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Shloka 29

Determining Rites for Difficult/Inauspicious Deaths; Annual and Daily Śrāddha Rules

Devanagari script

मातृश्राद्धन्तु पूर्वेण कर्मादौ पैतृकं तथा / उत्तरे ऽहनि वृद्धौ स्यान्मातामहगणस्य तु

Transliteration

mātṛśrāddhantu pūrveṇa karmādau paitṛkaṃ tathā / uttare 'hani vṛddhau syānmātāmahagaṇasya tu

Translation

في أداء الأعمال الطقسية، يُقدَّم شرادها الأم أولًا؛ وكذلك تُؤدَّى شرادها الأسلاف من جهة الأب على نحوٍ مناسب. وفي اليوم التالي، إذا مُدِّدت الشعيرة وزِيد فيها، فإنها تكون مخصَّصة لجماعة الماتامها (mātāmaha-gaṇa)، أي أسلاف جهة الأم.

Word by Word
मातृश्राद्धम्mother’s śrāddha
मातृश्राद्धम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमातृ-श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; मातृ + श्राद्ध)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मातुः श्राद्धम्)
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formनिपात/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)
पूर्वेणby the earlier (one/rite)
पूर्वेण:
Karana (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करण/साधन-भाव (instrumental: by/with the earlier)
कर्मादौat the beginning of the rite
कर्मादौ:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootकर्म-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; कर्म + आदि)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कर्मणः आदौ)
पैतृकम्paternal (for the fathers)
पैतृकम्:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपैतृक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying śrāddha)
तथाlikewise
तथा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb: likewise/also)
उत्तरेon the following (day)
उत्तरे:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootउत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying day: on the following)
अहनिon the day
अहनि:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootअहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन
वृद्धौin the (case of) increase/extension (vṛddhi)
वृद्धौ:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootवृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; ‘वृद्धौ’ = वृद्धौ (locative)
स्यात्should be/should occur
स्यात्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
मातामहगणस्यof the maternal-grandfather group
मातामहगणस्य:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootमातामह-गण (प्रातिपदिक; मातामह + गण)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मातामहानां गणः)
तुindeed/however
तु:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle: however/indeed)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instructing Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Mata

Timing: Day 1: mātṛ then paitṛka; Day 2 (vṛddhi/extension): mātāmaha-gaṇa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Order of performance: mother’s śrāddha first, then paternal; on the subsequent day (in an extended observance) offerings go to the maternal-grandfather group.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as ordered duty (niyata-krama) sustaining ṛṇa (debts) to ancestors; harmony through structured remembrance.

Application: When managing family obligations, follow a clear, fair sequence that acknowledges all relational lines.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: gṛha / śrāddha-vedī

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: maternal vs paternal śrāddha ordering; ‘vṛddhi’ (extended rite) mention; mātāmaha-gaṇa offerings

Characters & Entities
P
Pitris
M
Mātāmahagaṇa (maternal ancestors)

FAQs

This verse emphasizes procedural dharma: performing the mother’s śrāddha first at the start of the rites, and then following the prescribed sequence for paternal and maternal-line ancestors, so offerings reach the intended Pitris without ritual confusion.

In Preta Kanda teachings, śrāddha supports the departed through post-death transitions by properly directing offerings to ancestral recipients; correct sequencing is presented as part of the dharmic framework that aids the preta’s welfare and Pitri satisfaction.

When arranging śrāddha, follow a clear lineage-based order—mother’s rite first, then paternal ancestors, and if an additional/next-day observance is done, include the maternal-grandfather line—ideally under a competent priest who knows the family’s tradition (śākhā/ācāra).

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