यजुर्वेदे यमसूक्तसमीक्षणम् / A review of the Yama Sukta in the Yajurveda

Abstract

यमसूक्तं [1] यमदैवत्यानामृचां समुदायं यमसूक्तशब्दवाच्यम्। अस्मिन्नध्याये पितृमेधसम्बन्धिनो मन्त्रा उक्ताः सन्ति। पितृमेधः मृतस्य पितुः वर्षस्मरणे भवति। वर्षस्मृतौ विषमवर्षे पितृमेधो भवितुमर्हति। एकतारकनक्षत्रे चित्राप्रभृतिनक्षत्रेषु च  अमावस्यायां तिथौ शरदृतौ ग्रीष्मे वा माघमासे वा भवति। पितृमेधं करिष्यता यजमानेन कुम्भेऽस्थिसंचयं विधातव्यम्। मृतपुरुषस्य यावन्तः पुत्रपौत्रप्रभृतयः

The Yama Sukta is the collection of the Ṛcas of the Yama-deity and is called the Yama Sukta. In this chapter the mantras relating to the Pitramedha are mentioned. Pitramedha is performed in memory of the year of the deceased father. In the memory of the year, in an odd year, the Pitrimedha should be held. It occurs in the constellation of Ekatara and in the constellations Chitra and others on the date of Amavasya in autumn, summer or Magha. The priest who is going to perform the Pitramedha should make a pile of bones in a pot. All the sons and grandsons of the deceased