Shloka 33
Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda
Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity
पितर ऊचु. सुमहानेष प्रश्नो वै यस्त्वया समुदीरित:
pitaras ūcuḥ | sumahān eṣa praśno vai yas tvayā samudīritaḥ |
Les Pitṛ dirent : «Ô messager divin qui parcours le ciel, la question que tu as soulevée est véritablement immense. Tu nous as interrogés sur un secret merveilleux et subtil. Même les dieux et les sages louent ce rite des ancêtres (pitṛ-karman), car il maintient la gratitude, la continuité de la lignée et le devoir moral envers ceux qui nous ont précédés.»
देवदूत उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates pitṛ-karman (ancestral duties such as śrāddha) as a profound dharmic obligation. Honoring ancestors is portrayed as an ethically weighty act praised even by gods and sages, grounding social continuity, gratitude, and responsibility across generations.
The Pitṛs respond to a sky-traveling divine messenger, acknowledging that he has posed an exceptionally important and subtle question. They frame the topic—ancestral rites—as a revered secret of dharma, endorsed by higher beings, preparing to explain its significance.