Shloka 49
The Greatness of Offering Piṇḍas at Viṣṇvādipada (Viṣṇupada) — Gayā Śrāddha Procedure and Fruits
पदानि यत्र दृश्यंते विष्ण्वादीनां तदग्रतः । श्राद्धं कृत्वा पदे येषां तेषां लोकान्नेयात्पितॄन् ॥ ४९ ॥
padāni yatra dṛśyaṃte viṣṇvādīnāṃ tadagrataḥ | śrāddhaṃ kṛtvā pade yeṣāṃ teṣāṃ lokānneyātpitṝn || 49 ||
Là où l’on voit les empreintes sacrées de Viṣṇu et d’autres divinités, on doit accomplir le rite de śrāddha en leur présence même ; ayant fait śrāddha en un lieu d’empreintes divines, on mène les Pitṛs (ancêtres) vers ces mondes élevés.
Narada (teaching within the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha-mahatmya discourse, traditionally framed as Narada’s instruction to sages such as Sanatkumara and others)
Vrata: none
Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"bhakti","secondary_rasa":"adbhuta","emotional_journey":"Wonder at visible divine footprints moves into reverent ritual action (śrāddha) and culminates in promised ascent to higher worlds."}
FAQs
It teaches that śrāddha performed at a visibly sanctified tirtha—marked by the footprints of Viṣṇu (and other deities)—has heightened efficacy, generating merit that specifically benefits one’s Pitṛs by elevating them toward higher realms.
By placing śrāddha “before” Viṣṇu’s sacred marks, the rite becomes Viṣṇu-centered; devotion to Viṣṇu sanctifies even ancestral obligations, showing bhakti as a force that purifies karma and extends grace to one’s lineage.
It highlights ritual application (kalpa/śrauta-smārta prayoga): selecting an auspicious, deity-sanctified location (tirtha with divine footprints) for śrāddha to maximize the intended phala (benefit) for the Pitṛs.