Let no fear be thine, O thou that art possessed of the wealth of
asceticism! The Grandsire Brahman himself, in days of old, laid it down!
This rite that thou hast conceived has been ordained by the Self-born
himself. Who else than the Self-born could ordain this ritual in
Sraddhas? I shall presently tell thee, O son, the excellent ordinance
laid down in respect of Sraddhas. Ordained by the Self-born himself, O
son, do thou follow it. Listen to me first! Having first performed the
Karana on the sacred fire with the aid of Mantras, O thou that art
possessed of wealth of penances, one should always pour libations next
unto the deity of fire, and Soma, and Varuna. Unto the Viswedevas also,
who are always the companions of the Pitris, the Self-born then ordained
a portion of the offerings. The Earth also, as the goddess that sustains
the offerings made at Sraddhas, should then be praised under the names of
Vaishnavi, Kasyapi, and the inexhaustible.[413] When water is being
fetched for the Sraddha, the deity Varuna of great puissance should be
praised. After this, both Agni and Soma should be invoked with reverence
and gratified (with libations), O sinless one. Those deities that are
called by the name of Pitris were created by the Self-born. Others also,
highly blessed, viz., the Ushnapsa, were created by him.
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