Shloka 127
The Greatness of the Ancestors: Ekoddiṣṭa Śrāddha, Āśauca Rules, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa
इदं च पितृमाहात्म्यं ब्रह्मदत्तस्य वै नृप । द्विजेभ्यः श्रावयेद्विद्वान्शृणोति पठतेपि वा । कल्पकोटिशतं साग्रं ब्रह्मलोके महीयते
idaṃ ca pitṛmāhātmyaṃ brahmadattasya vai nṛpa | dvijebhyaḥ śrāvayedvidvānśṛṇoti paṭhatepi vā | kalpakoṭiśataṃ sāgraṃ brahmaloke mahīyate
Wahai Nṛpa (Raja), inilah kemuliaan upacara bagi para Pitara sebagaimana diajarkan dalam kisah Brahmadatta. Seorang bijak yang membacakannya kepada para brāhmaṇa—atau yang sendiri mendengarnya atau bahkan membacanya—dimuliakan di Brahmaloka selama seratus krore kalpa penuh.
Unspecified narrator addressing a king (nṛpa) within the Adhyāya’s dialogue context
Concept: Śravaṇa, pāṭha, and śrāvaṇa-to-brāhmaṇas of pitṛ-māhātmya generate immense merit, granting prolonged honor in Brahmaloka.
Application: Read or listen to dharma-kathā regularly; support learned reciters/teachers; integrate remembrance of ancestors with scriptural study and charity.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A learned man sits before a small assembly of brāhmaṇas, reciting from a palm-leaf manuscript while offerings and lamps glow nearby. Above the scene, Brahmaloka appears as a radiant, lotus-like city of light with Brahmā’s serene presence, suggesting the vast timescale of ‘hundreds of crores of kalpas’ as concentric cosmic rings.","primary_figures":["learned reciter (vidvān)","brāhmaṇas (listeners)","Brahmā (as distant celestial presider)"],"setting":"ritual hall or riverbank pavilion transitioning visually into a celestial lotus-city (Brahmaloka) in the upper register","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit merging into divine radiance","color_palette":["lamp-gold","manuscript tan","vermillion","pearl white","cosmic violet"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a central vidvān reciting from palm-leaf manuscripts to seated brāhmaṇas, with ornate pillars and oil lamps; upper panel shows Brahmaloka as a golden lotus-palace with Brahmā enthroned, heavy gold leaf embossing for celestial architecture, rich reds/greens, gem-studded ornaments and decorative borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate kathā scene with delicate brushwork—listeners in white garments, manuscript details, soft lamp glow; above, a pale luminous Brahmaloka rendered like a floating lotus-island with refined celestial figures, cool purples and blues, lyrical composition.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlined recitation tableau with clear gestures of teaching and listening; upper band shows Brahmā in a lotus pavilion, stylized cosmic motifs, red/yellow/green pigments with black outlines and temple-wall symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: kathā-mandap framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs; the act of recitation depicted as a central ritual, while Brahmaloka appears as a large lotus mandala above in deep blue and gold, fine textile ornamentation and patterned negative space."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["page/palm-leaf rustle","soft bell punctuations","low chorus response","steady drone (tanpura-like)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: श्रावयेद्विद्वान् = श्रावयेत् + विद्वान् (त् + व → द्-व). विद्वान्शृणोति = विद्वान् + शृणोति (न् + श → ञ्श/ंś). पठतेपि = पठते + अपि (स्वर-सन्धि). कल्पकोटिशतं = कल्प-कोटि-शतम् (समास). ब्रह्मलोके = ब्रह्म-लोके (समास).
FAQs
It praises transmitting the teaching on the glory of the Pitṛs by having it recited to Brahmins, as well as personally listening to it or reading/reciting it.
The verse states that the person is honored in Brahmaloka for an immense duration—described as a full hundred crores of kalpas.
The verse emphasizes reverence for ancestral rites and the power of sacred listening/recitation (śravaṇa and pāṭha), presenting them as meritorious disciplines connected with honoring tradition and dharma.