Shloka 62

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

Devanagari script

स्वमंत्रैरथ संपूज्य परमाः पितृदेवताः । यावंतस्तु तिलाः पुंभिर्गृहीताः पितृकर्मणि ॥ ६२ ॥

Transliteration

svamaṃtrairatha saṃpūjya paramāḥ pitṛdevatāḥ | yāvaṃtastu tilāḥ puṃbhirgṛhītāḥ pitṛkarmaṇi || 62 ||

Translation

Dann soll er mit seinen eigenen Mantras die höchsten Gottheiten, die über die Pitṛs wachen, gebührend verehren. Und wie viele Sesamkörner (tila) ein Mann für das Ahnenritual aufnimmt, in eben diesem Maß gelangen Verdienst und Sättigung zu den Pitṛs.

Word by Word

• स्व-मन्त्रैः: with (his) own mantras
• स्व-मन्त्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; ‘with one’s own mantras’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निपात) indicating sequence

• संपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• संपूज्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√पूज् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), having worshipped

• परमाः: supreme
• परमाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; agrees with ‘पितृदेवताः’

• पितृ-देवताः: the ancestral deities
• पितृ-देवताः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• यावन्तः: as many as
• यावन्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; correlatives with implied ‘तावन्तः’

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• तिलाः: sesame seeds
• तिलाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• पुम्भिः: by men
• पुम्भिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुम्स् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• गृहीताः: taken/held
• गृहीताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; agrees with ‘तिलाः’

• पितृ-कर्मणि: in the ancestral rite
• पितृ-कर्मणि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within Uttara-Bhaga ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛdevatāḥ
• Pitṛs

FAQs

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

It links mantra-worship of the Pitṛ-related deities with the tangible ritual act of taking sesame for śrāddha, teaching that even the count/measure of tila used in Pitṛ-karman becomes spiritually consequential for ancestral satisfaction and merit.

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

Bhakti here appears as reverent, mantra-centered worship (saṃpūjā) offered with faith and correctness; devotion is expressed through disciplined ritual service to the Pitṛ-devatās rather than mere external handling of offerings.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It emphasizes ritual procedure (Kalpa/Śrauta–Gṛhya application): using prescribed mantras and correctly employing tila in pitṛ-karma, showing how mantra and material offering are coordinated in Vedic rite.