Shloka 28

The Procedure for Offering Piṇḍa (Funerary Rice-balls) — Gayā-māhātmya

Devanagari script

परिषिंचेत्त्रिधा सर्वान्प्रणिपत्य क्षमापयेत् । पितॄन्विसृज्य चाचम्य साक्षिणः श्रावयेत्सुरान् ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

pariṣiṃcettridhā sarvānpraṇipatya kṣamāpayet | pitṝnvisṛjya cācamya sākṣiṇaḥ śrāvayetsurān || 28 ||

Translation

He should sprinkle purifying water three times over all, then bow down and seek forgiveness. Having respectfully dismissed the Pitṛs and performed ācamana, he should, in due rite, formally inform the gods who stand as witnesses.

Word by Word

• परिषिञ्चेत्: should sprinkle around
• परिषिञ्चेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√सिच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः परि-

• त्रिधा: threefold
• त्रिधा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: ‘in three ways/threefold’)

• सर्वान्: all (of them)
• सर्वान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन (plural)

• प्रणिपत्य: having prostrated
• प्रणिपत्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नि-√पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable); उपसर्गौ प्र-, नि-; अर्थः ‘having bowed down’

• क्षमापयेत्: should cause (them) to forgive / should ask pardon
• क्षमापयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षम (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: णिजन्त (causative), विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• पितṝन्: the ancestors (manes)
• पितṝन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative), बहुवचन; ऋ-प्रातिपदिक (pitṛ-stem)

• विसृज्य: having dismissed
• विसृज्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; उपसर्गः वि-; अर्थः ‘having dismissed/sent off’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• आचम्य: having performed ācamana (sipped water)
• आचम्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√चम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; उपसर्गः आ-; अर्थः ‘having sipped (water) / performed ācamana’

• साक्षिणः: witnesses
• साक्षिणः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative), बहुवचन; ‘साक्षिन्’ इकारान्त-प्रातिपदिक

• श्रावयेत्: should make (them) hear / should recite to
• श्रावयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: णिजन्त (causative), विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; अर्थः ‘should make (them) hear/recite to’

• सुरान्: the gods
• सुरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching ritual procedure, in the Narada Purana’s Uttara-Bhaga style of dharma/tīrtha-ritual instruction)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs
• Devas

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It emphasizes ritual completion with purity (threefold sprinkling), humility (prostration), and ethical closure (seeking forgiveness), followed by proper dismissal of the Pitṛs and formal witnessing by the devas—ensuring the rite is both spiritually and procedurally complete.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Though primarily ritual, it reflects bhakti through reverence and surrender: bowing, asking pardon for mistakes, and acknowledging divine witnesses—cultivating sincerity and accountability before the sacred.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is highlighted: prokṣaṇa (sprinkling), ācamana (purificatory sipping), visarjana (dismissal of invoked beings), and the formal act of declaring the rite before divine witnesses.