Shloka 41
Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda
Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity
एतत् ते कथित सर्व त्रिषु पिण्डेषु या गति: । ऋत्विग्यो यजमानस्य पितृत्वमनुगच्छति
etat te kathitaṃ sarvaṃ triṣu piṇḍeṣu yā gatiḥ | ṛtvigyo yajamānasya pitṛtvam anugacchati ||
«Tout cela t’a été exposé, y compris le cours et l’issue liés aux trois offrandes de piṇḍa. Le prêtre officiant (ṛtvij) invité à prendre part au repas du śrāddha revêt, pour ce jour-là, le statut de père du sacrifiant ; c’est pourquoi, ce jour-là, l’union charnelle est tenue pour chose à éviter (par respect et retenue rituelle).»
देवदूत उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes the sanctity of the śrāddha context: the invited officiant/priest is to be regarded as embodying the father (pitṛ) for that day, so the household observes heightened restraint—especially avoiding sexual intercourse—as an act of reverence and ritual discipline.
A divine messenger (devadūta) concludes an explanation about the ‘three piṇḍas’ and their associated outcomes, then states a rule of conduct for śrāddha: the invited priest assumes the father’s status for the day, shaping how the patron’s household should behave.