Adhyaya 18 - Pitrimedha (Ancestral Rites)

This Adhyaya describes the Pitrimedha — the funeral rites and ancestral ceremonies. It contains the mantras for cremation, the preparation of the funeral pyre, the offerings to the ancestors, and the rites for the departed soul's journey to the next world. The chapter also includes the Shraddha ceremonies (periodic offerings to the ancestors).