Shloka 15

The Procedure for Offering Piṇḍa (Funerary Rice-balls) — Gayā-māhātmya

Devanagari script

पितॄनावाह्य तेभ्यश्च मंत्रैः पिंडांस्तु निर्वपेत् । कृत्वा ध्यानं पितॄणां तु प्रयतः प्रतपर्वते ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

pitṝnāvāhya tebhyaśca maṃtraiḥ piṃḍāṃstu nirvapet | kṛtvā dhyānaṃ pitṝṇāṃ tu prayataḥ prataparvate || 15 ||

Translation

بعد استحضار البِتْرِس (Pitṛs) ينبغي أن يقدّم لهم كُرَات البِنْدا بتلاوة المانترا؛ ثم بعد التأمّل في البِتْرِس، على المؤدّي المنضبط أن يفعل ذلك في كل بارڤان (مناسبة مقدّسة).

Word by Word

• पितॄन्: the ancestors
• पितॄन्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• आवाह्य: having invoked
• आवाह्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√वह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive) from √वह् with ā-; अर्थः: ‘आहूय/आनयित्वा’ (having invoked)

• तेभ्यः: to them
• तेभ्यः: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), पुंलिङ्गे (m.), चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Dat./Abl. 4th/5th), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मन्त्रैः: with mantras
• मन्त्रैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• पिण्डान्: piṇḍas (rice-ball offerings)
• पिण्डान्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोध-बोधक-अव्यय (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• निर्वपेत्: should offer/place (as oblation)
• निर्वपेत्: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-√वप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive): ‘having done’

• ध्यानम्: meditation
• ध्यानम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• प्रयतः: self-restrained, purified
• प्रयतः: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), एकवचनम् (Singular); विशेषणम् (of implied doer)

• प्रतपर्वते: at Prataparvata (a place)
• प्रतपर्वते: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतपर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम् (Singular)

Speaker

Narada (teaching Śrāddha procedure, within the Uttara-bhāga tīrtha/vrata-ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It teaches that Śrāddha is not only a physical offering (piṇḍa) but also a mental act—invocation and meditation—done with purity, thereby honoring the Pitṛs and sustaining the ancestral rite (pitṛ-dharma).

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Though focused on Śrāddha, it reflects bhakti as reverent, mantra-guided service performed with inner remembrance (dhyāna) and disciplined intent, aligning ritual action with heartfelt honoring.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is central: invoking (āvāhana), mantra-usage, and timing by parvan (lunar/ritual junctions), indicating the importance of correct rite and sacred calendrical observance.