Shloka 84
The Glory of Śrāddha at Sacred Fords and the Determination of the Kutapa Time
मध्याह्नस्त्रिमुहूर्तः स्यादपराह्णस्ततः परम् । सायाह्नस्त्रिमुहूर्तः स्याच्छ्राद्धं तत्र न कारयेत्
madhyāhnastrimuhūrtaḥ syādaparāhṇastataḥ param | sāyāhnastrimuhūrtaḥ syācchrāddhaṃ tatra na kārayet
Der Mittag umfasst drei Muhūrtas; danach folgt der Nachmittag. Auch der Abend umfasst drei Muhūrtas — zu dieser Zeit soll man kein Śrāddha vollziehen lassen.
Unspecified (contextual narrator/instructor voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa; Adhyaya 11)
Concept: Not all times are equal for sacred acts; śrāddha should be avoided in the evening even if other periods are permissible.
Application: Respect boundaries: some tasks are best done early; avoid postponing solemn duties to late hours; build routines that align with clarity and sattva.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A sun-dial-like composition shows the day segmented into three-muhūrta blocks: morning, midday, afternoon, and evening. The evening segment is shaded with a subtle ominous hue, while the morning segment glows, indicating the approved time for śrāddha.","primary_figures":["personified Sun (Sūrya/Bhāskara)","priest (ṛtvij)","householder (yajamāna)"],"setting":"river ghat or courtyard with a visible time-marker (shadow staff/gnomon), ritual items set aside as the sun lowers","lighting_mood":"late-afternoon fading to dusk","color_palette":["amber","smoky violet","burnt umber","pale gold","indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: personified Sūrya in a radiant chariot above a ghat, day divided into panels with gold leaf separators, morning panel bright and auspicious with śrāddha setup, evening panel subdued with darker tones and a ‘do not perform’ gesture by the priest, rich reds/greens, ornate borders and embossed gold.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical sequence of four time-panels across one page, delicate gradients from dawn to dusk, small figures preparing and then withholding the rite at evening, refined architecture and trees, cool dusk palette in the final panel.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold segmented day-wheel behind Sūrya, priest instructing the householder, evening segment marked with darker pigment and protective motifs, strong outlines and traditional mural symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: circular kāla-mandala with lotus petals as muhūrta divisions, central Vaishnava symbols (shankha-chakra) implying divine order, morning petal bright with ritual vessels, evening petal deep blue with restrained hands, intricate floral borders."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"authoritative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","measured hand-clap for counting muhūrtas","distant conch","evening insects","soft wind"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्यादपराह्णः = स्यात् + अपराह्णः; स्याच्छ्राद्धम् = स्यात् + श्राद्धम् (त् + श् → च्छ्); तत्र न = no sandhi; ततोऽपि not present; overall sandhi resolved as shown.
FAQs
It defines midday (madhyāhna) as three muhūrtas, notes that afternoon (aparāhṇa) follows thereafter, and similarly describes evening (sāyāhna) as three muhūrtas.
It states that Śrāddha should not be performed during the evening period (sāyāhna).
That ritual efficacy and propriety depend on correct timing; dharma is practiced with attention to prescribed temporal boundaries.