these, you have to anusthaana as per this, you have to live as per this, with great respect and devotion. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 22: ****Api dhanyah kule jaayet asmaakam matimaan narah | **Akurvan vitta shaathyam yah pindaanno nirvapishyati || Will there be anyone who is dhanya, born in our kula, not miserly, but with good mind, wanting to spend sufficient money to offer *pindaas *- will such a person be born in our kula, is what they will be singing. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: **Api dhanyah iti | Jaayet jaayeta | **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 23: ****Ratnam vastram mahaayaanam sarva bhogaadikam vasu | ****Vibhave sati viprebhyo yah asmaan uddishya daasyati || **And a person who will offer to the Brahmins, for our purposes, for the trupti of pitrus. He offers gems, clothes, vehicles, wealth, when he can afford all these. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 24: ****Annena vaa yathaa shaktyaa kaale asmin bhakti namradheeh | **Bhojayishyati vipraagryaam tanmaatra vibhavo narah || If he does not have that kind of wealth, at least to his capability, he offers food to Brahmins, with great devotion. He feed eligible Brahmins. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 25: ****Asamartho annadaanasya dhaanyamaaman sva shaktitah | **Pradaasyati dvijagrebhyah svalpa alpaam vaa api dakshinaam || If he is not capable of even feeding Brahmins during that time, because of not having sufficient money, he can give aamam, which is the grains as it is. He gives to Brahmins, as per his capacity. And also a little money along with this. Aama means uncooked food. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: **Asamartha iti | Dhaanyam avikrutam vikrutam cha; aamam apakvam | He offers cooked food, or uncooked food. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 26: **www.sadagopan.org [[165]] of 219
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**Tatra api asaamarthya yutah karaagraa grasthitaam tilaan | ****Pranamya dvija mukhyaaya kasmaichit bhoopa daasyati || **If he is not able to offer even little bit dakshinaa, to Brahmins, he takes one handful of tila, and offers it to a Brahmin. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 27: ****Tilaih sapta ashtabhih vaa api samavetam jalaanjalim | **Bhakti namrah samuddishya bhuvi asmaakam pradaasyati || Or at least 7 or 8 grains of tila, he takes, and along with water, offers to a Brahmin. He offers whatever he has with great devotion. Even that will suffice to keep the pitrus happy. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 28: ****Yatah kutaschit sampraapya gobhyo vaa api gavaahnikam | **Abhaave preenayan asmaan shraddhaayuktah pradaasyati || If he does not have food to offer, or cannot also do aama shraaddha, or also offer tila of 7 or 8 grains with water, he can give food for a cow for a day. If nothing is there, if he does this also, he pleases the pitrus, they say. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: **Yata iti | Gavaahnikam goh ekaah tustikaranam trunaadi | **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 29: ****Sarva abhaave vanam gatvaa kaksha moola pradarshakah | ****Soorya aadi lokapaalaanaam idam ucchaih vadishyati || **If none of these are available, if he goes to a nearby forest, or field, and raises both his arms fully up, and does namaskaara to the Soorya and all the lokapaalaas, the gods, in obeisance, and tell loudly - **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Sarva iti | Kaksha moola pradarshakah nairghrunya prakatanaartham utkshipta **bhujah | I don’t have anything, so I am raising my hands. **Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 30: ****Na me asti vittam na dhanam cha naanyat shraaddha upayogyam sva pitruun ****nato asmi | ****Trupyantu bhaktyaa pitarah maya etou krutou bhujou vartmani maarutasya || **I am just raising my two arms in the air, I do not have any money, I have no wealth, whatever eligible materials for this *shraaddha *- I do not have any of them, I am offering my prayers to my pitrus, by my devotion itself, let them be pleased. He has to say this loudly. This itself will please the pitrus. There are so many options for performing the shraaddha, if one cannot do the proper shraaddha. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: **Na me asti iti | Dhanam jeevadhanam | Anyat dhaanyaadi |
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**Sri Vishnu Puraana, Amsha 3, Chapter 14, Shloka 31: ****Ourvah - ****Iti etat pitrubhih geetam bhaava abhaava prayojanam | ****Yah karoti krutam tena shraaddham bhavati paarthiva || ***Ourva *- This is what is sung by the pitrus, as to be done by one who has the capability, or by one who does not have the capability. One who does as per this, is told as doing the shraaddha. **Sri Engal Aalwaan’s Commentary: ****Iti etat iti | Bhaava abhaava prayojanam shaktaavayam prayojyah prayoga **asambhave tvayamiti shakti ashaktipayuktam krutyam | Bhaava abhaava prayojana means that this can be done by one who has the capability, or one who does not have the capability. There is a question about whether women can do this. If male members are not available, in Sapindaas or Samaanodakaas, either on the fathers or mothers side, or also sateerthaas are not available, or also King is not there, then ladies also can do, it is told. Also, for ladies, *Sapindaas *(first seven generations), or *Samaanodakaas *(beyond the first seven generations), are allowed, it is said. About anusthaana, one has to learn from people who have learnt the shaastraas in detail. It is mentioned that they have the eligibility here. This concludes Amsha 3, Chapter 14. **|| Iti Sri Vishnu Puraane Truteeye Amshe Chaturdasho Adhyaayah || ****|| Iti Sri Vishnu Chitteeye Vishnu Puraana Vyaakhyaane Chaturdasho **Adhyaayah || ****www.sadagopan.org [[167]] of 219
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|| Atha Panchadasho Adhyaayah || ****Eligibility of the Brahmins, Shraaddha Karmaas **Now, Chapter 15. After having told about the shraaddha, about how one has to do, who can do, what are the different options available, Ourva Rishi continues telling that one has to feed Brahmins during that time - who are eligible Brahmins, and who are not eligible - this will be told now.