Shloka 9

Adhyaya 30 — Madālasā’s Instruction on Household Duties and Naimittika–Śrāddha Rites

Sanskrit

आवाहनं न कर्तव्यमग्नौकरणवर्जितम् ।

प्रेतस्य पिण्डमेकञ्च दद्यादुच्छिष्टसन्निधौ ॥

Transliteration

āvāhanaṃ na kartavyam agnaukaraṇavarjitam | pretasya piṇḍam ekañ ca dadyād ucchiṣṭasannidhau ||

Translation

ആവാഹനം ചെയ്യരുത്; അഗ്നികരണം എന്ന കർമ്മം ഒഴിവാക്കി തന്നെ ഇത് ചെയ്യണം. ഉച്ഛിഷ്ടത്തിന്റെ സമീപത്ത് പ്രേതനു ഒരൊറ്റ പിണ്ഡം നൽകണം.

Word by Word

• आवाहनम्: invocation (calling)
• आवाहनम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ + वह् (धातु) + ल्युट् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम (action noun)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation particle)

• कर्तव्यम्: should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तव्य (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• अग्नौकरणवर्जितम्: omitting the fire-ceremony
• अग्नौकरणवर्जितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्नौकरण + वर्जित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—अग्नौकरणेन वर्जितम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः) ‘devoid of fire-rite’

• प्रेतस्य: of the departed spirit
• प्रेतस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• पिण्डम्: rice-ball offering
• पिण्डम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• एकम्: one (single)
• एकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पिण्डम् इति विशेषण

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/विध्यर्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उच्छिष्टसन्निधौ: in the presence of leftovers/impurity
• उच्छिष्टसन्निधौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्छिष्ट + सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—उच्छिष्टस्य सन्निधौ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

Speakers

• Instructional narrator within the Dharma/ritual discourse (speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "karuna", "secondaryRasa": "dharma", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Preta (departed)

Key Themes

• Ekoddiṣṭa śrāddha
• Preta rites
• Ritual restrictions
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The rite is intentionally pared down: the focus is immediate care for the departed rather than elaborate liturgy, emphasizing sincerity and directed obligation.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ritual-dharma material; not a pañcalakṣaṇa passage.

What is the esoteric significance?

Avoiding āvāhana and fire-rites indicates the preta’s transitional status; the single piṇḍa represents a singular lifeline of sustenance and merit during passage.