Shloka 4
Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa-Śrāddha Vidhi
One-Year Concluding Rite
ततः पितृब्राह्मणहस्ते पात्रस्थपवित्रदानम् / पात्रस्थपुष्पेण शिरसः करपादार्चनं ब्राह्मणहस्ते ऽन्य जलदानं--हस्ताभ्यां पात्रमुत्थाप्य ॐ या दिव्येति पठित्वा ॐ अमुकगोत्र मत्पितामह अमुकदेवशर्मन् सपत्नीक एष ते अर्घ्यः स्वधा / पितृपात्रेणैव पितामहब्राह्मणहस्ते स्तोकमर्घ्योदकं सपवित्रङ्गृहीत्वास्तोकमुदकं पिण्डसेचनार्थं पात्रान्तरेण पिधाय पितृब्राह्मणवामपार्श्व दक्षिणाग्रकुशोपरि पितृभ्यः स्तानमसीति अधोमुखपात्रस्थपनम्
tataḥ pitṛbrāhmaṇahaste pātrasthapavitradānam / pātrasthapuṣpeṇa śirasaḥ karapādārcanaṃ brāhmaṇahaste 'nya jaladānaṃ--hastābhyāṃ pātramutthāpya oṃ yā divyeti paṭhitvā oṃ amukagotra matpitāmaha amukadevaśarman sapatnīka eṣa te arghyaḥ svadhā / pitṛpātreṇaiva pitāmahabrāhmaṇahaste stokamarghyodakaṃ sapavitraṅgṛhītvāstokamudakaṃ piṇḍasecanārthaṃ pātrāntareṇa pidhāya pitṛbrāhmaṇavāmapārśva dakṣiṇāgrakuśopari pitṛbhyaḥ stānamasīti adhomukhapātrasthapanam
Luego, en las manos del brāhmaṇa que representa a los Pitṛs, uno debe colocar el pavitra (el anillo santificador de kuśa) puesto sobre el recipiente. Levantando el recipiente con ambas manos y recitando "Oṃ yā divyā...", uno debe decir: "Oṃ—Oh mi abuelo paterno de tal y cual gotra, llamado Amuka Devaśarman, junto con tu esposa—este arghya es para ti; svadhā."
Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinātā-putra, describing śrāddha-tarpaṇa procedure)
Ritual Type: Sapindana
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: mid-rite: arghya and preparation for piṇḍa-secanā
Concept: Correct arghya offering with gotra/name specificity and svadhā, using pavitra and kuśa, establishes a valid channel to pitṛs; ‘sthana’ placement anchors the rite.
Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa specificity within dharma: intention (saṅkalpa) and precise designation shape karmic efficacy; śraddhā as operative power.
Application: Place pavitra on the vessel into the pitṛ-brāhmaṇa’s hand; perform aṅga-sparśa with the vessel-flower; offer water; lift vessel and recite; address the pitāmaha with gotra/name and ‘svadhā’; reserve water for piṇḍa-secanā; place inverted vessel on south-tipped kuśa at the left, declaring it the pitṛ-seat.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Type: ritual space
Related Themes: GP śrāddha passages on pavitra (kuśa-ring) and arghya to pitṛs; GP directions: south/left placement for pitṛ-kārya; piṇḍa-secanā preliminaries
FAQs
This verse shows that arghya-water is formally offered to the ancestor with the declaration “eṣa te arghyaḥ svadhā,” where svadhā is the dedicated ancestral invocation that seals the offering as Pitṛ-oriented (not deva-oriented).
It instructs lifting the vessel with both hands while reciting a mantra, taking a small portion of arghya-water with the pavitra, reserving water for piṇḍa-sprinkling, and finally placing the vessel inverted on south-tipped kuśa as a symbolic “seat” for the Pitṛs.
Even when rites are simplified, maintain clarity of intention: dedicate offerings specifically to ancestors (svadhā), follow cleanliness and sanctification (pavitra/kuśa), and perform actions with reverence and correct orientation as taught by one’s tradition and priest.