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

ਦੁਵਿਜੇਂਦ੍ਰਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਜੋ ਜੋ ਪਸੰਦ ਹੋਵੇ, ਉਹ ਸਭ ਅਰਪਣ ਕਰੇ—ਵੱਖ ਵੱਖ ਅਨਾਜ, ਨਾਨਾ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਰ ਦੇ ਤਿਲ, ਅਤੇ ਇਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਈ ਕਿਸਮਾਂ ਦੀ ਸ਼ੱਕਰ।

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.