Shloka 70

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

Devanagari script

तृप्यंतु पितरः सर्वे मातृमातामहादयः । श्राद्धे सपिंडकं कुर्यात्स्वसूत्रोक्त विधानतः ॥ ७० ॥

Transliteration

tṛpyaṃtu pitaraḥ sarve mātṛmātāmahādayaḥ | śrāddhe sapiṃḍakaṃ kuryātsvasūtrokta vidhānataḥ || 70 ||

Translation

لِتَرْضَ جميعُ البِتْرِ (Pitṛ)، ومعهم الجدّ من جهة الأم وسائر الأسلاف من جهة الأم. وفي طقس الشِّرادها (śrāddha) ينبغي إجراءُ سَپِنْدِيكَرَنَة (sapiṇḍīkaraṇa) وفق ما تقرّره سوترا المرء (Gṛhya/Dharma).

Word by Word

• तृप्यन्तु: may (they) be satisfied
• तृप्यन्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; parasmaipada

• पितरः: the ancestors
• पितरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st), बहुवचन; nominative plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; adjective agreeing with पितरः

• मातृ-मातामह-आदयः: (including) maternal ancestors and others
• मातृ-मातामह-आदयः: Apposition (सम्बोधन/अन्वय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + मातामह (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समूहवाचक ‘मातृमातामहाः आदयः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st), बहुवचन; nominative plural

• श्राद्धे: in the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/7th), एकवचन; locative singular

• सपिण्डकम्: the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa (rite of making one ‘of the same piṇḍa’)
• सपिण्डकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सपिण्डक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), एकवचन; accusative singular

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; parasmaipada

• स्व-सूत्र-उक्त: as stated in one’s own sūtra
• स्व-सूत्र-उक्त: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त, √वच्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; ‘स्वस्य सूत्रे उक्तम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया?; actually used adjectivally with विधानतः (instrumental sense via -तः); base adjective (indeclinable usage in compound context)

• विधानतः: according to the prescribed rule
• विधानतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (-तः); क्रियाविशेषण; ‘according to the injunction/procedure’

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a dharma-ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs
• Matr-matamaha (maternal ancestors)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that śrāddha is meant to bring satisfaction (tṛpti) to all ancestors, explicitly including the maternal line, and that correct rite-performance sustains ancestral welfare and familial continuity.

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

While primarily ritual (karma-kāṇḍa), it supports bhakti culture by framing duty-bound offerings as reverent service; honoring Pitṛs through śāstric procedure is aligned with dhārmic devotion and gratitude.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is central: the verse instructs following one’s own Gṛhya/Dharma Sūtra for sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, reflecting the Vedāṅga focus on precise, tradition-specific ritual rules.