Shloka 31

पितृसर्ग-श्राद्धमाहात्म्य-प्रश्नः

Pitṛ-sarga and the Greatness of Śrāddha: The Inquiry

Devanagari script

शंतनुरुवाच । शृणु तात प्रवक्ष्यामि प्रश्नं तेऽहं यथार्थतः । पितृकल्पं च निखिलं मार्कण्डेयेन मे श्रुतम्

Transliteration

śaṃtanuruvāca | śṛṇu tāta pravakṣyāmi praśnaṃ te'haṃ yathārthataḥ | pitṛkalpaṃ ca nikhilaṃ mārkaṇḍeyena me śrutam

Translation

Śaṃtanu said: “Listen, dear child; I shall state to you my question exactly as it is. From Mārkaṇḍeya I have heard in full the entire sacred procedure concerning the Pitṛs, the ancestral rites.”

Word by Word

• शंतनुः: Śaṃtanu
• शंतनुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंतनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तात: dear son
• तात: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I will explain/tell
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद, उपसर्ग: प्र-

• प्रश्नम्: question
• प्रश्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रश्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• यथार्थतः: truthfully/as it really is
• यथार्थतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथार्थतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)

• पितृकल्पम्: the rite/procedure concerning the Pitṛs
• पितृकल्पम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ-कल्प (प्रातिपदिक; पितृ + कल्प)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): पितॄणां कल्पः

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक (Conjunction)

• निखिलम्: entire/complete
• निखिलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) of पितृकल्पम्

• मार्कण्डेयेन: by Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मे: my/to me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (heard)

Speaker

King Śaṃtanu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse introduces pitṛ-kalpa transmission (ancestral rite procedure) heard from sage Mārkaṇḍeya.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Pitṛs

FAQs

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

It establishes a dharmic foundation: right inquiry (yathārthataḥ) and proper tradition (hearing from a realized sage) are essential before performing rites—so that actions become purifying and supportive of the soul’s onward journey under Śiva’s supreme governance.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Though it speaks of Pitṛ-rites, the Uma Saṃhitā frames dharma as ultimately upheld by Pati (Śiva). Proper rites performed with Śiva-bhakti and right understanding become offerings within Saguna worship, aligning household duties with devotion rather than mere formality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse suggests disciplined listening to authoritative teaching before undertaking Pitṛ-kalpa; as a Shaiva takeaway, one may begin such duties with Śiva-smaraṇa and japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to sanctify intention, even though bhasma or rudrākṣa are not explicitly mentioned here.