Shloka 22
Vṛṣotsarga (Bull-Release Gift): Procedure, Merit, and Narratives on Dharma, Karma, and Liberation
पिता पितामहश्चैव तथैव प्रपितामहः
pitā pitāmahaścaiva tathaiva prapitāmahaḥ
पिता पितामहश्चैव तथैव प्रपितामहः।
Lord Vishnu
Ritual Type: Sapindana
Beneficiary: Pitr
Concept: Ancestral duty extends across three generations; lineage remembrance structures ritual obligation and gratitude (ṛṇa).
Vedantic Theme: Pitṛ-ṛṇa as part of dharma; fulfilling obligations supports inner steadiness and social-spiritual continuity.
Application: In śrāddha or memorial observances, explicitly include father, grandfather, and great-grandfather in intention (saṅkalpa) and beneficiary designation.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: ancestral-ritual context (implied)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana śrāddha chapters: pitṛ-traya and sapinda framework; beneficiary specification in saṅkalpa (general internal continuity)
FAQs
This verse points to the core ancestral scope of Shraddha—offerings are directed to the immediate three paternal generations, establishing a defined lineage for Pitri-related rites.
By naming the ancestral tiers, it anchors the idea that post-death welfare is supported through descendants’ rites, linking the departed to the Pitri order and the ritual economy described in the Preta context.
Maintain regular remembrance and prescribed offerings (e.g., Shraddha/ancestral prayers) for the paternal line up to three generations, cultivating gratitude, duty, and continuity of dharma in family life.