Shloka 54

Adhyaya 31 — Naimittika and Related Śrāddha Rites: Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, Eligibility, Timing, and Procedure

Sanskrit

सतिलेन ततोऽन्नेन पिण्डान् सव्येन पुत्रक ।

पितानुद्दिश्य दर्भेषु दद्यादुच्छिष्टसन्निधौ ॥

Transliteration

satilena tato 'nnena piṇḍān savyena putraka ! / pitanuddiśya darbheṣu dadyāducchiṣṭasannidhau

Translation

次に、子よ、胡麻を混ぜた食をもって、左手でピンダ（piṇḍa）を供え、父に捧げて、ダルバ草（darbha）の上に、（儀礼上）残された食物の近くに置くべきである。

Word by Word

• स-तिलेन: with sesame
• स-तिलेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास (सह-); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (thereafter)

• अन्नेन: with food (rice etc.)
• अन्नेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण

• पिण्डान्: rice-balls (piṇḍas)
• पिण्डान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• सव्येन: with the left (hand)
• सव्येन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण; (left hand/left side)

• पुत्रक: O dear son
• पुत्रक: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; स्नेहवाचक (vocative, affectionate)

• पितॄन्: the fathers/ancestors
• पितॄन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• उद्दिश्य: having addressed/dedicated (to)
• उद्दिश्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive); 'उद्दिश्'—उद्देश्य/समर्पणार्थ (having dedicated/aimed at)

• दर्भेषु: on/among darbha grass
• दर्भेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• दद्यात्: should offer
• दद्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उच्छिष्ट-सन्निधौ: in the presence of the remnants (i.e., near the offering remains)
• उच्छिष्ट-सन्निधौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—'उच्छिष्टस्य सन्निधौ'

Speakers

• Dharma-instruction within the Markandeya Purana narrative (addressing the listener as putraka)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "bhakti", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Pitṛ-pūjā
• Śrāddha
• Piṇḍa-dāna
• Ritual procedure
• Sesame (tila)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Remembrance is enacted through precise giving: the piṇḍa is a concrete token of gratitude and continuity, offered with prescribed materials (tila, darbha) and disciplined gesture.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/dharma instruction; not pañcalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

The piṇḍa symbolizes embodied lineage; darbha is a purifier and ‘seat’ for subtle recipients, while tila is traditionally linked with pitṛs—together forming a ritual bridge between gross and subtle realms.