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Shloka 4

Śrāddha-vidhi for Pitṛs: Invitations, Purity, Offerings, and Conduct

ब्राह्मणैस्ते सहाश्नन्ति पितरो ह्यन्तरिक्षगाः / वायुभूतास्तु तिष्ठन्ति भुक्त्वा यान्ति परां गतिम्

brāhmaṇaiste sahāśnanti pitaro hyantarikṣagāḥ / vāyubhūtāstu tiṣṭhanti bhuktvā yānti parāṃ gatim

അന്തരിക്ഷത്തിൽ സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്ന ആ പിതൃക്കൾ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരോടൊപ്പം അർപ്പിത അന്നം ഭുജിക്കുന്നു. അവർ വായുരൂപമായി അവിടെ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു; തൃപ്തരായി ഭുക്തശേഷം പരമഗതിയിലേക്കു പോകുന്നു।

brāhmaṇaiḥwith the Brahmins
brāhmaṇaiḥ:
Saha (सह/association)
TypeNoun
Rootbrāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural
tethey
te:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural
sahatogether (with)
saha:
Saha (सह)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsaha (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, preposition/adverb ‘together with’ (सह-अव्यय)
aśnantieat
aśnanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootaś (धातु)
FormLaṭ (लट्, present), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Plural
pitaraḥthe ancestors
pitaraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural
hiindeed
hi:
Nipāta (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Roothi (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, emphatic/causal particle (निपात)
antarikṣa-gāḥmoving in the mid-air
antarikṣa-gāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootantarikṣa + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; तत्पुरुष-समास ‘going in the sky’ (pitaraḥ-viśeṣaṇa)
vāyu-bhūtāḥhaving become wind-like
vāyu-bhūtāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvāyu + bhūta (कृदन्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; तत्पुरुष-समास ‘become air/wind-like’
tubut/and then
tu:
Nipāta (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, adversative/contrast particle (निपात)
tiṣṭhantistand; remain
tiṣṭhanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootsthā (धातु)
FormLaṭ (लट्, present), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Plural
bhuktvāhaving eaten
bhuktvā:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootbhuj (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having eaten’
yāntigo
yānti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootyā (धातु)
FormLaṭ (लट्, present), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथम-पुरुष), Plural
parāmsupreme
parām:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; gatim-viśeṣaṇa
gatimstate/goal
gatim:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootgati (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing on Śrāddha-dharma

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

P
Pitrs
B
Brahmanas
A
Antariksha
V
Vayu

FAQs

Indirectly: it emphasizes dharma and subtle causality—offerings made in the visible ritual sphere reach subtle beings (Pitṛs) who then attain a “higher state,” pointing to graded spiritual destinies governed by dharma rather than mere material action.

This verse is primarily karma-kāṇḍa (Śrāddha and pitṛ-yajña). In the Kurma Purana’s integrated path, such disciplined ritual action supports inner purification (citta-śuddhi), which later becomes fit for yoga and higher knowledge.

Not explicitly; yet it reflects the Purana’s synthesis by presenting Viṣṇu (as Kūrma) teaching dharma that is equally honored in Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava traditions—ritual duty as a foundation for liberation-oriented practice.