The Fortnight of Obsequies

In many parts of South Asia, the dark fortnight over which the monsoon season gives way to early autumn is dedicated to ancestral spirits who are said to roam the earth at this time of the year. It has many names including pitripaksha (पितृपक्ष), "the fortnight of the manes", and shraaddhapaksha (श्राद्धपक्ष), "the fortnight of obsequies". During this period, ritual offerings consisting mainly of food and water are made to the deceased; Brahmins, men of the priestly caste who solemnize these ceremonies and are thus the only individuals who can make sure that those poor hungry souls get their dues before they are obliged to return to the afterworld, are also treated to lavish feasts and showered generously with gifts. The solemnities culminate on the new moon night called mahalayA amavasyA (महालया अमावस्या), which is followed by the great autumnal festival in honor of the Goddess -- feeding Brahmins is not an integral part of the latter festival.

In today's quote, a Brahmin waxes wistful about the pitripaksha after it is over, and in doing so gives us a valuable insight into what he truly cares about in life, as someone who is supposed to be a paragon of virtue, dignity, and scholarship.

Devanagari text:

भोः श्राद्धपक्ष सकलद्विजकल्पवृक्ष
क्वास्मान् विहाय गतवानसि यच्छ वाचम्|
डिण्डीरपिण्डपरिपाण्डुरपायसानि
को दास्यति त्वयि गते घृतलड्डुकानि||

Harvard-Kyoto transliteration:

bhoH zrAddhapakSa sakaladvijakalpavRkSa
kvAsmAn vihAya gatavAnasi yaccha vAcam| 

DiNDIrapiNDaparipANDurapAyasAni
ko dAsyati tvayi gate ghRtalaDDukAni||

– Anonymous

Loose translation: O Fortnight of Obsequies! You are verily a divine wish-granting tree to all twice-born men (i.e. Brahmins)! Pray tell, where have you gone, leaving us behind? With you gone, who will now treat us to rice-and-milk pudding, as thoroughly white as cuttlebone, and laddoos prepared with clarified butter?

Source: Verse 195 of Subhashita Manjusha (सुभाषित-मंजूषा), "a box of good sayings", a multilingual (Sanskrit, various Hindustani dialects, Farsi) anthology compiled by Chaudhari Ram Singh, member of the Punjab Legislative Council, and published in 1924 CE: the first quote in the chapter titled मनोरञ्जन, "entertainment".

Notes: DiNDIra (डिण्डीर) or hiNDIra (हिण्डीर) refers to the white oval internal shell of a cuttlefish that often washes up on the shore and is used as a dietary supplement for pets. In both India and China, it has long been believed to have curative properties (for humans). In Sanskrit literature, it is frequently used in similes to describe something white. Another name for it is samudraphena (समुद्रफेन), presumably because it was thought to be congealed sea-foam.

The above anthology Subhashita Manjusha also quotes a pair of Hindi couplets in the same vein:

गये कनागत फूले कांस| ब्राह्मण रोवें चूल्हे पास||

श्राद्ध गये आये नौराते| ब्राह्मण बैठे चुप चपाते||

These roughly translate to "The fortnight of the forefathers is gone, wild sugarcanes are all abloom, Brahmins are weeping next to their (fireless) ovens. The obsequies are over, the nine-night festival is upon us, Brahmins are sulking." The common Hindustani name for this fortnight, kanaagat (कनागत), derives from Sanskrit kanyAgata (कन्यागत) - an allusion to the fact that the Sun is in the zodiac sign kanyA or Virgo during this period.

The Subhashita Ratnakara records a slight variant of today's quoted verse (verse 131 0f the chapter on miscellaneous verses):

भोः भाद्रपक्ष सकलद्विजकल्पवृक्ष क्वास्मान् विहाय गतवानसि देहि वाचम्|

डिण्डीरपिण्डपरिपाण्डुरवर्णभाजां लाभः कथं त्वयि गते घृतपायसानाम्||

This is, I think, a better version from a grammatical or stylistic point of view, although it does not mention laddoos :)