Shloka 18

Adhyaya 31 — Naimittika and Related Śrāddha Rites: Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, Eligibility, Timing, and Procedure

Sanskrit

तस्माच्छ्राद्धं नरो भक्त्या शाकैरपि यथाविधि ।

कुर्वोत कुर्वतः श्राद्धं कुले कश्चिन्न सीदति ॥

Transliteration

tasmāc chrāddhaṃ naro bhaktyā śākair api yathāvidhi /

kurvota kurvataḥ śrāddhaṃ kule kaścin na sīdati

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് വിധിപ്രകാരം ഭക്തിയോടെ, പച്ചക്കറികളാൽ മാത്രമായാലും മനുഷ്യൻ ശ്രാദ്ധം നടത്തണം. ശ്രാദ്ധം ചെയ്താൽ ആ കുലത്തിൽ ആരും നാശത്തിലേക്ക് പതിക്കുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु-अर्थे), एकवचन; pronoun ‘from that/therefore’

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; object

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; subject

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental (means/attitude)

• शाकैः: with vegetables/greens
• शाकैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; instrumental

• अपि: even; also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे ‘even/also’

• यथा-विधि: according to the prescribed rule
• यथा-विधि: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय-प्रयोगः ‘according to rule’

• कुर्वोत: should perform / do
• कुर्वोत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; विधिलिङ्गार्थे आज्ञा

• कुर्वतः: of one who performs
• कुर्वतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘of one who is doing’ (genitive absolute/possessive)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुले: in the family
• कुले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; locative

• कश्चित्: anyone; someone
• कश्चित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-प्रत्यय ‘-चित्’ (indefinite)

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

• सीदति: sinks; falls into distress
• सीदति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Not specified in provided excerpt (ritual-instruction voice within Adhyāya 31)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "bhakti", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Pitṛs (ancestral spirits)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Pitṛ-pūjā
• Gṛhastha duties
• Ritual minimalism with devotion

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Devotion and correct intent sustain dharma even when resources are limited; simple offerings (śāka) done properly still yield lineage-protecting merit. The verse emphasizes accessibility of Pitṛ-kārya and the social ethic of maintaining ancestral obligations.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Primarily belongs to Dharma/Ācāra material rather than the five cosmological marks; it is ancillary instruction commonly embedded in Purāṇas alongside (but not itself constituting) sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita.

What is the esoteric significance?

Śrāddha symbolizes repayment of the ‘debt to ancestors’ (pitṛ-ṛṇa). Offering even simple food indicates that inner sincerity and continuity of remembrance are the subtle ‘oblation’ sustaining the family’s unseen support-system.