Shloka 57
The Procedure for Offering Piṇḍa (Funerary Rice-balls) — Gayā-māhātmya
आ ब्रह्मणो ये पितृवंशजाता मातुस्तथा वंशभवा मदीयाः । कुलद्वये ये मम संगताश्च तेभ्यः स्वधा पिंडमहं ददामि ॥ ५७ ॥
ā brahmaṇo ye pitṛvaṃśajātā mātustathā vaṃśabhavā madīyāḥ | kuladvaye ye mama saṃgatāśca tebhyaḥ svadhā piṃḍamahaṃ dadāmi || 57 ||
Allen Ahnen, die in meiner väterlichen Linie geboren sind, bis hin zu Brahmā, und ebenso allen, die in meiner mütterlichen Linie geboren sind; und allen, die in beiden Familien mit mir verbunden sind—ihnen darbringe ich dieses piṇḍa, mit der Anrufung „svadhā“.
Narrator (Sūta) conveying the prescribed Śrāddha formula within the Narada Purana’s tīrtha/ritual teaching context
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It expands the scope of śrāddha beyond a narrow lineage by explicitly dedicating the piṇḍa to ancestors from both paternal and maternal lines, up to the cosmic progenitor (Brahmā), emphasizing gratitude, continuity of kula-dharma, and proper Pitṛ-tarpaṇa through the ‘svadhā’ invocation.
While primarily a ritual injunction, it supports bhakti indirectly by making ancestral offerings an act of reverence and duty (dharma) performed with sincerity; such disciplined observance purifies the practitioner and aligns household life with devotion-centered living.
It highlights Kalpa (ritual procedure): the correct ritual address and scope of beneficiaries in śrāddha, including the technical use of ‘svadhā’ (the Pitṛ-formula) and the rule to include both maternal and paternal lineages when offering piṇḍa.