Shloka 57

पितृसर्ग-श्राद्धमाहात्म्य-प्रश्नः

Pitṛ-sarga and the Greatness of Śrāddha: The Inquiry

Devanagari script

तेभ्यः पुष्टिप्रदाश्चैव पितरः प्रीणितास्सदा । श्राद्धे ये च प्रदास्यंति त्रीन्पिंडान्नामगोत्रतः

Transliteration

tebhyaḥ puṣṭipradāścaiva pitaraḥ prīṇitāssadā | śrāddhe ye ca pradāsyaṃti trīnpiṃḍānnāmagotrataḥ

Translation

ಆ ಅರ್ಪಣಗಳಿಂದ ಪಿತೃಗಳು ಸದಾ ತೃಪ್ತರಾಗಿ, ಪ್ರತಿಯಾಗಿ ಪುಷ್ಟಿ ಮತ್ತು ಕ್ಷೇಮವನ್ನು ದಯಪಾಲಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಶ್ರಾದ್ಧದಲ್ಲಿ ಹೆಸರು-ಗೋತ್ರವನ್ನು ಸೂಚಿಸಿ ಮೂರು ಪಿಂಡಗಳನ್ನು ವಿಧಿಪೂರ್ವಕವಾಗಿ ಅರ್ಪಿಸಬೇಕು.

Word by Word

• तेभ्यः: from them
• तेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी) वा चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), बहुवचन; here: पञ्चमी 'from them' (contextual)

• पुष्टिप्रदाः: givers of nourishment
• पुष्टिप्रदाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्टि-प्रद (प्रातिपदिक); घटक: पुष्टि + प्रद
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थे: 'पुष्टिं प्रददाति' (giver of nourishment) used as adjective of 'पितरः'

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle (निपात) = emphasis

• पितरः: the Pitṛs/ancestors
• पितरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• प्रीणिताः: pleased
• प्रीणिताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्री (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → प्रीणित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle) = 'pleased/satisfied'

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana/Temporal (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb (कालवाचक)

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

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; relative pronoun

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction

• प्रदास्यन्ति: will give/offer
• प्रदास्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्रीन्: three
• त्रीन्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; numeral adjective qualifying 'पिण्डान्'

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

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; instrumental in compound-like usage with 'गोत्रतः'

• गोत्रतः: according to lineage (gotra-wise)
• गोत्रतः: Hetu/Specification (निर्देश/विवक्षा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तद्धितान्त अव्यय (तस्) = 'with respect to/from the standpoint of lineage'

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Uma-saṃhitā teachings to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs

FAQs

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

It teaches that honoring the Pitṛs through śrāddha is a dharmic obligation that sustains harmony in the karmic order; satisfied ancestors confer puṣṭi (nourishing support), helping the devotee live steadily on the path of Shiva-dharma.

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

In the Shiva Purana’s integrated Shaiva life, Linga-bhakti and household dharma are not opposed: performing śrāddha correctly (with name and gotra) purifies one’s obligations (pāśa) and supports disciplined devotion to Saguna Shiva, ultimately aiding progress toward Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical instruction is to offer three piṇḍas during śrāddha while clearly stating nāma and gotra; as a Shaiva support-practice, one may also maintain purity and remember Shiva inwardly (japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while completing the rite.