Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

पितृभ्यः प्रथमं भक्त्या तन्मनस्को नरेश्वर सुस्वधेत्य् आशिषा युक्तां दद्याच् छक्त्या च दक्षिणाम्

Transliteration

pitṛbhyaḥ prathamaṃ bhaktyā tanmanasko nareśvara susvadhety āśiṣā yuktāṃ dadyāc chaktyā ca dakṣiṇām

Translation

O lord of men, with single-pointed devotion one should first offer to the Fathers (Pitṛs); and, uttering the auspicious blessing “su-svadhā,” one should then bestow dakṣiṇā according to one’s capacity.

Word by Word

• पितृभ्यः: to the ancestors
• पितृभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), बहुवचन

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तन्मनस्कः: having the mind fixed on that (rite)
• तन्मनस्कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of implied कर्ता)

• नरेश्वर: O lord of men (king)
• नरेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• सुस्वधा: “su-svadhā” (auspicious svadhā)
• सुस्वधा: Vacana (Utterance/वचन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मन्त्रपद-रूपेण अव्यय (ritual exclamation)

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacana (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक (quotative particle)

• आशिषा: with a blessing
• आशिषा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशिष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• युक्ताम्: accompanied/combined (with it)
• युक्ताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शक्त्या: according to ability
• शक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

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

• दक्षिणाम्: the gift/fee (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya; addressing the listener as ‘nareśvara’ in the received verse-style)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Proper procedure and sequence of śrāddha offerings (pitṛ-yajña), including mantras and dakṣiṇā

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pitṛ-tarpaṇa is to be performed first, with focused bhakti and an offering proportionate to one’s capacity, sanctified by the svadhā-benediction.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Begin duties with gratitude to ancestors and give within your means, prioritizing sincerity over display.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma as Bhagavat-ājñā: ritual action done with bhakti becomes service within the Lord’s ordered cosmos.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (Ancestors)
• Dakṣiṇā (ritual gift)

FAQs

What is the significance of offering first to the Pitṛs in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse places the Pitṛ-offering at the beginning of the rite, emphasizing devotion and correct order as essential to dharma and to the continuity of family lineage.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of ‘svadhā’ in ancestor rites?

Here, the rite is to be accompanied by the auspicious utterance “su-svadhā,” indicating that the verbal formula (mantric blessing) properly ‘seals’ the offering for the Pitṛs.

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

Even when discussing śrāddha details, the Purana frames dharma as part of the sustaining cosmic order ultimately grounded in Vishnu as the Supreme Reality who upholds the world through right conduct.