भीष्म उवाच यमस्तु यानि श्राद्धानि प्रोवाच शशविन्दवे। तानि मे शृणु काम्यानि नक्षत्रेषु पृथक् पृथक्॥
Bhishma said Hear me, O Yudhishthira, as I tell you what those optional Shraddhas are that should be performed under the different constellations and that were first spoken of by Yama of king Shashabindu.
श्राद्धं यः कृत्तिकायोगे कुर्वीत सततं नरः। अग्नीनाधाय सापत्यो यजेत विगतज्वरः॥
That man who always perforins the Shraddha under the constellation Krittika, is considered as performing a sacrifice after establishing the sacred fire. Such a person, freed from fever, goes to Heaven with his children.
अपत्यकामो रोहिण्यां तेजस्कामो मृगोत्तमे। क्रूरकर्मा ददच्छ्राद्धमार्द्रायां मानवो भवेत्॥
He who is desirous of children should perform the Shraddha under the constellation Rohini, while he who is desirous of power should do it under the constellation Mrigashiras. By performing the Shraddha under the constellation Ardra, a man becomes the doer of terrific deeds.
धनकामो भवेन्मर्त्यः कुर्वञ्छ्राद्धं पुनर्वसौ। पुष्टिकामोऽथ पुष्येण श्राद्धमीहेत मानवः॥
A man, by performing the Shraddha under Punarvasu, makes much gain by agriculture. The man who is desirous of growth and advancement should perform the Shraddha under Pushya.
आश्लेषायां ददच्छ्राद्धं धीरान् पुत्रान् प्रजायते। ज्ञातीनां तु भवेच्छ्रेष्ठो मघासु श्राद्धमावपन्॥
By doing it under the constellation Ashlesha one begets heroic children. By doing it under the Maghas onc gains superiority over kinsmen.
फल्गुनीषु ददच्छ्राद्धं सुभगः श्राद्धदो भवेत्। अपत्यभागुत्तरासु हस्तेन फलभाग् भवेत्॥
By doing it under the (prior) Phalgunis, one gains good fortune. By doing the Shraddha under the later Phalgunas one gets many children; while by performing it under Hasta, one gets the fruition of his wishes.
चित्रायां तु ददच्छ्राद्धं लभेद् रूपवतः सुतान्। स्वातियोगे पितॄनर्च्य वाणिज्यमुपजीवति॥
By performing it under the constellation Chitra one gets beautiful children. By doing it under the constellation Svati, one makes much profit by trade.
बहुपुत्रो विशाखासु पुत्रमीहन् भवेन्नरः। अनुराधासु कुर्वाणो राजचक्र प्रवर्तयेत्॥
The man who desires children, acquires the fruition of his desire by performing the Shraddha under the constellation Vishakha. By doing it under Anuradha, one becomes an Emperor.
आधिपत्यं व्रजेन्मयो ज्येष्ठायामपवर्जयन्। नरः कुरुकुलश्रेष्ठ ऋद्धो दमपुरःसरः॥
By making offerings in honour of the departed Manes Manes under the constellation Jeshthya, with devotion and humility, one acquires sovereignty, O foremost one of Kuru's race.
मूले त्वारोग्यमृच्छेत यशोऽऽषाढासु चोत्तमम्। उत्तरासु त्वषाढासु वीतशोककश्चरेन्महीम्॥
By doing the Shraddha under Mula, one gains health, and by doing it under the prior Ashada, one acquires excellent fame. By performing it under the later Ashada, one succeeds in travelling over the whole world, freed from every sorrow.
श्राद्धं त्वभिजिता कुर्वन् भिषक्सिद्धिमवाप्नुयात्। श्रवणेषु ददच्छ्राद्धं प्रेत्य गच्छेत् स सद्गतिम्॥
By doing it under the constellation Abhijit, one acquires great knowledge. By doing it under Shravana, one, after death, attains to a very high end.
राज्यभागी धनिष्ठायां भवेत नियतं नरः। नक्षत्रे वारुणे कुर्वन् भिषक्सिद्धिमवाप्नुयात्॥
The man who performs the Shraddha under the constellation Dhanistha becomes a king. By doing it under the constellation presided over by Varuna (viz., Shatavisha), one becomes a successful physician.
पूर्वप्रोष्ठपदाः कुर्वन् बहून् विन्दत्यजाविकान्। उत्तरासु प्रकुर्वाणो विन्दते गाः सहस्रशः॥
By performing the Shraddha under the constellation of the prior Bhadrapada, one acquires many goats and sheep: while by doing it under the later Bhadrapada, one acquires thousands of kine.
बहुकुप्यकृतं वित्तं विन्दते रेवतीं श्रितः। अश्विनीष्वश्वान् विन्देत भरणीष्वायुरुत्तमम्॥
By performing the Shraddha under the constellation Revati, one acquires many utensils of white brass and copper. By doing it under Ashvini, one acquires many horses, while under Bharani, one live long.
इमं श्राद्धविधिं श्रुत्वा शशबिन्दुस्तथाकरोत्। अक्लेशेनाजयच्चापि मही सोऽनुशशास ह॥
Listening to these ordinances about the Shraddha king Shashabindu acted accordingly, and succeeded in easily conquering and ruling the whole Earth.