Shloka 33
Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda
Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity
पितर ऊचु. सुमहानेष प्रश्नो वै यस्त्वया समुदीरित:
pitaras ūcuḥ | sumahān eṣa praśno vai yas tvayā samudīritaḥ |
ピトリたちは言った。「天を翔ける神の使いよ、汝が掲げた問いはまことに大いなるもの。汝は我らに、驚くべき微妙な秘義を問うた。神々も聖仙もまた、この祖霊の儀（pitṛ-karman）を称える。なぜならそれは、恩を知る心と血脈の継承、そして先人に負うべき道義の務めを支えるからである。」
देवदूत उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates pitṛ-karman (ancestral duties such as śrāddha) as a profound dharmic obligation. Honoring ancestors is portrayed as an ethically weighty act praised even by gods and sages, grounding social continuity, gratitude, and responsibility across generations.
The Pitṛs respond to a sky-traveling divine messenger, acknowledging that he has posed an exceptionally important and subtle question. They frame the topic—ancestral rites—as a revered secret of dharma, endorsed by higher beings, preparing to explain its significance.