Shloka 8
Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa-Śrāddha Vidhi
One-Year Concluding Rite
ॐ वाच्यतां इत्युक्ते ॐ पितामहादिभ्यः स्वधोच्यताम् / अस्तु स्वधेत्युक्ते पितृब्राह्मण पितृभ्यः स्वधोच्यतामिति / अस्तु स्वधेत्युक्ते ॐ ऊर्जं वहन्तीरिति दक्षिणाभिमुखवारिधारात्यागः / ॐ विश्वेदेवा अस्मिन् यज्ञे प्रीयन्तामिति देवब्राह्मणहस्ते ॐ यवोदकदानम् / ॐ देवताभ्य इति त्रिर्जपः
oṃ vācyatāṃ ityukte oṃ pitāmahādibhyaḥ svadhocyatām / astu svadhetyukte pitṛbrāhmaṇa pitṛbhyaḥ svadhocyatāmiti / astu svadhetyukte oṃ ūrjaṃ vahantīriti dakṣiṇābhimukhavāridhārātyāgaḥ / oṃ viśvedevā asmin yajñe prīyantāmiti devabrāhmaṇahaste oṃ yavodakadānam / oṃ devatābhya iti trirjapaḥ
Quand il est dit : « Que l’on prononce “Oṃ” », on doit dire : « Que Svadhā soit prononcée pour les pitāmahas et les autres Pitṛs ». Quand il est dit : « Qu’il en soit ainsi—Svadhā », on répond : « Que Svadhā soit prononcée pour les Pitṛs et pour les Brāhmaṇas liés au rite des Pitṛs ». Quand il est de nouveau dit : « Qu’il en soit ainsi—Svadhā », en récitant « oṃ ūrjaṃ vahantīḥ », on verse un filet d’eau en faisant face au sud. En disant : « Que les Viśvedevas se réjouissent en ce yajña », on dépose le yava-udaka (eau mêlée d’orge) dans la main du deva-Brāhmaṇa. Puis, avec « oṃ devatābhyaḥ », on répète la formule trois fois.
Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)
Ritual Type: Parvana
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: Mid-rite: svadhā responses, south-facing water-libation, Viśvedevas satisfaction formula, yava-udaka offering, concluding triple japa.
Concept: Mantra, directionality (dakṣiṇābhimukha), and correct offerings (water, barley-water) operationalize karmic efficacy in śrāddha.
Vedantic Theme: Ritual action as a disciplined means to purify saṃskāras and uphold ṛta/dharma; deva and pitṛ harmonization as integrated yajña-vision.
Application: Maintain exact responses to prompts (‘oṃ vācayatām…’, ‘astu svadhā…’), pour water facing south with the specified mantra, offer yava-udaka to the deva-Brāhmaṇa, and perform the thrice-japa ‘oṃ devatābhyaḥ’.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: ritual-ground/household-śrāddha-space
Related Themes: Adjacent śrāddha-vidhi steps: anujñā, svadhā, tarpaṇa, visarjana (1.220.7–1.220.9)
FAQs
“Svadhā” is the formal Pitṛ-invocation used to address and satisfy the ancestors; this verse prescribes when and for whom it should be uttered during the śrāddha sequence.
The south is ritually associated with the Pitṛs; the verse instructs a south-facing water-stream offering (vāri-dhārā) alongside the mantra “ūrjaṃ vahantīḥ,” symbolizing nourishment being carried to the ancestors.
If performing śrāddha or tarpaṇa, follow a disciplined sequence: correct invocations (Svadhā), respectful offerings (water and yava-udaka), and focused repetition (thrice japa), emphasizing intention, purity, and gratitude toward lineage.