Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 15
प्रतिग्रहभेदः — The Distinction between Giving and Accepting
Vṛṣādarbhī–Saptarṣi Dialogue
कृत्वा च दक्षिणाग्रान् वै दर्भान् स प्रयतः शुचि: । प्रददौ श्रीमत: पिण्डान् नामगोत्रमुदाहरन्
kṛtvā ca dakṣiṇāgrān vai darbhān sa prayataḥ śuciḥ | pradadau śrīmataḥ piṇḍān nāmagotram udāharan |
Bhishma dijo: Habiendo dispuesto la hierba darbha con las puntas orientadas al sur, Nimi—puro y dueño de sí—la colocó como asiento bajo los pies de los brahmanes que iban a comer. Luego, teniendo también ante sí darbha orientada al sur, ofreció con cuidado y reverencia las bolas de arroz funerarias (piṇḍas), pronunciando el nombre y el linaje de su ilustre hijo.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes disciplined performance of ancestral rites: ritual purity (śuci), careful preparation (prayata), correct orientation and use of darbha, and explicit naming of the recipient through nāma-gotra—showing that dharma is upheld through attentive, truthful, and respectful action.
A performer of śrāddha prepares south-pointed darbha as ritual seats for the Brahmins who will partake of the meal, then offers piṇḍas while reciting the deceased son’s name and lineage, completing the offering with proper formalities.