Shloka 4

The Procedure for Offering Piṇḍa (Funerary Rice-balls) — Gayā-māhātmya

Devanagari script

पिंडदानाद्यतस्तस्मात्प्रेतत्वान्मुच्यते नरः । महानदी प्रभासात्र्योः संगमे स्नानकृन्नरः ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

piṃḍadānādyatastasmātpretatvānmucyate naraḥ | mahānadī prabhāsātryoḥ saṃgame snānakṛnnaraḥ || 4 ||

Translation

Ainsi, par l’offrande des piṇḍa et les rites qui s’y rattachent, l’homme est délivré de l’état de preta. De même, celui qui se baigne au confluent de la Mahānadī et de la Prabhāsātrī est libéré de cette condition de preta.

Word by Word

• पिण्डदानात्: from offering the funeral rice-ball
• पिण्डदानात्: अपादान (Apadana/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्डदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पिण्डस्य दानम्)

• यतः: because/wherefrom
• यतः: हेतु (Cause marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कारणवाचक (causal adverb)

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: अपादान (Apadana/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रेतत्वात्: from the state of being a preta
• प्रेतत्वात्: अपादान (Apadana/Separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतत्व (प्रातिपदिक; -त्व तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; भाववाचक -त्व

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः ‘is released’

• नरः: a man
• नरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• महानदी: the great river (Mahānadī)
• महानदी: अधिकरण/निर्देश (Locative sense implied by context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती नदी)

• प्रभासा-त्र्योः: of Prabhāsā and Trī
• प्रभासा-त्र्योः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभासा + त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (प्रभासा च त्री च)

• सङ्गमे: at the confluence
• सङ्गमे: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• स्नानकृत्: one who performs bathing
• स्नानकृत्: विशेषण (Adjectival/agentive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान-कृत् (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ (धातु) से कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (स्नानं करोति इति); कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the tirtha-mahatmya section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Mahānadī
• Prabhāsātrī
• Piṇḍa-dāna
• Preta

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It links two dharmic means of relief for the departed—piṇḍa-dāna (Śrāddha-associated offerings) and tirtha-snāna at a sacred confluence—both said to remove the preta-condition and support onward transition for the soul.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

While not explicitly naming Viṣṇu-bhakti, it reflects bhakti-informed dharma: compassionate service to ancestors through prescribed rites and faith in tīrtha-mahātmya, performed with reverence as an offering-oriented spiritual act.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to Kalpa (ritual procedure) through piṇḍa-dāna and related Śrāddha acts, and to tīrtha-vidhi (rules of sacred bathing), emphasizing correct performance of rites for intended spiritual results.