Shloka 63
Genealogy of the Ancestors (Pitṛs) and the Procedure of Śrāddha
वल्लभानि प्रशस्तानि पितॄणामिह सर्वदा । दर्भा माषष्षष्टिकान्नं गोक्षीरं मधुसर्पिषी
vallabhāni praśastāni pitṝṇāmiha sarvadā | darbhā māṣaṣṣaṣṭikānnaṃ gokṣīraṃ madhusarpiṣī
Hier sind den Pitṛs (Ahnengeistern) stets lieb und besonders zu rühmen: darbha-Gras, māṣa (schwarze Bohne), Speise aus ṣaṣṭika-Reis, Kuhmilch, Honig und Ghee (geklärte Butter).
Unspecified (contextual narrator within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa discourse)
Concept: Pitṛs are honored through sattvic, sanctified substances; gratitude to lineage is a spiritual discipline that stabilizes one’s life and merit.
Application: Cultivate remembrance and gratitude—offer simple, pure foods; support cows ethically; keep ritual items clean; treat elders and ancestors with respect in speech and action.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A priest lays fresh darbha in neat lines beside a shining brass bowl of cow’s milk, a small pot of honey, and a ghee lamp whose flame is steady. Cooked ṣaṣṭika rice is offered with quiet concentration, as if the unseen ancestors are seated just beyond the edge of the frame.","primary_figures":["a brāhmaṇa priest","a householder couple","pitṛs as subtle silhouettes or faint ancestral aura"],"setting":"clean ritual platform with darbha mat, brass vessels, ghee lamp, rice offering; a simple home shrine in the background","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["ghee amber","brass gold","milk white","honey topaz","darbha olive"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: close, iconic composition of śrāddha offerings—darbha arranged like sacred geometry, brass vessels of cow’s milk, honey, and ghee, mound of ṣaṣṭika rice; gold leaf on vessels and lamp flame, rich maroon backdrop, jewel-like detailing, symmetrical devotional framing.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: serene indoor ritual with delicate lines—priest and couple seated on a white cloth, darbha mat, small pots of milk/honey/ghee; soft mountain-like cool shadows, refined facial features, gentle domestic intimacy, pale greens and creams.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized figures with bold outlines; prominent ghee lamp and ritual vessels; darbha rendered as rhythmic green strokes; warm red background with yellow highlights, temple-wall compositional clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: offerings arranged in a mandala-like pattern with floral borders; deep blue ground with gold ornamentation; peacock-feather motifs in the border; subtle cow imagery to emphasize go-sambandha, intricate white rice and honey pot detailing."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["lamp flame hush","soft bell chime","distant conch","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पितॄणामिह = पितॄणाम् + इह. माषष्षष्टिकान्नम् = माष + षष्टिक + अन्नम् (षष्ठिक + अन्नम् → षष्टिकान्नम्).
FAQs
It lists items considered especially pleasing to the ancestors: darbha grass, black gram (māṣa), ṣaṣṭika-rice food, cow’s milk, honey, and ghee—commonly associated with śrāddha and related ancestral rites.
In Purāṇic ritual culture these are regarded as pure (śuddha), nourishing, and auspicious substances, fitting for offerings meant to honor and satisfy the Pitṛs.
It underscores gratitude and responsibility toward one’s lineage: honoring ancestors through disciplined, pure offerings is presented as a continuing duty (nitya-kartavya) within dharma.