395.  Pravartakam implies leading to Pravritti for righteous acts or Chittasuddhi.

396.  The commentator explains that the Pitris should be worshipped on the day of the New moon, the deities should then be worshipped on the first day of the lighted fortnight.  Or, on any other day of the lighted fortnight, the Pitri-sacrifice or Sraddha should be performed first; the Deva-sacrifice or Ishti should then be performed.

397.  Anwaharyam, the commentator explains, is paschatkartavyam, i.e., subsequently performable (subsequent, i.e., to the worship of the gods).  There is a special ordinance, however, which lays down that the Sraddha should be performed on the afternoon of the day of the new moon.  The gods should be adored on the first day of the lighted fortnight.  Hence, owing to this especial ordinance, the Sraddha must precede the worship of the gods, and not succeed it.

398.  Masha, is the Phascolus Roxburghii.

399.  It is difficult to understand what is meant by Vadhrinasa here.  It means either a large bull, or a kind of bird, or a variety of the goat.  Probably the bull is intended.

400.  Pitrikshaye is mrita-tithau.  Kalasaka is explained by Nilakantha as identical with the common potherb called Shuka or the country sorrel (Rumex visicarius, Linn).  Some hold that it is something like the sorrel, Lauham is the petals of the Kanchana flower (Bauhinia acuminata, Linn).

401.  To this day the sanctity of Gaya is universally recognised by all Hindus.  Sraddhas are performed there under the banian called the Akshaya or inexhaustible banian.

402.  All religious acts are either nitya or kamya.  The former imply acts that are obligatory and by doing which no particular merit is acquired but by not doing which sin is incurred.  The latter imply those optional acts which, if done, produce merit but which, if omitted, leads to no sin.

403.  Literally, ‘set in motion a body of kings,’ i.e., become an Overlord.”

404.  When Brahmanas are fed, they are made to sit in long lines.  They that are stained with vices are excluded from the line.  Such exclusion from the line is regarded as equal to complete outlawry.

405. i.e., who have undergone a natural circumcision

406.  Implying soothsayers.

407.  This is a common form of expression to imply the fruitlessness of an act.  Libations should be poured on the blazing fire.  If poured on the ashes, they lead to no merit, for only Agni in his blazing form can bear them to the intended places.

408.  The idea is that heaven is the result of one’s deeds.  It is attached to the fruits of one’s acts.  The man falling off from heaven is identical with heaven being dissociated from the fruits of his acts.  Hence such a falling off at the man or the dissociation of heaven is likened to a bird’s dissociation from its perch when the chain tying it to the perch is broken.  The simile seems to be far-fetched.