Shloka 78
Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga
Path to Yama
योषितः पुरुषस्यापि पिण्डं प्रेतेति निर्वपेत् / सापिण्ड्ये तु कृते तस्य प्रेतशब्दो निवर्तते
yoṣitaḥ puruṣasyāpi piṇḍaṃ preteti nirvapet / sāpiṇḍye tu kṛte tasya pretaśabdo nivartate
Seorang wanita juga hendaklah mempersembahkan piṇḍa bagi seorang lelaki, dengan menamakannya sebagai “preta”. Namun apabila upacara sāpiṇḍya telah disempurnakan baginya, sebutan “preta” itu pun terhenti.
Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni
Ritual Type: Sapindana
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: Up to and including sapiṇḍīkaraṇa (as stated)
Concept: Eligibility and duty: women may perform piṇḍa-offering; ritual completion (sapiṇḍya) changes the ontological/ritual status from ‘preta’ to ‘pitṛ’.
Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra as a transformer of social-ritual identity; dharma sustains ṛta through proper rites.
Application: Ensure sapiṇḍīkaraṇa is performed; recognize women’s agency/responsibility in śrāddha when appropriate; use correct designation until the rite is complete.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: household/śrāddha space
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: sapiṇḍīkaraṇa as the terminus of ‘preta’ period (adjacent verses); Garuda Purana: rules on who may offer piṇḍa and when (contextual)
FAQs
This verse states that after sāpiṇḍya is performed, the deceased is no longer called ‘preta’, indicating completion of a key transition in post-death rites.
It distinguishes the interim ‘preta’ condition—addressed through piṇḍa offerings—from the post-sāpiṇḍya state, where the deceased is ritually integrated with the ancestral line rather than remaining in the preta designation.
It emphasizes timely performance of śrāddha-related rites (including sāpiṇḍya) and affirms that women, too, may offer piṇḍa as part of fulfilling familial dharma toward the departed.