Shloka 33
Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda
Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity
पितर ऊचु. सुमहानेष प्रश्नो वै यस्त्वया समुदीरित:
pitaras ūcuḥ | sumahān eṣa praśno vai yas tvayā samudīritaḥ |
ພິຕຣະທັງຫຼາຍກ່າວວ່າ: “ໂອ ທູດເທວະຜູ້ເຄື່ອນໄຫວໃນຟ້າ! ຄຳຖາມທີ່ເຈົ້າຍົກຂຶ້ນນັ້ນ ຍິ່ງໃຫຍ່ແທ້. ເຈົ້າໄດ້ຖາມພວກເຮົາເຖິງຄວາມລັບອັນອັດສະຈັນ ແລະລະອຽດລຶກ. ແມ່ນແຕ່ເທວະ ແລະ ມຸນີທັງຫຼາຍ ກໍຍັງສັນລະເສີນພິທີກຳແຫ່ງບັນພະບຸລຸດ (pitṛ-karman) ນີ້; ເພາະມັນຄ້ຳຈຸນຄວາມກະຕັນຍູ, ການສືບສາຍຕະກູນ, ແລະໜ້າທີ່ທາງທຳມະຕໍ່ຜູ້ມາກ່ອນ.”
देवदूत उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates pitṛ-karman (ancestral duties such as śrāddha) as a profound dharmic obligation. Honoring ancestors is portrayed as an ethically weighty act praised even by gods and sages, grounding social continuity, gratitude, and responsibility across generations.
The Pitṛs respond to a sky-traveling divine messenger, acknowledging that he has posed an exceptionally important and subtle question. They frame the topic—ancestral rites—as a revered secret of dharma, endorsed by higher beings, preparing to explain its significance.