Shloka 53

यममार्गे सुखदायकधर्माः

Dharmas that Grant Ease on the Path to Yama

Devanagari script

शृणुयाच्छ्रावयेच्छ्राद्धे ब्राह्मणान्यो महामुने । अक्षय्यमन्नदानं च पितॄणामुपतिष्ठति

Transliteration

śṛṇuyācchrāvayecchrāddhe brāhmaṇānyo mahāmune | akṣayyamannadānaṃ ca pitṝṇāmupatiṣṭhati

Translation

大いなる牟尼よ、シュラーダの時に定めの誦読を聴き、またブラーフマナたちにも聴かせる者には、食の供施は尽きることなく、ピトリ（祖霊）への久遠の満足と扶助として立ち続ける。

Word by Word

• śṛṇuyāt: should listen
• śṛṇuyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष/3rd person), Eka-vacana (एकवचन/singular)

• śrāvayet: should cause to hear / should recite
• śrāvayet: Kriyā (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु) + ṇic (णिच् causative)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष/3rd person), Eka-vacana (एकवचन/singular), Causative (णिजन्त/causative)

• śrāddhe: in the śrāddha rite
• śrāddhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (श्राद्ध प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Saptamī-vibhakti (सप्तमी/locative, case 7), Eka-vacana (एकवचन)

• brāhmaṇān: Brahmins
• brāhmaṇān: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (ब्राह्मण प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (द्वितीया/accusative, case 2), Bahu-vacana (बहुवचन/plural)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā-vibhakti (प्रथमा/nominative, case 1), Eka-vacana (एकवचन), Relative pronoun (सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम)

• mahā-mune: O great sage
• mahā-mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (महा प्रातिपदिक) + muni (मुनि प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/vocative, case 8), Eka-vacana (एकवचन)

• akṣayyam: imperishable
• akṣayyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akṣayya (अक्षय्य/अक्षय प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā-vibhakti (प्रथमा/nominative, case 1), Eka-vacana (एकवचन); adjective qualifying annadānam

• anna-dānam: gift of food
• anna-dānam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (अन्न प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (दान प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā-vibhakti (प्रथमा/nominative, case 1), Eka-vacana (एकवचन); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘food’s giving’ = giving of food)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• pitṝṇām: of the ancestors
• pitṝṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (पितृ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti (षष्ठी/genitive, case 6), Bahu-vacana (बहुवचन)

• upatiṣṭhati: attends / accrues / is present (to)
• upatiṣṭhati: Kriyā (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (स्था धातु) with upa- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष/3rd person), Eka-vacana (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs
• Brahmanas

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that śravaṇa (devout listening) during Śrāddha, along with enabling sacred recitation for brāhmaṇas, makes the merit of annadāna ‘akṣaya’—a lasting spiritual support offered to the Pitṛs, aligning dharma with devotion.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

In Shaiva practice, honoring Pitṛs and serving brāhmaṇas are extensions of Saguna Shiva-bhakti expressed as righteous action (dharma). Such rites purify the pashu (bound soul) and reduce pāśa (bondage), preparing the mind for steadier Shiva-worship and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śrāddha with attentive listening to the prescribed recitations and arrange for brāhmaṇas to hear/recite; complete it with annadāna (food offering). As a devotional inner practice, cultivate śravaṇa-bhakti—hearing sacred teachings with faith.