Shloka 50

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

Devanagari script

पितृप्रसादाद्युष्माभिस्संप्राप्तं सुकृतं भवेत् । गां प्रोक्षयित्वा धर्मेण पितृभ्यश्चोपकल्पिताः

Transliteration

pitṛprasādādyuṣmābhissaṃprāptaṃ sukṛtaṃ bhavet | gāṃ prokṣayitvā dharmeṇa pitṛbhyaścopakalpitāḥ

Translation

By the grace of the Pitṛs (ancestors), the merit you have obtained will indeed bear fruit. Having ritually sprinkled the cow with sanctified water according to dharma, offer it duly for the sake of the Pitṛs.

Word by Word

• पितृप्रसादात्: from the fathers' grace
• पितृप्रसादात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ+prasāda (पितृ-प्रातिपदिक + प्रसाद-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: पितॄणां प्रसादः; पञ्चमी (ablative), एकवचन; नपुंसक/पुं? 'प्रसाद' पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी एकवचन

• युष्माभिः: by you (all)
• युष्माभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (instrumental), बहुवचन

• सम्प्राप्तम्: obtained, attained
• सम्प्राप्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+प्र+आप् (आप्-धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: सम्-, प्र-; विशेषण (to sukṛtam)

• सुकृतम्: merit, good deed
• सुकृतम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su+kṛta (सु- + कृत-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: सुकृतम् = शोभनं कृतम् (good deed/merit); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवेत्: may be / would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (भू-धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• गाम्: the cow
• गाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (गो-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन

• प्रोक्षयित्वा: having sprinkled (purified)
• प्रोक्षयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+उक्ष् (उक्ष्-धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; उपसर्ग: प्र-

• धर्मेण: by righteousness / properly
• धर्मेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (धर्म-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental), एकवचन; manner/instrument

• पितृभ्यः: to the fathers (manes)
• पितृभ्यः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (पितृ-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (dative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• उपकल्पिताः: prepared/offered
• उपकल्पिताः: Kriya (क्रियाविशेष्य/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+कॢप् (कॢप्-धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपसर्ग: उप-; predicate to implied 'you'

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the dharma of ancestral offerings within the Uma Samhita discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs

FAQs

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

It teaches that ancestral grace supports the ripening of sukṛta (merit) and that dharmic offerings made with right procedure can uplift both the doer and the Pitṛs, aligning household rites with Shaiva purity and karmic order.

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

In the Shiva Purana’s framework, dharmic rites like Pitṛ-offerings are not separate from Saguna Shiva devotion; they stabilize dharma and purify the devotee’s life, making one fit for Shiva’s grace and for deeper worship of the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A dharmic dāna connected with Pitṛ-kārya: ritually sprinkling (prokṣaṇa) the cow with sanctified water before dedicating the offering to the ancestors, ideally accompanied by remembrance and prayerful intention.