Shloka 35

Nāndīmukha-śrāddha (Prosperity Rites), Preta-kriyā, Aśauca, Ekoddiṣṭa, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Framework

Devanagari script

प्रेते पितृत्वम् आपन्ने सपिण्डीकरणाद् अनु क्रियन्ते याः क्रियाः पित्र्याः प्रोच्यन्ते ता नृपोत्तराः

Transliteration

prete pitṛtvam āpanne sapiṇḍīkaraṇād anu kriyante yāḥ kriyāḥ pitryāḥ procyante tā nṛpottarāḥ

Translation

O bester der Könige, wenn der Verstorbene nach dem Ritus der sapiṇḍīkaraṇa den Stand eines Ahnen (Pitṛ) erlangt, dann heißen die danach in vorgeschriebener Folge vollzogenen Observanzen ‘pitṛ-kriyā’, die rechten Ahnenriten—dies sind die späteren, abschließenden Handlungen.

Word by Word

• प्रेते: when (the deceased is) a preta
• प्रेते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण — "when (he is) a preta"

• पितृत्वम्: the status of (being) a pitṛ
• पितृत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म/प्राप्त्यर्थ — "fatherhood/ancestor-status"

• आपन्ने: having attained
• आपन्ने: Adhikarana (Locative absolute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आपद् (धातु) → आपन्न (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषण — प्रेते (locative absolute sense)

• सपिण्डीकरणात्: after the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa rite
• सपिण्डीकरणात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-पिण्डीकरण (प्रातिपदिक; पिण्डीकरण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान — "after/from the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa"

• अनु: after/following
• अनु: Adverbial (क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/अव्यय (postposition) — "after, following"

• क्रियन्ते: are performed
• क्रियन्ते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive) — "are performed"

• याः: which
• याः: Visheshana (Relative pronoun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक — क्रियाः

• क्रियाः: rites
• क्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तृ/विषय

• पित्र्याः: ancestral
• पित्र्याः: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण — क्रियाः; "ancestral (pitṛ-related)"

• प्रोच्यन्ते: are called
• प्रोच्यन्ते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि (passive) — "are called/are said"

• ताः: those
• ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; निर्देश — क्रियाः

• नृप-उत्तराः: the later (rites), O king
• नृप-उत्तराः: Predicate (Visheshana)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृप-उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक; नृप + उत्तर)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेयविशेषण — (क्रियाः) "the later (rites), O king"

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Transition from preta state to pitṛ status via sapiṇḍīkaraṇa and the ensuing pitṛ-kriyā

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: explanatory

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, the departed is ritually integrated among the Pitṛs, and the subsequent observances are properly ‘ancestral rites’ rather than preta rites.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Honor family ancestors through consistent remembrance and offerings, treating lineage not merely biologically but as a sacred continuity of obligations.

Vishishtadvaita: Affirms enduring individuality and relational belonging of the jīva (now as pitṛ-recipient) within a real moral-ritual universe governed by Bhagavān.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (Ancestors)
• Kings (nṛpottama)

FAQs

What is the significance of sapiṇḍīkaraṇa in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that after sapiṇḍīkaraṇa the deceased is regarded as having attained pitṛtva (ancestor-status), and the subsequent rites are properly termed pitṛ-kriyā (ancestral rites).

How does Sage Parāśara explain when ancestral rites truly begin?

He marks the transition point as the completion of sapiṇḍīkaraṇa; only thereafter, the rites performed ‘in sequence’ are designated as the formal rites for the Pitṛs.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

By situating śrāddha and pitṛ-kriyā within dharma, the Purana frames social and ritual order as part of the divinely sustained cosmos—ultimately upheld by Vishnu as the supreme regulator of universal order.