Shloka 25

The Procedure for Offering Piṇḍa (Funerary Rice-balls) — Gayā-māhātmya

Devanagari script

एतांस्तु मंत्रांस्त्रीञ्छ्राद्धे स्त्रीलिंगान्वै समुच्चरेत् । पिंडान्दद्याद्यथा पूर्वं पितॄनावाह्य पूर्ववत् ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

etāṃstu maṃtrāṃstrīñchrāddhe strīliṃgānvai samuccaret | piṃḍāndadyādyathā pūrvaṃ pitṝnāvāhya pūrvavat || 25 ||

Translation

ಶ್ರಾದ್ಧದಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ಮೂರು ಮಂತ್ರಗಳನ್ನು ಸ್ತ್ರೀಲಿಂಗ ರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ಉಚ್ಚರಿಸಬೇಕು; ಪೂರ್ವವತ್ತಾಗಿ ಪಿತೃಗಳನ್ನು ಆವಾಹನ ಮಾಡಿ, ಹಿಂದಿನ ವಿಧಿಯಂತೆ ಪಿಂಡಗಳನ್ನು ಅರ್ಪಿಸಬೇಕು।

Word by Word

• एतान्: these
• एतान्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; विशेषण (मन्त्रान्)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध/विरोधसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Particle)

• मन्त्रान्: mantras
• मन्त्रान्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• त्रीन्: three
• त्रीन्: कर्म (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण (मन्त्रान्)

• श्राद्धे: in the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धे: अधिकरण (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• स्त्री-लिङ्गान्: in feminine gender (forms)
• स्त्री-लिङ्गान्: कर्मविशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्त्री + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्त्रियाः लिङ्गम्) = feminine-gendered; विशेषण (मन्त्रान्)

• वै: indeed
• वै: निपात (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Emphatic particle)

• समुच्चरेत्: should recite/utter
• समुच्चरेत्: विधेय क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उत् + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• दद्यात्: should offer/give
• दद्यात्: विधेय क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यथा: as, in the manner that
• यथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Comparative/relative adverb)

• पूर्वम्: previously, before
• पूर्वम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverbial accusative)

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

• आवाह्य: having invoked
• आवाह्य: पूर्वकाल (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + वह् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having invoked’

• पूर्ववत्: as before, in the former way
• पूर्ववत्: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Narada Purana teaching on Śrāddha procedure)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs

FAQs

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

It emphasizes precision in Śrāddha: correct mantra-usage (including grammatical gender) and the proper sequence—invocation of the Pitṛs followed by piṇḍa-offerings—so the ancestral rite becomes spiritually effective.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Here Bhakti is expressed as reverent, disciplined service—honoring the Pitṛs through correctly performed rites—reflecting devotion through careful adherence to dharmic procedure.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vyākaraṇa (Sanskrit grammar) is directly implied: the verse instructs using strīliṅga (feminine gender) forms in mantra-recitation during Śrāddha, showing how grammatical correctness supports ritual correctness.