Shloka 37

Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda

Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity

Devanagari script

देवदूतेन यः पृष्ट: श्राद्धस्य विधिनिश्चय: । गतिं त्रयाणां पिण्डानां शृणुष्वावहितो मम

Transliteration

devadūtena yaḥ pṛṣṭaḥ śrāddhasya vidhiniścayaḥ | gatiṃ trayāṇāṃ piṇḍānāṃ śṛṇuṣvāvahito mama ||

Translation

ദേവദൂതൻ പറഞ്ഞു: “ശ്രാദ്ധത്തിന്റെ വിധിനിർണ്ണയം നീ എന്നോടു ചോദിച്ചു. ഇനി മൂന്നു പിണ്ഡങ്ങളുടെ ഗതി കേൾക്കുക—ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ എന്റെ വാക്ക് കേൾക്കുക.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'devadūta', 'definition': 'divine messenger

• celestial envoy'}, {'term': 'pṛṣṭaḥ', 'definition': 'asked

• questioned'}, {'term': 'śrāddha', 'definition': 'ancestral rite

• offering performed with faith for departed ancestors'}, {'term': 'vidhi', 'definition': 'prescribed procedure

• ritual rule'}, {'term': 'niścaya', 'definition': 'determination

• authoritative decision'}, {'term': 'gati', 'definition': 'course

• post-offering result'}, {'term': 'trayaḥ / trayāṇām', 'definition': 'three

• of the three'}, {'term': 'piṇḍa', 'definition': 'rice-ball offering in śrāddha

• symbolic food offering to the departed'}, {'term': 'śṛṇuṣva', 'definition': 'listen (imperative, 2nd person singular)'}, {'term': 'āvahitaḥ', 'definition': 'attentive

• mentally present'}, {'term': 'mama', 'definition': 'from me

Speaker

देवदूत उवाच

Characters & Entities

• देवदूत (Devadūta)
• श्राद्ध (Śrāddha)
• पिण्ड (Piṇḍa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That śrāddha is governed by a definite ritual order (vidhi-niścaya), and that the offerings—specifically the three piṇḍas—have distinct intended ‘destinations’ or effects; therefore one should learn and perform the rite with attentiveness and precision.

What is happening in the narrative?

A divine messenger responds to a query about the correct procedure of śrāddha and introduces an explanation of what happens to the three piṇḍa offerings, asking the listener to pay close attention.