Shloka 78
Genealogy of the Ancestors (Pitṛs) and the Procedure of Śrāddha
पार्वणेय नियोज्यास्तु तान्शृणुष्व नराधिप । पंचाग्निः स्नातकश्चैव त्रिसौपर्णः षडंगवित्
pārvaṇeya niyojyāstu tānśṛṇuṣva narādhipa | paṃcāgniḥ snātakaścaiva trisauparṇaḥ ṣaḍaṃgavit
Dengarlah, wahai raja, tentang mereka yang patut dilantik bagi upacara Pārvaṇa: pemelihara lima api suci, seorang Snātaka (yang menamatkan pengajian Veda), yang mengetahui tiga himpunan Suparṇa, serta yang mahir dalam enam Vedāṅga (anggota Veda).
Unspecified narrator addressing a king (narādhipa) within the Adhyāya’s dialogue frame
Concept: Sacred rites require qualified persons—those grounded in Vedic discipline, learning, and ritual integrity.
Application: Choose teachers, priests, and advisors by character and training, not by convenience; in spiritual practice, prioritize disciplined foundations (study, vows, purity).
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A row of dignified brāhmaṇas is presented before the king: one tending five sacred fires, another wearing the snātaka’s marks, another holding a manuscript of Suparṇa hymns, and a scholar with Vedāṅga symbols. The narrator gestures as if enumerating qualifications, while the fires glow steadily in the background.","primary_figures":["narādhipa (king)","narrator-sage","pañcāgni-holder","snātaka","trisauparṇa-knower","ṣaḍaṅga-vit (Vedāṅga scholar)"],"setting":"a ritual courtyard with multiple fire altars, darbha bundles, water pots, and a teaching pavilion","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["fire orange","ash white","sandalwood beige","indigo cloth","burnished gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: ceremonial lineup of four qualified brāhmaṇas before a listening king, five small fire altars with stylized flames, gold leaf highlights on flames and jewelry, rich vermilion and emerald textiles, ornate pillars and arch, traditional iconographic clarity and frontal composition.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: refined courtly pavilion with a sage enumerating four officiant types, delicate flames in small altars, soft dawn sky, cool shadows, intricate shawl patterns, gentle facial expressions, fine linework and lyrical spacing.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, stylized fire altars and ritual vessels, four brāhmaṇas in distinct postures (tending fire, holding water pot, holding manuscript, teaching gesture), warm pigment palette, temple-wall symmetry.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical ritual courtyard framed by floral borders; central fires rendered as decorative motifs, figures arranged in balanced rows, deep blue ground with gold accents, lotus and vine patterns emphasizing sacred order."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["crackling fires","soft conch in distance","murmured Vedic cadence","clink of ladles and vessels"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तान्शृणुष्व = तान् + शृणुष्व; स्नातकश्चैव = स्नातकः + च + एव. The nominatives (पञ्चाग्निः etc.) list qualifying candidates; नियोज्याः is gerundive predicate ‘to be appointed’.
FAQs
Pārvaṇa denotes an ancestral offering/Śrāddha-type rite connected with lunar junction days (parvan), where properly qualified officiants are appointed to conduct or assist in the ritual.
These titles indicate ritual competence and Vedic learning: maintaining sacred fires (pañcāgni), completing disciplined Vedic training (snātaka), mastery of specific Vedic hymns (trisauparṇa), and knowledge of Vedāṅgas (ṣaḍaṅgavit), together marking eligibility for solemn rites.
It emphasizes that sacred rites should be entrusted to those with proven discipline, learning, and ritual integrity—highlighting responsibility and standards in religious practice.