युधिष्ठिर उवाच किंस्विद् दत्तं पितृभ्यो वै भवत्यक्षयमीश्वर। किं हविश्चिररात्राय किमानन्त्याय कल्पते॥
Yudhishthira said O you of great power, tell me what that object is which if dedicated to the departed Manes, becomes inexhaustible! What Havi, again, (if offered) lasts for all time? What, indeed, is that which becomes eternal?
भीष्म उवाच हवींषि श्राद्धकल्पे तु यानि श्राद्धविदो विदुः। तानि मे शृणु काम्यानि फलं चैव युधिष्ठिर॥
Bhishma said Hear me, O Yudhishthira, what those Havis are which persons conversant with the ritual of the Shraddha consider as suitable for the Shraddha and what the fruits are of each.
तिलैब्रीहियवैरिद्धिर्मूलफलैस्तथा। दत्तेन मासं प्रायन्ते श्राद्धेन पितरो नृप॥
With sesame seeds, rice, barley, Masha water, root and fruits, if given at Shraddhas, the departed Manes, O king, remain pleased for a month.
वर्धमानतिलं श्राद्धमक्षयं मनुरब्रवीत्। सर्वेष्वेव तु भोज्येषु तिलाः प्राधान्यतः स्मृताः॥
Manu has said that if a Shraddha is performed with profuse sesame, such Shraddha becomes inexhaustible. Of all sorts of food, sesame seeds are considered as the best.
द्वौ मासौ तु भवेत्तृप्तिर्मत्स्यैः पितृगणस्य ह। त्रीन्मासानाविकेनाहुश्चतुर्मासं शशेन ह॥
With fishes offered at Shraddhas, the departed Manes remain pleased for two months. With mutton they remain pleased for three months and with the flesh of the hare for four.
आजेन मासान्ग्रीयन्ते पञ्चैव पितरो नृप। वाराहेण तु षण्मासान् सप्त वै शाकुलेन तु॥
With the flesh of the goat, o king, they remain pleased for five months, with becon for six months, and with the flesh of birds for seven.
मासानष्टौ पार्षतेन रौरवेण नव प्रभो। गवयस्य तु मांसेन तृप्तिः पितॄणां माहिषेण तु॥
With venison got from those deer that are called Prishata, they remain pleased for eight months, and with that obtained from the Ruru for nine months, and with the meat of the Gavaya for ten months.
गव्येन दत्तं श्राद्धे तु संवत्सरमिहोच्यते। यथा गव्यं तथा युक्तं पायसं सर्पिषा सह॥ वाध्रीणसस्य मांसेन तृप्ति दशवार्षिकी॥
With the meat of the buffalo they remain pleased for eleven months. With beef presented at the Shraddha, they remain pleased for a full year. Payas mixed with clarified butter is as much as acceptable to the departed Manes as beef. With the meat of the Vadhrinasa the Pitris remained pleased for twelve years.
आनन्याय भवेद्दत्तं खङ्गमांसं पितृक्षये। कालशाकं च लौहं चाप्यानन्त्यं छाग उच्यते।
The flesh of the Rhinoceros, offered to the departed Manes on the anniversaries of the lunar days on which they died, becomes endless. The potherb called Kalashaka, the petals of the Kanchana flower, and meat of the goat also, thus offered, prove inexhaustible.
गाथाश्चाप्यत्र गायन्ति पितृगीता युधिष्ठिर। सनत्कुमारो भगवान् पुरा मय्यभ्यभाषत॥
Regarding it, O Yudhishthira, there are some Verses, originally sung by the departed Manes, that are now sung (in the world). Sanatkumara communicated them to me former days.
अपि नः स्वकुले जायाद् यो नो दद्यात्त्रयोदशीम्। मधासु सर्पिःसंयुक्तं पायसं दक्षिणायने॥
He who has taken birth in our race, should give us Payasa mixed with clarified butter on the thirteenth day (of the dark fortnight), under the constellation Magha, during the Sun's southward course.
आजेन वापि लौहेन मघास्वेव यतव्रतः। हस्तिच्छायासु विधिवत् कर्णव्यजनवीजितम्॥
One born in our race, should under the constellation Magha, as if in the observance of a vow, offer the meat of goat or the petals of the Kanchana flower. One should also offer us, with due rites, Payasa mixed with clarified butter, dedicating it on a spot covered by the shadow of an elephant.
एष्टव्या बहवः पुत्रा योकोऽपि गयां व्रजेत्। यनासौ प्रथितो लोकेष्वक्षय्यकरणो वटः॥
Many sons should be coveted so that even one may go to Gaya, where stands the banian that is celebrated over all the worlds and that makes all offerings made under its branches endless.
आपो मूलं फलं मांसम्मनं वापि पितृक्षये। यत् किंचिन्मधुसम्मिश्रं तदानन्त्याय कल्पते।॥
Even a little of water, roots, fruits, meat, and rice, mixed with honey, if offered on the anniversary of the day of death, becomes endless.