Shloka 46
The Greatness of the Ancestors: Ekoddiṣṭa Śrāddha, Āśauca Rules, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa
आयुः पुत्रान्धनं विद्यां स्वर्गं मोक्षं सुखानि च । प्रयच्छन्ति तथा राज्यं प्रीताः पितृगणा नृप
āyuḥ putrāndhanaṃ vidyāṃ svargaṃ mokṣaṃ sukhāni ca | prayacchanti tathā rājyaṃ prītāḥ pitṛgaṇā nṛpa
أيها الملك، إذا رضيت جماعات الأسلاف (Pitṛs) منحوا طول العمر، والبنين والمال، والعلم، والسماء، والتحرر (mokṣa)، والسرور؛ وكذلك يمنحون المُلك والسلطان.
Unspecified (narrator/teacher addressing a king: 'nṛpa')
Concept: Pitṛs, when satisfied through proper rites and conduct, become channels of both worldly welfare (āyus, putra, dhana, rājya) and transcendent goals (svarga, mokṣa).
Application: Maintain gratitude to ancestors: support elders, perform annual śrāddha, give charity in their name, and cultivate learning—seeing family prosperity as stewardship, not entitlement.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A king listens as a sage enumerates blessings: behind them, a subtle celestial procession of Pitṛs appears—dignified, crowned with faint halos—holding vessels of longevity, learning scrolls, and a small throne symbolizing sovereignty. The scene balances earthly court and unseen ancestral realm, showing how invisible satisfaction yields visible order.","primary_figures":["King (nṛpa)","Sage-teacher","Pitṛ-gaṇas (celestial ancestors)"],"setting":"Royal pavilion opening toward a sacred courtyard with a small fire-altar; the sky above shows a translucent ancestral realm.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["royal maroon","antique gold","ivory white","smoky blue","palm-leaf green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: king seated on a carved throne listening to a sage, pitṛs in the upper panel with gold-leaf halos and ornate crowns, symbolic items (scroll, kalasha, small throne) floating near them; heavy gold embellishment on jewelry and pillars, rich reds/greens, symmetrical temple-arch framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: courtly veranda with soft pastel architecture, sage gesturing while listing boons, faint pitṛ-figures in the sky like thin clouds, delicate textiles and refined faces; cool blues and muted reds, lyrical composition with distant trees.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines—king and sage in profile, pitṛs arranged in a frieze above, each holding emblematic objects; flat red/yellow/green palette, stylized pillars and lotus medallions, temple-wall symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic tableau—central sage and king, upper border of pitṛs as small celestial attendants, ornate floral borders and lotus motifs; deep blue background with gold highlights, auspicious decorative density."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft mridang pulse","temple bells at cadence","conch shell (distant)","court ambience hush"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पुत्रान्धनं = पुत्रान् + धनम् (अनुस्वार/नासिक्य-सन्धि); अन्यत्र पदच्छेदः सरलः।
FAQs
It teaches that the Pitṛs (ancestral beings) become a source of blessings when satisfied, granting both worldly goods (longevity, children, wealth, learning, comfort, kingship) and spiritual attainments (heaven and liberation).
It presents both together, implying that ancestral satisfaction supports the full spectrum of human aims—from prosperity and social stability to spiritual release.
A king should uphold dharma and maintain ancestral rites and gratitude, recognizing that social order, prosperity, and legitimacy of rule (rājya) are linked to honoring lineage and tradition.