Shloka 8

Matsya Purana — How Śrāddha Offerings Reach the Ancestors

Devanagari script

श्राद्धान्नं वायुरूपेण सर्पत्वे ऽप्युपतिष्ठति पानं भवति यक्षत्वे राक्षसत्वे तथामिषम् //

Transliteration

śrāddhānnaṃ vāyurūpeṇa sarpatve 'pyupatiṣṭhati pānaṃ bhavati yakṣatve rākṣasatve tathāmiṣam //

Translation

Food offered in the śrāddha reaches the departed in the form of subtle ‘air’ even if they have taken birth as serpents; drink becomes available to them if they are in a Yakṣa state, and meat likewise if they are in a Rākṣasa state.

Word by Word

• श्राद्धान्नम् (śrāddhānnam): food offered in śrāddha

• वायुरूपेण (vāyurūpeṇa): in the form of air/subtle breath

• सर्पत्वे (sarpatve): in the state of being a serpent

• अपि (api): even

• उपतिष्ठति (upatiṣṭhati): reaches/serves/is made available

• पानम् (pānam): drink, beverage

• भवति (bhavati): becomes/is provided

• यक्षत्वे (yakṣatve): in the Yakṣa condition/state

• राक्षसत्वे (rākṣasatve): in the Rākṣasa condition/state

• तथा (tathā): likewise

• आमिषम् (āmiṣam): meat/flesh-food.

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (teaching Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Śrāddha
• Nāga/Serpent
• Yakṣa
• Rākṣasa
• Pitṛs (implicit)

Tags

• Shraddha
• Pitru Karma
• Afterlife
• Dharma
• Ritual Offerings

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

This verse is not about pralaya; it teaches the continuity of karmic existence and how śrāddha offerings can reach the departed across different rebirth-states (serpent, Yakṣa, Rākṣasa) in suitable subtle forms.

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

It supports the householder’s (and by extension a king’s) duty of pitṛ-yajña: performing śrāddha is presented as effective and meaningful, because offerings are believed to reach ancestors even if their current embodiment cannot consume ordinary human food.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

The significance is ritual rather than architectural: it underscores śrāddha’s offering-logic—different offerings (food, drink, meat) manifest appropriately for different states of the departed, affirming the prescribed variety of śrāddha oblations.