Shloka 30
Pātra-Nirṇaya and Ritual Procedure: Who to Feed, Who to Avoid, and Step-by-Step Śrāddha Performance
भोक्तव्यं तैश् च तच्चित्तैर् मौनिभिः सुमुखैः सुखम् अक्रुध्यता चात्वरता देयं तेनापि भक्तितः
bhoktavyaṃ taiś ca taccittair maunibhiḥ sumukhaiḥ sukham akrudhyatā cātvaratā deyaṃ tenāpi bhaktitaḥ
Let that offering be enjoyed with gladness by the serene sages—minds restrained, faces gentle, abiding in inward silence; and let the giver, too, present it with devotion, free from anger and from haste.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Conduct of giver and recipient in śrāddha/ritual feeding
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: compassionate
Concept: The recipient’s serene acceptance and the giver’s unhurried, non-angry devotion together purify the offering and its fruit.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Give without irritation or rushing; receive with gratitude and restraint—making the exchange sattvic and worshipful.
Vishishtadvaita: Bhakti is expressed as disciplined, sattva-filled service; the act becomes an offering to Nārāyaṇa when done without egoic agitation.
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
This verse teaches that dāna is purified by the giver’s inner state: anger and impatience taint the act, while calm, unhurried devotion makes the offering spiritually efficacious.
Parāśara presents a two-sided discipline: the recipients (munis) should accept peacefully with restrained minds, and the giver should offer with bhakti, free from agitation—so the exchange remains sattvic.
Even when Vishnu is not named directly, the Purana frames dharma and bhakti as oriented toward the Supreme Lord; devotion (bhakti) is the principle that elevates ordinary giving into worship aligned with Vishnu’s cosmic order.