Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

ताभ्यां पिंडं प्रदास्यामि स्यातामेतावहिंसकौ । तीर्थे प्रेतशिलादौ च चरुणा सघृतेन च ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

tābhyāṃ piṃḍaṃ pradāsyāmi syātāmetāvahiṃsakau | tīrthe pretaśilādau ca caruṇā saghṛtena ca || 14 ||

Translation

“Kepada kedua itu akan kupersembahkan piṇḍa, agar keduanya menjadi tidak ganas (tanpa kekerasan). Ini hendaknya dilakukan di tīrtha, di Pretaśilā dan tempat sejenis, dengan caru yang dimasak beserta ghee.”

Word by Word

• ताभ्याम्: to those two (f.)
• ताभ्याम्: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्गे (f.), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), द्विवचनम् (Dual)

• पिण्डम्: rice-ball offering (piṇḍa)
• पिण्डम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• प्रदास्यामि: I shall offer
• प्रदास्यामि: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुषः (1st person), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• स्याताम्: may they be
• स्याताम्: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), द्विवचनम् (Dual)

• एतौ: these two
• एतौ: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), द्विवचनम् (Dual)

• अहिंसकौ: non-violent, harmless
• अहिंसकौ: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Adjective of subject/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहिंसक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), द्विवचनम् (Dual); विशेषणम्

• तीर्थे: at the sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (n.), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• प्रेत-शिला-आदौ: at Pretaśilā and the like
• प्रेत-शिला-आदौ: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + शिला (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (determinative; ‘प्रेतशिला’ as a named stone; ‘आदि’ = ‘etc./beginning’), नपुंसकलिङ्गे (n.), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चरुणा: with cooked oblation (caru)
• चरुणा: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• स-घृतेन: with ghee
• स-घृतेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘with’) + घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः (adverbial/qualifying: ‘घृतेन सह’ = ‘with ghee’), नपुंसकलिङ्गे (n.), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narada (teaching within a tīrtha-māhātmya/ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Pretaśilā
• Tīrtha

FAQs

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

It teaches that piṇḍa-dāna performed at powerful tīrthas (such as Pretaśilā) can pacify harmful influences connected with the departed, transforming them into “ahiṃsaka” (non-harming), and thus restoring ritual and spiritual well-being.

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

While primarily ritual, it aligns with bhakti by emphasizing sacred-place observance and reverent offerings done with faith (śraddhā), treating pitṛ-kārya as a dharmic act supportive of a devotee’s purity and devotional life.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied: the prescription of place (tīrtha/Pretaśilā), offering type (piṇḍa, caru), and substance (ghee) reflects applied śrāddha-vidhi and tīrtha-based ritual injunctions.