राजोवाच । कर्मणा केन पितरो निरयस्था द्विजोत्तमाः । स्वर्गं यांति सुपुत्रेण तारिताः प्रोच्यतां स्फुटम्
rājovāca | karmaṇā kena pitaro nirayasthā dvijottamāḥ | svargaṃ yāṃti suputreṇa tāritāḥ procyatāṃ sphuṭam
Raja berkata: “Wahai dvijottama, dengan upacara/karma apakah para Pitṛ yang berada di neraka dapat mencapai svarga, setelah diselamatkan oleh putra yang suputra? Jelaskanlah dengan terang.”
King (Rājā)
Listener: assembled brāhmaṇas (dvijottamāḥ)
Scene: The king, hands folded, questions the assembled brāhmaṇas; the queen stands beside him; scholars sit with manuscripts, ready to prescribe rites for pitṛ deliverance.
One should actively seek the correct dharmic means to uplift ancestors, not rely on vague intention.
No tīrtha is named in this question; it introduces the topic of pitṛ-delivering ritual action.
The verse asks for the specific ‘karma’ (rite) that transfers ancestors from niraya to svarga.