Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 41
Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda
Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity
एतत् ते कथित सर्व त्रिषु पिण्डेषु या गति: । ऋत्विग्यो यजमानस्य पितृत्वमनुगच्छति
etat te kathitaṃ sarvaṃ triṣu piṇḍeṣu yā gatiḥ | ṛtvigyo yajamānasya pitṛtvam anugacchati ||
ಇವೆಲ್ಲವೂ ನಿನಗೆ ವಿವರಿಸಲಾಯಿತು—ಮೂರು ಪಿಂಡಗಳ ಗತಿಯೂ ಸಹ. ಶ್ರಾದ್ಧ ಭೋಜನಕ್ಕೆ ಆಹ್ವಾನಿತನಾದ ಋತ್ವಿಜನು ಆ ದಿನ ಯಜಮಾನನ ಪಿತೃಸ್ಥಾನವನ್ನು ಅನುಸರಿಸಿ (ಪಿತೃತ್ವಭಾವವನ್ನು) ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಾನೆ.
देवदूत उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes the sanctity of the śrāddha context: the invited officiant/priest is to be regarded as embodying the father (pitṛ) for that day, so the household observes heightened restraint—especially avoiding sexual intercourse—as an act of reverence and ritual discipline.
A divine messenger (devadūta) concludes an explanation about the ‘three piṇḍas’ and their associated outcomes, then states a rule of conduct for śrāddha: the invited priest assumes the father’s status for the day, shaping how the patron’s household should behave.