57. The king said, "How is the pot for the departed to be prepared, and in accordance with what: rites must it be given? Tell me, on account of my sympathy for all, about the pot which gives release to the departed."

58-63. The departed said: "Oh Great King, you have done well in asking this. Please take notice and l will describe that good gift by which the departed condition cannot exist.

"The gift which is named 'the pot for the departed,' is a destroyer of all evil. In all the worlds it is difficult to obtain this dissipator of evil conditions.

"Having prepared a pot of refined gold, consecrated it to Brahma, Is'a and Kes'ava , and all the guardians of the quarters, filled it with clarified butter and worshipped before it with devotion, give it to a twice-born. What good are a hundred other gifts from you?

"Brahma in the middle, likewise Visnu, and S'ankara, eternal giver of happiness; in the east and other directions, in the neck of it, the guardians of the universe, in order--

"These having duly worshipped, O King, with incenses, flowers and sandal-paste, one should give away the golden pot, full of milk and clarified butter.

"This gift, O King, which is superior to all other gifts in removing great sins, should be made with faith, for the release of the departed."

64-65. The Blessed Lord spoke on: His army, while he was thus conversing with the departed, followed him up, with elephants, horses and chariots, O Kas'yapa.

On the arrival of the army the departed one, having given the great jewel to the king, bowed to him, again implored him, and became invisible.

66-68. Having come out of the forest, the king returned to his city, and arrived there remembering all that was said by the departed one.

He duly performed; O Bird, the rites and ceremonies for the dweller in the upper body, and the departed, released by these sacred gifts, attained heaven.

By the S'raddha, performed even by a stranger, the departed attain a happy state,--what wonder then that when the son performs it the father should reach it!

60. He who hears, and he who causes others to hear this holy history, never go to the departed condition, though they may. have acted sinfully.

Footnotes

^58:1 Visnu, a form of.

^58:2 Another form of Visnu, slayer of the demon Madhu.

^58:3 The divine dwarf Visnu.

^58:4 The club-bearing Visnu.

^58:5 A name for S'iva.

^59:1 S'iva.

^59:2 Visnu.