Text 43] Conversation Between Maitreya and Vidura 791

TRANSLATION

Recognizing himself to be full of desire and energy, the worshipful
Brahma, the creator of the living entities, evolved from his own invisible
form, from his navel, the hosts of Sadhyas and Pitas.

PURPORT

The Sadhyas and Pitas are invisible forms of departed souls, and they
are also created by Brahma.

TEXT 43

a wnat ¢ art frac: afrafez
area fray aaa afsaad eal

ta atma-sargam tam kayain
pitarah pratipedire

sadhyebhyas ca pitrbhyas ca
kavayo yad vitanvate

te—they; dtma-sargam—source of their existence; tam—that; kayam—
body; pitarah—the Pitas; pratipedire—accepted; sddhyebhyah—to the
Sadhyas; ca—and; pitrbhyah—to the Pitas; ca—also; kavayah—those well
versed in rituals; yat—through which; vitanvate—offer oblations.

TRANSLATION

The Pitas themselves took possession of the invisible body, the source of
their existence. It is through the medium of this invisible body that those
well versed in the rituals offer oblations to the Sadhyas and Pitas [in the
form of their departed ancestors] on the occasion of sraddha.

PURPORT

Sraddha is a ritualistic performance observed by the followers of the
Vedas. There is a yearly occasion of fifteen days when ritualistic religion-
ists follow the principle of offering oblations to departed souls. Thus those
fathers and ancestors who, by freaks of nature, might not have a gross body
for material enjoyment, can again gain such bodies due to the offering of
sraddha oblations by their descendants. The performance of sraddha, or
offering oblations with prasada, is still current in India, especially at
