Shloka 97

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

Devanagari script

शमीपत्रप्रमाणेन पिंडं दद्याद्गयाशिरे । यन्नाम्ना पातयेत्पिंडं तं नयेद्ब्रह्म शाश्वतम् ॥ ९७ ॥

Transliteration

śamīpatrapramāṇena piṃḍaṃ dadyādgayāśire | yannāmnā pātayetpiṃḍaṃ taṃ nayedbrahma śāśvatam || 97 ||

Translation

À Gayāśiras, on doit offrir un piṇḍa (boule de riz) de la mesure d’une feuille de śamī. Celui dont le nom est prononcé en déposant ce piṇḍa est mené au Brahman éternel.

Word by Word

• शमीपत्रप्रमाणेन: by the measure of a śamī leaf
• शमीपत्रप्रमाणेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शमी (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शम्याः पत्रस्य प्रमाणम् = measure/size of a śamī-leaf)

• पिण्डम्: a piṇḍa (rice-ball offering)
• पिण्डम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• गयाशिरे: at Gayāśiras
• गयाशिरे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गयायाः शिरः)

• यत्: whom/which
• यत्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• नाम्ना: by (his) name
• नाम्ना: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पातयेत्: should drop/place down
• पातयेत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोगार्थः (causative sense possible: ‘cause to fall/place down’)

• पिण्डम्: the piṇḍa
• पिण्डम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• नयेत्: should lead
• नयेत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ब्रह्म: to Brahman / Brahma-state
• ब्रह्म: गति/कर्म (Goal as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शाश्वतम्: eternal
• शाश्वतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ब्रह्म)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Narada–Sanatkumāra dialogue on Gayā-māhātmya)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Gayāśiras
• Śamī (tree)
• Brahman

FAQs

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

It extols Gayāśiras as a supremely potent tīrtha where a correctly offered piṇḍa—done with the named intent for a departed person—becomes a direct cause for that person’s elevation toward the highest, eternal state (Brahman).

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

Though framed as a śrāddha rite, the verse emphasizes intention (naming/saṅkalpa) and sacred place (tīrtha) as channels of divine grace—aligning ritual action with heartfelt remembrance and surrender for the welfare of another.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is highlighted: the prescribed measure (śamī-leaf size), the correct locus (Gayāśiras), and the naming of the beneficiary (saṅkalpa) as essential components of piṇḍa-dāna.