Shloka 24
Pitṛ-tīrtha Context: Marks of Sin, Śrāddha Discipline, and Karmic Ripening
in Yayāti’s Narrative
अमावास्यां तथा राजन्क्षयाहे परपक्षके । श्राद्धमेवं प्रकर्तव्यं ब्राह्मणादि त्रिवर्णकैः
amāvāsyāṃ tathā rājankṣayāhe parapakṣake | śrāddhamevaṃ prakartavyaṃ brāhmaṇādi trivarṇakaiḥ
Ó rei, no dia de amāvāsyā (lua nova) e também, ó soberano, no dia do aniversário da morte na quinzena escura, o Śrāddha deve ser realizado deste modo pelas três classes dos duas-vezes-nascidos, começando pelos brāhmaṇas.
Unspecified narrator/teacher addressing a king (rājan)
Concept: Śrāddha is to be performed on Amāvāsyā and on the death-anniversary (kṣayāha) in the later fortnight; it is a duty of the twice-born varṇas.
Application: Keep a calendar for remembrance rites; perform them according to capacity with sincerity, feeding the needy and offering water/tila in memory of ancestors.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"On a moonless Amāvāsyā night, a king oversees a śrāddha arrangement: sesame, rice-balls, and water offerings laid on kuśa grass while brāhmaṇas sit in a respectful row. The atmosphere is quiet and ancestral—faint silhouettes of pitṛs appear like mist above the offerings, suggesting the unseen recipients of remembrance.","primary_figures":["a king (rājan)","brāhmaṇas (three twice-born classes implied)","pitṛs (subtle, ethereal)","a ritual teacher/narrator"],"setting":"Courtyard with a small altar, banyan or peepal tree nearby, ritual vessels and plates arranged; night sky without moon.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["indigo black","sesame brown","rice white","bronze gold","smoky silver"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Amāvāsyā śrāddha scene with a king offering tila and water; brāhmaṇas seated receiving honor; pitṛs shown as faint golden silhouettes above; heavy gold leaf halos and borders, rich maroon and emerald textiles, ornate pillars framing the ritual courtyard.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a serene night courtyard under a moonless indigo sky; delicate depiction of kuśa mats, sesame bowls, and piṇḍas; brāhmaṇas in white; the king in subdued royal attire; misty ancestral forms in the background, refined facial features and gentle naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized śrāddha implements in clear bands; king and brāhmaṇas with bold outlines; upper register shows pitṛs as pale figures; warm reds/yellows contrasted with deep black-blue background, temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symmetrical śrāddha tableau framed by lotus and floral borders; rows of seated brāhmaṇas, central offering plates with piṇḍas and tila; deep blue-black ground with gold detailing; peacocks and vines in margins, devotional textile richness."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft water pouring","low bell chime","night breeze","distant owl","quiet mantra undertone"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: राजन्क्षयाहे → राजन् + क्षयाहे; श्राद्धमेवं → श्राद्धम् + एवम्
FAQs
It specifies the new-moon day (amāvāsyā) and the death-anniversary day (kṣayāha), particularly when it falls in the later/dark fortnight (parapakṣa).
The verse states it is to be performed by the three varṇas beginning with Brāhmaṇas—i.e., Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, and Vaiśya (the “trivarṇa”).
It emphasizes dharma through ancestral responsibility: observing prescribed times for rites that express gratitude and continuity of family and tradition.