Shloka 4

The Procedure for Offering Piṇḍa (Funerary Rice-balls) — Gayā-māhātmya

Devanagari script

पिंडदानाद्यतस्तस्मात्प्रेतत्वान्मुच्यते नरः । महानदी प्रभासात्र्योः संगमे स्नानकृन्नरः ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

piṃḍadānādyatastasmātpretatvānmucyate naraḥ | mahānadī prabhāsātryoḥ saṃgame snānakṛnnaraḥ || 4 ||

Translation

ଏହିହେତୁ ପିଣ୍ଡଦାନ ଆଦି କର୍ମ କଲେ ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ପ୍ରେତତ୍ୱରୁ ମୁକ୍ତ ହୁଏ। ତଥା ମହାନଦୀ ଓ ପ୍ରଭାସାତ୍ରୀର ସଙ୍ଗମରେ ସ୍ନାନ କରୁଥିବା ନର ମଧ୍ୟ ସେହି ପ୍ରେତଭାବରୁ ମୁକ୍ତ ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• पिण्डदानात्: from offering the funeral rice-ball
• पिण्डदानात्: अपादान (Apadana/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्डदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पिण्डस्य दानम्)

• यतः: because/wherefrom
• यतः: हेतु (Cause marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कारणवाचक (causal adverb)

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: अपादान (Apadana/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रेतत्वात्: from the state of being a preta
• प्रेतत्वात्: अपादान (Apadana/Separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेतत्व (प्रातिपदिक; -त्व तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; भाववाचक -त्व

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः ‘is released’

• नरः: a man
• नरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• महानदी: the great river (Mahānadī)
• महानदी: अधिकरण/निर्देश (Locative sense implied by context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती नदी)

• प्रभासा-त्र्योः: of Prabhāsā and Trī
• प्रभासा-त्र्योः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभासा + त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (प्रभासा च त्री च)

• सङ्गमे: at the confluence
• सङ्गमे: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• स्नानकृत्: one who performs bathing
• स्नानकृत्: विशेषण (Adjectival/agentive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान-कृत् (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ (धातु) से कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (स्नानं करोति इति); कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the tirtha-mahatmya section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Mahānadī
• Prabhāsātrī
• Piṇḍa-dāna
• Preta

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It links two dharmic means of relief for the departed—piṇḍa-dāna (Śrāddha-associated offerings) and tirtha-snāna at a sacred confluence—both said to remove the preta-condition and support onward transition for the soul.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

While not explicitly naming Viṣṇu-bhakti, it reflects bhakti-informed dharma: compassionate service to ancestors through prescribed rites and faith in tīrtha-mahātmya, performed with reverence as an offering-oriented spiritual act.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to Kalpa (ritual procedure) through piṇḍa-dāna and related Śrāddha acts, and to tīrtha-vidhi (rules of sacred bathing), emphasizing correct performance of rites for intended spiritual results.