Shloka 18

Adhyaya 31 — Naimittika and Related Śrāddha Rites: Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, Eligibility, Timing, and Procedure

Sanskrit

तस्माच्छ्राद्धं नरो भक्त्या शाकैरपि यथाविधि ।

कुर्वोत कुर्वतः श्राद्धं कुले कश्चिन्न सीदति ॥

Transliteration

tasmāc chrāddhaṃ naro bhaktyā śākair api yathāvidhi /

kurvota kurvataḥ śrāddhaṃ kule kaścin na sīdati

Translation

Darum soll ein Mensch das śrāddha in Hingabe, der Vorschrift gemäß, auch nur mit Gemüse darbringen. Wenn das śrāddha vollzogen ist, gerät niemand in jener Familie ins Verderben.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु-अर्थे), एकवचन; pronoun ‘from that/therefore’

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; object

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; subject

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental (means/attitude)

• शाकैः: with vegetables/greens
• शाकैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; instrumental

• अपि: even; also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे ‘even/also’

• यथा-विधि: according to the prescribed rule
• यथा-विधि: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय-प्रयोगः ‘according to rule’

• कुर्वोत: should perform / do
• कुर्वोत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; विधिलिङ्गार्थे आज्ञा

• कुर्वतः: of one who performs
• कुर्वतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘of one who is doing’ (genitive absolute/possessive)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुले: in the family
• कुले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; locative

• कश्चित्: anyone; someone
• कश्चित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-प्रत्यय ‘-चित्’ (indefinite)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• सीदति: sinks; falls into distress
• सीदति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Not specified in provided excerpt (ritual-instruction voice within Adhyāya 31)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "bhakti", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Pitṛs (ancestral spirits)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Pitṛ-pūjā
• Gṛhastha duties
• Ritual minimalism with devotion

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Devotion and correct intent sustain dharma even when resources are limited; simple offerings (śāka) done properly still yield lineage-protecting merit. The verse emphasizes accessibility of Pitṛ-kārya and the social ethic of maintaining ancestral obligations.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Primarily belongs to Dharma/Ācāra material rather than the five cosmological marks; it is ancillary instruction commonly embedded in Purāṇas alongside (but not itself constituting) sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita.

What is the esoteric significance?

Śrāddha symbolizes repayment of the ‘debt to ancestors’ (pitṛ-ṛṇa). Offering even simple food indicates that inner sincerity and continuity of remembrance are the subtle ‘oblation’ sustaining the family’s unseen support-system.