Shloka 29
Śrāddha Vidhi (Pārvaṇa-Śrāddha): Invitations, Arghya, Protective Rites, Piṇḍa Offering, Dakṣiṇā, and Visarjana
सौमनस्यमस्तु / अस्त्वित्युक्ते प्रदत्तपिण्डस्थाने अर्घ्यार्थपवित्रमोचनम् / कुशपवित्रं गृहीत्वातेन कुशेन पित्रादिब्राह्मणं स्पृष्ट्वा स्वधां वाचयिष्ये-ॐ वाच्यतां-ॐ पितृपितामहेभ्यो यथानामशर्मभ्यः सपत्नीकेभ्यः स्वधोच्यताम् / अस्तुस्वधा इत्युक्ते ऊर्जं वहन्तीरमृतं घृतमिति पिण्डोपरि वारिधारां दद्यात्
saumanasyamastu / astvityukte pradattapiṇḍasthāne arghyārthapavitramocanam / kuśapavitraṃ gṛhītvātena kuśena pitrādibrāhmaṇaṃ spṛṣṭvā svadhāṃ vācayiṣye-oṃ vācyatāṃ-oṃ pitṛpitāmahebhyo yathānāmaśarmabhyaḥ sapatnīkebhyaḥ svadhocyatām / astusvadhā ityukte ūrjaṃ vahantīramṛtaṃ ghṛtamiti piṇḍopari vāridhārāṃ dadyāt
“ಸೌಮನಸ್ಯಮಸ್ತು” ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಬೇಕು. ಅವರು “ಅಸ್ತು” ಎಂದಾಗ, ಪಿಂಡ ಅರ್ಪಿಸಿದ ಸ್ಥಳದಲ್ಲಿ ಅರ್ಘ್ಯಾರ್ಥವಾಗಿ ಧರಿಸಿದ್ದ ಕುಶಪವಿತ್ರವನ್ನು (ಕುಶವಲಯ) ತೆಗೆದು ಬಿಡಬೇಕು. ಕುಶಪವಿತ್ರವನ್ನು ಹಿಡಿದು, ಆ ಕುಶದಿಂದ ಪಿತೃಪ್ರತಿನಿಧಿ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣನನ್ನು ಸ್ಪರ್ಶಗೊಳಿಸಿ ಸ್ವಧಾವಾಚನ ಮಾಡಿಸಬೇಕು—“ಓಂ ವಾಚ್ಯತಾಂ. ಓಂ ಪಿತೃ-ಪಿತಾಮಹರಿಗೆ, ಅಮುಕ-ಅಮುಕ ನಾಮಧಾರಿಗಳಾದ (ಶರ್ಮನ್ ಅಂತ್ಯ) ಹಾಗೂ ಅವರ ಪತ್ನಿಯರೊಂದಿಗೆ, ಸ್ವಧಾ ಉಚ್ಯತಾಂ.” “ಅಸ್ತು ಸ್ವಧಾ” ಎಂದಾಗ “ಊರ್ಜಂ ವಹಂತೀ, ಅಮೃತಂ, ಘೃತಂ” ಎಂದು ಜಪಿಸಿ ಪಿಂಡದ ಮೇಲೆ ಜಲಧಾರೆಯನ್ನು ಸುರಿಯಬೇಕು.
Lord Vishnu instructing Garuda (Vinata-putra) on śrāddha/pinda-dāna procedure
Ritual Type: Parvana
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: Śrāddha sequence after piṇḍa-pradāna at the piṇḍa-sthāna; during svadhā-vācana and tarpana over piṇḍa
Concept: Pitṛ-yajña through svadhā and nourishing libations; ritual purity (pavitra/kuśa) and correct address (yathānāma) sustain ancestral connection.
Vedantic Theme: ṛṇa-traya (deva-ṛṣi-pitṛ debts) and karma-sambandha; dharma as a purifier that supports sattva and remembrance.
Application: In śrāddha, remove/replace pavitra correctly, touch the pitṛ-brāhmaṇa with kuśa as a ritual conduit, invoke svadhā naming ancestors with spouses, and pour a steady water-stream over the piṇḍa with the stated mantra.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: gṛhya-śrāddha-sthāna / yajña-sthāna
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-khaṇḍa: svadhā-ucchāraṇa, piṇḍa-tarpaṇa, kuśa-pavitra procedures (adjacent verses in 1.218)
FAQs
This verse shows svadhā as the formal acceptance-formula for offerings to the Pitṛs; it marks the offering as directed to ancestors (not devas) and completes the piṇḍa-dāna sequence with proper ritual speech.
After the svadhā is pronounced and accepted (“astu svadhā”), one pours a continuous stream of water over the piṇḍa while reciting words that frame the offering as nourishment (ūrj), nectar (amṛta), and ghee-like sustenance (ghṛta) for the ancestors.
Even in simplified śrāddha practice, maintain clarity of intention—offer respectfully to ancestors, use correct mantras (or their understood meaning), and complete the rite with a water offering as a symbol of sustenance and remembrance.