Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 17

Śrāddha-kalpa-kathana

Exposition of the Śrāddha Procedure

Devanagari script

दत्वा तु दक्षिणां शक्त्या स्वधाकारमुदाहरेत् वाच्यतामित्यनुज्ञातः स्वपितृभ्यः स्वधोच्यतां

Transliteration

datvā tu dakṣiṇāṃ śaktyā svadhākāramudāharet vācyatāmityanujñātaḥ svapitṛbhyaḥ svadhocyatāṃ

Translation

ଯଥାଶକ୍ତି ଦକ୍ଷିଣା ଦେଇ ‘ସ୍ୱଧା’କାର ଉଚ୍ଚାରଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ‘ବାଚ୍ୟତାମ୍’ ବୋଲି ଅନୁମତି ମିଳିଲେ, ନିଜ ପିତୃମାନଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ‘ସ୍ୱଧା’ ବୋଲି କହିବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• datvā: having given
• datvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having given’

• tu: but / then
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (विरोध/अन्वय)

• dakṣiṇām: fee/gift (dakṣiṇā)
• dakṣiṇām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• śaktyā: according to ability
• śaktyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• svadhā-kāram: the ‘svadhā’ utterance
• svadhā-kāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svadhā (अव्यय/निपात) + kāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); ‘the utterance/sound “svadhā”’

• udāharet: should utter/recite
• udāharet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-ā-√hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• vācyatām: let it be said
• vācyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया; आदेश)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vācya (कृदन्त; √vac धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्) used as impersonal injunction; 3rd person imperative/passive-style expression ‘let it be said’ (आज्ञार्थ)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• anujñātaḥ: having been permitted / permitted
• anujñātaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anujñāta (कृदन्त; anu-√jñā धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sva-pitṛbhyaḥ: to one’s ancestors
• sva-pitṛbhyaḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘to one’s own fathers/ancestors’

• svadhā: ‘svadhā’
• svadhā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; uttered formula)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svadhā (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: Ritual exclamation (पितृदेवतासम्बन्धी निपात)

• ucyatām: let it be said
• ucyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया; आदेश)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Agni

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: svadhākāramudāharet = svadhā-kāram + udāharet; vācyatāmityanujñātaḥ = vācyatām + iti + anujñātaḥ; svapitṛbhyaḥ = sva + pitṛbhyaḥ; svadhocyatāṃ = svadhā + ucyatām.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Svadhā
• Dakṣiṇā

FAQs

What technical or ritual knowledge (Vidya) is imparted in this verse?

It prescribes the śrāddha sequence: give dakṣiṇā as per capacity, then utter the Svadhā-formula only after the officiant’s/assembly’s permission to recite, directing it specifically to one’s Pitṛs.

How does this verse contribute to the 'Encyclopedic' nature of the Agni Purana?

It preserves precise liturgical protocol (fees, authorization to chant, and fixed exclamatory formulas like ‘Svadhā’)—a procedural detail typical of the Agni Purana’s wide-ranging manual-like coverage of dharma and ritual practice.

What is the spiritual or karmic significance of this specific instruction?

Performing śrāddha with proper dakṣiṇā and correct Svadhā-recitation is held to ensure the offering reaches the ancestors, supporting pitṛ-satisfaction and generating merit (puṇya) for the performer through disciplined ritual correctness.