Shloka 41
Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda
Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity
एतत् ते कथित सर्व त्रिषु पिण्डेषु या गति: । ऋत्विग्यो यजमानस्य पितृत्वमनुगच्छति
etat te kathitaṃ sarvaṃ triṣu piṇḍeṣu yā gatiḥ | ṛtvigyo yajamānasya pitṛtvam anugacchati ||
«لقد بُيِّن لك كلُّ هذا، بما في ذلك المسار والنتيجة المتعلّقان بقرابين الـpiṇḍa الثلاثة. والكاهنُ المُقيم للشعيرة (ṛtvij) الذي يُدعى لتناول طعام الـśrāddha يَتَقمّص في ذلك اليوم منزلةَ والدِ صاحب القربان؛ ولذلك يُعَدّ الجماعُ في ذلك اليوم مما ينبغي اجتنابه (تعظيمًا واحترازًا طقسيًّا).»
देवदूत उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes the sanctity of the śrāddha context: the invited officiant/priest is to be regarded as embodying the father (pitṛ) for that day, so the household observes heightened restraint—especially avoiding sexual intercourse—as an act of reverence and ritual discipline.
A divine messenger (devadūta) concludes an explanation about the ‘three piṇḍas’ and their associated outcomes, then states a rule of conduct for śrāddha: the invited priest assumes the father’s status for the day, shaping how the patron’s household should behave.