Shloka 56

Śrāddha-vidhi for Pitṛs: Invitations, Purity, Offerings, and Conduct

Devanagari script

यद् यदिष्टं द्विजेन्द्राणां तत्सर्वं विनिवेदयेत् / धान्यांस्तिलांश्च विविधान् शर्करा विविधास्तथा

Transliteration

yad yadiṣṭaṃ dvijendrāṇāṃ tatsarvaṃ vinivedayet / dhānyāṃstilāṃśca vividhān śarkarā vividhāstathā

Translation

ଦ୍ୱିଜେନ୍ଦ୍ରମାନଙ୍କୁ ଯାହା ଯାହା ଇଷ୍ଟ, ସେ ସବୁ ନିବେଦନ କରିବ—ବିଭିନ୍ନ ଧାନ୍ୟ, ନାନାପ୍ରକାର ତିଳ, ଏବଂ ସେହିପରି ବିଭିନ୍ନ ଶର୍କରା।

Word by Word

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• यत्: whatever (each and every)
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोग (correlative emphasis)

• इष्टम्: desired, wished-for
• इष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √इष्/इच्छ् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• द्विजेन्द्राणाम्: of the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजेन्द्राणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानाम् इन्द्राः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम (correlative)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• विनिवेदयेत्: should offer/present
• विनिवेदयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद्/वेद् (धातु) + नि + वि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; causative sense ‘to present/offer’ in usage

• धान्यान्: grains
• धान्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), बहुवचन

• तिलान्: sesame seeds
• तिलान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विविधान्: various
• विविधान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (धान्यान्/तिलान् इत्यादीन् विशेषयति)

• शर्कराः: sugars/jaggery pieces
• शर्कराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्करा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), बहुवचन

• विविधाः: various
• विविधाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (शर्कराः)

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Avyaya-bhava (अव्ययभाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (adverb: ‘likewise/also’)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma (dāna and hospitality)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• dvijendra (Brahmana)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: it emphasizes self-transcendence through dāna—reducing possessiveness and ego—an ethical groundwork that supports inner purification leading toward Atman-realization in the Kurma Purana’s broader teaching.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific āsana or dhyāna is stated; the verse highlights karma-yoga in the form of humble offering and service to the worthy, a discipline that purifies the mind and supports later yogic practices described elsewhere in the text.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

By presenting dharma as a shared, non-sectarian foundation: the ethic of reverent offering to the spiritually learned is upheld across Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis in the Kurma Purana, preparing the seeker for higher teachings without sectarian division.