Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

पितॄनावाह्य तेभ्यश्च मंत्रैः पिंडांस्तु निर्वपेत् । कृत्वा ध्यानं पितॄणां तु प्रयतः प्रतपर्वते ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

pitṝnāvāhya tebhyaśca maṃtraiḥ piṃḍāṃstu nirvapet | kṛtvā dhyānaṃ pitṝṇāṃ tu prayataḥ prataparvate || 15 ||

Translation

Nachdem man die Pitṛs herbeigerufen hat, soll man ihnen mit Mantras die piṇḍa-Bälle darbringen; und nachdem man über die Pitṛs meditiert hat, soll der disziplinierte Vollziehende dies zu jedem parvan (heiligen Anlass) tun.

Word by Word

• पितॄन्: the ancestors
• पितॄन्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• आवाह्य: having invoked
• आवाह्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√वह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive) from √वह् with ā-; अर्थः: ‘आहूय/आनयित्वा’ (having invoked)

• तेभ्यः: to them
• तेभ्यः: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), पुंलिङ्गे (m.), चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Dat./Abl. 4th/5th), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मन्त्रैः: with mantras
• मन्त्रैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• पिण्डान्: piṇḍas (rice-ball offerings)
• पिण्डान्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोध-बोधक-अव्यय (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• निर्वपेत्: should offer/place (as oblation)
• निर्वपेत्: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-√वप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive): ‘having done’

• ध्यानम्: meditation
• ध्यानम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• प्रयतः: self-restrained, purified
• प्रयतः: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), एकवचनम् (Singular); विशेषणम् (of implied doer)

• प्रतपर्वते: at Prataparvata (a place)
• प्रतपर्वते: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतपर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम् (Singular)

Speaker

Narada (teaching Śrāddha procedure, within the Uttara-bhāga tīrtha/vrata-ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śrāddha is not only a physical offering (piṇḍa) but also a mental act—invocation and meditation—done with purity, thereby honoring the Pitṛs and sustaining the ancestral rite (pitṛ-dharma).

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

Though focused on Śrāddha, it reflects bhakti as reverent, mantra-guided service performed with inner remembrance (dhyāna) and disciplined intent, aligning ritual action with heartfelt honoring.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is central: invoking (āvāhana), mantra-usage, and timing by parvan (lunar/ritual junctions), indicating the importance of correct rite and sacred calendrical observance.