Shloka 30
गृहस्थस्य सदाचारः: शौच, तर্পण, वैश्वदेव, अतिथिधर्म, भोजन-विधि, संध्योपासन, ऋतु-धर्मः
मातामहाय तत्पित्रे तत्पित्रे च समाहितः दद्यात् पैत्रेण तीर्थेन काम्यं चान्यच् छृणुष्व मे
mātāmahāya tatpitre tatpitre ca samāhitaḥ dadyāt paitreṇa tīrthena kāmyaṃ cānyac chṛṇuṣva me
With a collected mind, one should offer to the maternal grandfather, to his father, and to that father’s father as well, using the tīrtha prescribed for the Pitṛs. And now, hear from me the other rites performed for desired ends.
Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Extending śrāddha/tarpaṇa to maternal ancestors and transition to kāmya rites
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: revealing
Concept: Offerings should be made with concentration to maternal grandfather and his forebears using the proper pitṛ-tīrtha, after which kāmya (desire-motivated) rites may be taught.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Differentiate nitya/naimittika duties from kāmya pursuits; prioritize obligatory dharma before optional desire-based rituals.
Vishishtadvaita: Ordering of duties reflects the hierarchy of puruṣārthas; in Viśiṣṭādvaita, dharma and devotion orient desires toward the Lord rather than egoic ends.
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
This verse explicitly includes the maternal line (mātāmaha and his forefathers) in śrāddha offerings, showing that ancestral duty extends beyond the paternal line and sustains dharmic continuity.
By stressing samāhitaḥ (a composed, focused mind), Parāśara indicates that inner attentiveness is integral to ritual efficacy and dharma, not merely the external act of offering.
In the Vishnu Purana’s dharma framework, properly ordered rites—such as śrāddha—support cosmic stability ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s sovereignty as the sustainer of order, even when Vishnu is not named in the verse.