Shloka 16

Pitṛbhakti and Śrāddha: The Classification of Pitṛs and the Superiority of Pitṛ-kārya

Devanagari script

पितृवर्ती तु यस्तेषां नित्यं श्राद्धाह्निको द्विजः । स सर्वानब्रवीत्कोपात्पितृभक्तिसमन्वितः

Transliteration

pitṛvartī tu yasteṣāṃ nityaṃ śrāddhāhniko dvijaḥ | sa sarvānabravītkopātpitṛbhaktisamanvitaḥ

Translation

But among them, the twice-born who was devoted to the ancestral path—one who regularly performed the daily rites and the śrāddha—rebuked them all in anger, being filled with reverence and devotion toward the Pitṛs.

Word by Word

• पितृवर्ती: devoted to/abiding by the Pitṛs
• पितृवर्ती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ + वर्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पितॄणां वर्ती = following/attached to the fathers)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (genitive plural)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

• श्राद्धाह्निकः: one who performs the śrāddha daily rite
• श्राद्धाह्निकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्राद्ध + आह्निक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (श्राद्धं च आह्निकं च यस्य/श्राद्ध-सम्बद्ध आह्निकः)

• द्विजः: a Brahmin (twice-born)
• द्विजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masc nom sg)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masc nom sg)

• सर्वान्: all (of them)
• सर्वान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (masc acc pl)

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd person sg)

• कोपात्: out of anger
• कोपात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (ablative sg)

• पितृभक्तिसमन्वितः: endowed with devotion to the Pitṛs
• पितृभक्तिसमन्वितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृभक्ति + समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (पितृभक्त्या समन्वितः = endowed with devotion to the Pitṛs)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs

FAQs

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

It highlights dharma rooted in gratitude: honoring the Pitṛs through regular śrāddha and daily duties is presented as a form of disciplined devotion, which supports inner purity and steadiness on the Shaiva path.

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

In Shaiva tradition, orderly observance of dharma—including Pitṛ offerings—stabilizes the householder’s life so that Saguna Shiva worship (such as Linga-pūjā) is performed with purity, faith, and freedom from neglect of obligations.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular performance of āhnika (daily rites) and śrāddha is emphasized; as a Shaiva takeaway, one may pair such duties with daily remembrance of Shiva through the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to keep devotion steady.