Shloka 15
प्रतिग्रहभेदः — The Distinction between Giving and Accepting
Vṛṣādarbhī–Saptarṣi Dialogue
कृत्वा च दक्षिणाग्रान् वै दर्भान् स प्रयतः शुचि: । प्रददौ श्रीमत: पिण्डान् नामगोत्रमुदाहरन्
kṛtvā ca dakṣiṇāgrān vai darbhān sa prayataḥ śuciḥ | pradadau śrīmataḥ piṇḍān nāmagotram udāharan |
Bhishma said: Having arranged darbha grass with their tips pointing south, he—pure and self-restrained—placed them as seats beneath the feet of the Brahmins who were to eat. Then, keeping south-pointed darbha before himself as well, he carefully and reverently offered the funeral rice-balls (piṇḍas), pronouncing the name and lineage of his illustrious son.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes disciplined performance of ancestral rites: ritual purity (śuci), careful preparation (prayata), correct orientation and use of darbha, and explicit naming of the recipient through nāma-gotra—showing that dharma is upheld through attentive, truthful, and respectful action.
A performer of śrāddha prepares south-pointed darbha as ritual seats for the Brahmins who will partake of the meal, then offers piṇḍas while reciting the deceased son’s name and lineage, completing the offering with proper formalities.