Shloka 3
Śrāddha-pravṛtti-kathana and Varjya-dravya-nirdeśa
Origin and Prohibitions in Śrāddha
भीष्मजीने कहा--युधिष्ठिर! श्राद्धवेत्ताओंने श्राद्ध-कल्पमें जो हविष्य नियत किये हैं, वे सब-के-सब काम्य हैं। मैं उनका तथा उनके फलका वर्णन करता हूँ, सुनो ।।
bhīṣma uvāca—yudhiṣṭhira! śrāddhavettābhiḥ śrāddhakalpe ye haviṣyāṇi niyatāni, tāni sarvāṇi kāmyāni. ahaṃ teṣāṃ ca teṣāṃ phalānāṃ ca varṇanaṃ karomi—śṛṇu. tilair vrīhiyavair māṣair adbhiḥ mūlaphalaiḥ tathā | dattena māsaṃ prīyante śrāddhena pitaro nṛpa ||
Bhīṣma dit : «Yudhiṣṭhira, les oblations prescrites par ceux qui connaissent la science du śrāddha dans le code rituel du śrāddha portent toutes des fruits capables d’accomplir les désirs. Je les décrirai ainsi que les résultats qu’elles donnent — écoute. Ô roi, lorsqu’un śrāddha est accompli avec du sésame, du riz, de l’orge, du pois urad (haricot noir), de l’eau, ainsi qu’avec des racines et des fruits, les Pitṛs (les ancêtres) demeurent satisfaits pendant un mois entier.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that specific, scripturally prescribed śrāddha offerings (haviṣya)—such as sesame, rice, barley, black gram, water, and roots/fruits—produce definite results: they please the ancestors, here stated as granting satisfaction for a month. The ethical emphasis is on performing ancestral duties according to śāstra with proper materials and intention.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising King Yudhishthira on dharma. Here he begins enumerating the kinds of śrāddha offerings and the duration of benefit they confer upon the Pitṛs, starting with a set of common ritual substances and their one-month effect.