Shloka 36
Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda
Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity
त्रयाणामपि पिण्डानां श्रुत्वा भगवतो गतिम्
trayāṇām api piṇḍānāṃ śrutvā bhagavato gatim | śrāddhasya rahasyaṃ jñātaṃ; devadūta! tvayā yat śrāddhavidher nirṇayaḥ pṛṣṭaḥ, tadanusāreṇa trayāṇām api piṇḍānāṃ gatiḥ kathyate | sāvadhānaḥ śṛṇu me ||
Nachdem er von Herrn Viṣṇu den vorherbestimmten Gang der drei Piṇḍa-Opfergaben vernommen hatte, erkannte er den inneren Sinn des Śrāddha-Ritus. „O göttlicher Bote“, heißt es, „da du nach einer klaren Entscheidung über die Vorschrift des Śrāddha gefragt hast, soll nun das jeweilige Ergebnis der drei Piṇḍas dargelegt werden. Höre mich mit voller Aufmerksamkeit an.“
देवदूत उवाच
Educational Q&A
Śrāddha is presented not as a mere formality but as a dharmic act whose offerings (piṇḍas) have specific intended results; therefore one should learn the rite’s rationale and perform it with attention and correct procedure.
A divine messenger asks for a definitive ruling on the śrāddha method. The speaker responds that, since the outcomes of the three piṇḍa-offerings have been heard from Viṣṇu and the rite’s inner meaning grasped, the distinct ‘gati’ (result/destination) of each piṇḍa will now be explained, urging careful listening.