Shloka 29
Śrāddha Vidhi (Pārvaṇa-Śrāddha): Invitations, Arghya, Protective Rites, Piṇḍa Offering, Dakṣiṇā, and Visarjana
सौमनस्यमस्तु / अस्त्वित्युक्ते प्रदत्तपिण्डस्थाने अर्घ्यार्थपवित्रमोचनम् / कुशपवित्रं गृहीत्वातेन कुशेन पित्रादिब्राह्मणं स्पृष्ट्वा स्वधां वाचयिष्ये-ॐ वाच्यतां-ॐ पितृपितामहेभ्यो यथानामशर्मभ्यः सपत्नीकेभ्यः स्वधोच्यताम् / अस्तुस्वधा इत्युक्ते ऊर्जं वहन्तीरमृतं घृतमिति पिण्डोपरि वारिधारां दद्यात्
saumanasyamastu / astvityukte pradattapiṇḍasthāne arghyārthapavitramocanam / kuśapavitraṃ gṛhītvātena kuśena pitrādibrāhmaṇaṃ spṛṣṭvā svadhāṃ vācayiṣye-oṃ vācyatāṃ-oṃ pitṛpitāmahebhyo yathānāmaśarmabhyaḥ sapatnīkebhyaḥ svadhocyatām / astusvadhā ityukte ūrjaṃ vahantīramṛtaṃ ghṛtamiti piṇḍopari vāridhārāṃ dadyāt
“सौमनस्यमस्तु” असे म्हणावे. ते “अस्तु” म्हणताच ज्या ठिकाणी पिंड अर्पण केला आहे तेथे अर्घ्यासाठी धारण केलेले कुश-पवित्र (कुश-अंगठी) काढून टाकावे. कुश-पवित्र घेऊन त्या कुशाने पितृ-प्रतिनिधी ब्राह्मणास स्पर्श करून स्वधा-वाचन करवावे—“ॐ वाच्यताम्। ॐ पितृ-पितामहांस, अमुक-अमुक नामधारी (शर्मण-समाप्त) व त्यांच्या पत्नीसह, स्वधा उच्चारली जावो।” “अस्तु स्वधा” असे झाल्यावर “ऊर्जं वहन्ती, अमृतं, घृतम्” म्हणत पिंडावर जलधारा द्यावी.
Lord Vishnu instructing Garuda (Vinata-putra) on śrāddha/pinda-dāna procedure
Ritual Type: Parvana
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: Śrāddha sequence after piṇḍa-pradāna at the piṇḍa-sthāna; during svadhā-vācana and tarpana over piṇḍa
Concept: Pitṛ-yajña through svadhā and nourishing libations; ritual purity (pavitra/kuśa) and correct address (yathānāma) sustain ancestral connection.
Vedantic Theme: ṛṇa-traya (deva-ṛṣi-pitṛ debts) and karma-sambandha; dharma as a purifier that supports sattva and remembrance.
Application: In śrāddha, remove/replace pavitra correctly, touch the pitṛ-brāhmaṇa with kuśa as a ritual conduit, invoke svadhā naming ancestors with spouses, and pour a steady water-stream over the piṇḍa with the stated mantra.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: gṛhya-śrāddha-sthāna / yajña-sthāna
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-khaṇḍa: svadhā-ucchāraṇa, piṇḍa-tarpaṇa, kuśa-pavitra procedures (adjacent verses in 1.218)
FAQs
This verse shows svadhā as the formal acceptance-formula for offerings to the Pitṛs; it marks the offering as directed to ancestors (not devas) and completes the piṇḍa-dāna sequence with proper ritual speech.
After the svadhā is pronounced and accepted (“astu svadhā”), one pours a continuous stream of water over the piṇḍa while reciting words that frame the offering as nourishment (ūrj), nectar (amṛta), and ghee-like sustenance (ghṛta) for the ancestors.
Even in simplified śrāddha practice, maintain clarity of intention—offer respectfully to ancestors, use correct mantras (or their understood meaning), and complete the rite with a water offering as a symbol of sustenance and remembrance.