Shloka 3
Śrāddha-pravṛtti-kathana and Varjya-dravya-nirdeśa
Origin and Prohibitions in Śrāddha
भीष्मजीने कहा--युधिष्ठिर! श्राद्धवेत्ताओंने श्राद्ध-कल्पमें जो हविष्य नियत किये हैं, वे सब-के-सब काम्य हैं। मैं उनका तथा उनके फलका वर्णन करता हूँ, सुनो ।। तिलैब्रीहियवैर्माषैरद्भि्मूलफलैस्तथा । दत्तेन मासं प्रीयन्ते श्राद्धेन पितरो नृप,नरेश्वर! तिल, ब्रीहि, जौ, उड़द, जल और फल-मूलके द्वारा श्राद्ध करनेसे पितरोंको एक मासतक तृप्ति बनी रहती है
bhīṣma uvāca—yudhiṣṭhira! śrāddhavettābhiḥ śrāddhakalpe ye haviṣyāṇi niyatāni, tāni sarvāṇi kāmyāni. ahaṃ teṣāṃ ca teṣāṃ phalānāṃ ca varṇanaṃ karomi—śṛṇu. tilair vrīhiyavair māṣair adbhiḥ mūlaphalaiḥ tathā | dattena māsaṃ prīyante śrāddhena pitaro nṛpa ||
Bhīṣma disse: “Yudhiṣṭhira, as oblações prescritas pelos que conhecem a ciência do śrāddha no código ritual do śrāddha são todas realizadoras de desejos em seus frutos. Eu as descreverei e direi os resultados que concedem—ouve. Ó rei, quando um śrāddha é realizado com gergelim, arroz, cevada, feijão urad (feijão-preto), água, e com raízes e frutos, os Pitṛs (os ancestrais) permanecem satisfeitos por um mês inteiro.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that specific, scripturally prescribed śrāddha offerings (haviṣya)—such as sesame, rice, barley, black gram, water, and roots/fruits—produce definite results: they please the ancestors, here stated as granting satisfaction for a month. The ethical emphasis is on performing ancestral duties according to śāstra with proper materials and intention.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising King Yudhishthira on dharma. Here he begins enumerating the kinds of śrāddha offerings and the duration of benefit they confer upon the Pitṛs, starting with a set of common ritual substances and their one-month effect.