Shloka 12

Description of the Origin of the Cosmic Egg (Brahmāṇḍa) and the Ocean as King of Tīrthas

Devanagari script

पितॄणां ये प्रयच्छंति पिंडं तत्र विधानतः । अक्षयां पितरस्तेषां तृप्तिं संप्राप्नुवंति वै ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

pitṝṇāṃ ye prayacchaṃti piṃḍaṃ tatra vidhānataḥ | akṣayāṃ pitarasteṣāṃ tṛptiṃ saṃprāpnuvaṃti vai || 12 ||

Translation

Wer an jenem heiligen Ort den Pitṛs (Ahnen) gemäß der vorgeschriebenen Ordnung den piṇḍa darbringt—dessen Pitṛs erlangen wahrlich eine unerschöpfliche, dauerhafte Sättigung.

Word by Word

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄणाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; Relative pronoun, nominative plural

• प्रयच्छन्ति: offer/give
• प्रयच्छन्ति: क्रिया (Verb action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; give/offer

• पिण्डम्: rice-ball offering (piṇḍa)
• पिण्डम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• विधानतः: according to the prescribed procedure
• विधानतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित-अव्यय)
• Form: तद्धितान्त अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb) ‘according to rule’

• अक्षयाम्: imperishable, unfailing
• अक्षयाम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; agrees with ‘तृप्तिम्’

• पितरः: the ancestors
• पितरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• तृप्तिम्: satisfaction, contentment
• तृप्तिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• संप्राप्नुवन्ति: attain
• संप्राप्नुवन्ति: क्रिया (Verb action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; attain/obtain

• वै: indeed
• वै: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/पदार्थ-निपात (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a tīrtha-māhātmya/ritual instruction context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Piṇḍa
• Śrāddha

FAQs

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

It teaches that piṇḍa-offering done with proper vidhi (scriptural procedure) yields akṣaya-tṛpti—lasting satisfaction—for one’s Pitṛs, emphasizing dharma performed correctly as spiritually efficacious.

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

While the verse is primarily ritual-dharma, it supports bhakti indirectly: honoring ancestors through prescribed sacred duty is a form of reverent service (sevā) aligned with a devotee’s disciplined, God-centered life in a tīrtha setting.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implicit in “vidhānataḥ”—the importance of performing śrāddha/piṇḍadāna according to precise injunctions (vidhi), timing, and method rather than casually.