Shloka 22
Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda
Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity
"प्रथम पिण्ड किसे देना चाहिये? दूसरा पिण्ड किसे प्राप्त होता तथा तीसरे पिण्डपर किसका अधिकार माना गया है? यह सब कुछ मैं जानना चाहता हूँ” ।।
bhīṣma uvāca | prathamaṁ piṇḍaṁ kise denā cāhiye? dvitīyaḥ piṇḍaḥ kise prāptaḥ bhavati tathā tṛtīya-piṇḍe kasya adhikāraḥ manyate? etat sarvaṁ ahaṁ jñātum icchāmi || śraddadhānena dūtena bhāṣitaṁ dharma-saṁhitam | pūrva-sthāḥ tri-daśāḥ sarve pitaraḥ pūjyāḥ khe-caram, tasya śraddhālu deva-dūtasya evaṁ dharma-yukta-bhāṣaṇe pūrva-diśi sthitāḥ sarve devāḥ pitaraś ca taṁ ākāśa-cāriṇaṁ puruṣaṁ praśaṁsantaḥ ūcuḥ ||
ビーシュマは言った。「第一のピンダ（piṇḍa）は誰に捧げるべきか。第二は誰が受け、第三については誰の権利と認められるのか。これらすべてを知りたい。」信心深き天の使いがこのようにダルマにかなう言葉を述べると、東方に居並ぶ諸天と祖霊（Pitṛs）—敬うべき者たち—は、その空行の者を讃え、答えた。
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharma-question about correct ritual entitlement in śrāddha: the ordered offering of piṇḍas is not arbitrary but governed by duty and rightful claim (adhikāra), and faithful, dharma-aligned speech is affirmed by higher beings (gods and Pitṛs).
Bhishma asks for clarification on who should receive the first, second, and third piṇḍa offerings. After a devoted messenger speaks in a dharma-consistent manner, the gods and ancestral spirits in the eastern quarter praise the sky-moving figure and prepare to answer.