Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 79
Śrāddha-prayoga: Niyama, Brāhmaṇa-parīkṣā, Kutapa-kāla, Tithi-nyāya, and Vaiṣṇava-phala
अत्यंत हव्यशून्यश्चैत्स्वशक्त्या तु तृणं गवाम् । स्नात्वा च विधिवद्विप्र कुर्याद्वा तिलतपर्णम् ॥ ७९ ॥
atyaṃta havyaśūnyaścaitsvaśaktyā tu tṛṇaṃ gavām | snātvā ca vidhivadvipra kuryādvā tilataparṇam || 79 ||
Ist man gänzlich ohne etwas, das sich für die Opfergabe (havya) eignet, so möge man nach Kräften — nach rituellem Bad, o Brāhmaṇa — stattdessen Gras für die Kühe darbringen oder eine Tarpaṇa-Darbringung mit Sesam und Wasser vollziehen.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
It teaches that dharma is upheld even in poverty: when formal offerings are impossible, sincere, rule-based substitutes (bathing, cow-feeding, sesame-water offering) still carry religious merit.
By emphasizing intention and purity over expensive ritual items, it supports a devotional ethic where humble acts—done with faith and proper conduct—become acceptable offerings.
Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied: vidhivat snāna (prescribed bathing) and sanctioned substitute offerings (anukalpa) such as tila-tarpaṇa and feeding cows when havya is unavailable.