Shloka 42

Pātra-Nirṇaya and Ritual Procedure: Who to Feed, Who to Avoid, and Step-by-Step Śrāddha Performance

Devanagari script

पितामहाय चैवान्यं तत्पित्रे च तथा परम् दर्भमूले लेपभुजः प्रीणयेल् लेपघर्षणैः

Transliteration

pitāmahāya caivānyaṃ tatpitre ca tathā param darbhamūle lepabhujaḥ prīṇayel lepagharṣaṇaiḥ

Translation

He should likewise offer another portion to the grandfather, and then another to the grandfather’s father; holding the oblation upon the kuśa, he should satisfy the Pitṛs by gently smearing and rubbing it in the prescribed manner.

Word by Word

• पितामहाय: to the grandfather
• पितामहाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• अन्यम्: another (piṇḍa)
• अन्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• तत्पित्रे: to his father (great-grandfather)
• तत्पित्रे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्-पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; ‘तत्’ (his/that) + ‘पितृ’

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चय (likewise)

• परम्: the next/further (piṇḍa)
• परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• दर्भमूले: at the root of the darbha
• दर्भमूले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ-मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘दर्भस्य मूलम्’)

• लेपभुजः: the eater/partaker of the smear (i.e., the ancestor)
• लेपभुजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लेप-भुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समास (‘लेपं भुङ्क्ते/भुज्यते येन’—one who partakes of the smear)

• प्रीणयेत्: should satisfy/please
• प्रीणयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री (धातु; प्रीणयति)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative stem प्रीणय-)

• लेपघर्षणैः: by rubbings with the smear
• लेपघर्षणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लेप-घर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘लेपस्य घर्षणम्’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Sequential piṇḍa distribution to father, grandfather, great-grandfather and the tactile rite (lepa/gharṣaṇa) to ‘satisfy’ the Pitṛs

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Stepwise remembrance of three generations and precise ritual handling embodies continuity of lineage and disciplined sacred action.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Maintain continuity with one’s roots (family/community/teachers) through regular acts of remembrance done with patience and care.

Vishishtadvaita: Order (krama) and embodied gesture in dharma reflect a world pervaded by divine governance, where relational duties are spiritually significant.

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs (ancestors)
• Grandfather (pitāmaha)
• Kuśa/Darbha grass

FAQs

What is the significance of offering to the grandfather and the grandfather’s father in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse emphasizes the ordered extension of śrāddha offerings through successive generations, affirming lineage-duty (pitṛ-ṛṇa) and the continuity of family dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of kuśa (darbha) grass in these rites?

He presents kuśa as the ritual support for handling the oblation—here, the offering is placed/managed on kuśa and applied through prescribed smearing and rubbing to please the Pitṛs.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even in ritual instruction, the Vishnu Purana frames dharma as part of the Lord’s sustaining order: properly performed ancestral rites uphold social and cosmic harmony under Vishnu’s sovereignty.