Shloka 97
Dāna as Prāyaścitta; Deathbed Gifts; Antyeṣṭi Procedures; Nārāyaṇa-bali for Untimely Deaths
मातृकं पैतृकं चैव यत्र चैव प्रदीयते / कुलत्रयं पुनात्येषा भर्तारं यानुगच्छति
mātṛkaṃ paitṛkaṃ caiva yatra caiva pradīyate / kulatrayaṃ punātyeṣā bhartāraṃ yānugacchati
Where offerings are duly given to both the maternal and paternal lines, that devoted wife—who follows her husband in dharma—purifies the threefold lineage.
Lord Vishnu (in dialogue to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)
Ritual Type: Parvana
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: Śrāddha occasions (tithi-based; implied)
Concept: Offerings to both maternal and paternal lines, coupled with pativratā-dharma, purify the threefold lineage (kula-traya).
Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra as purificatory forces within vyavahāra; dharma as a means of inner and social śuddhi.
Application: Honor both sides of ancestry in rites/charity; uphold fidelity and shared dharma in marriage; include maternal lineage in remembrance and offerings.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: gṛha/śrāddha-sthāna (implied)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4.98-101 (pativratā-lakṣaṇa; cremation/antyeṣṭi context)
FAQs
This verse emphasizes that rites and gifts directed to both sides of the family—maternal (mātṛka) and paternal (paitṛka)—carry purificatory merit, strengthening ancestral welfare and sanctifying the family’s spiritual continuity.
In the Preta Kanda context, proper offerings and śrāddha support the departed and uphold dharma; the verse highlights that correct ancestral observances have multi-generational effects, described here as purifying “three lineages.”
Perform śrāddha/tarpaṇa and related dāna with inclusivity toward both maternal and paternal ancestors, and cultivate household dharma—shared duty, fidelity, and ethical living—as a form of lineage upliftment.