Shloka 16

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

Devanagari script

प्राचीनावीतिको भूयाद्दक्षिणाभिमुखः स्मरन् । कव्यवालोऽनलः सोमो यमश्चैवार्यमा तथा ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

prācīnāvītiko bhūyāddakṣiṇābhimukhaḥ smaran | kavyavālo'nalaḥ somo yamaścaivāryamā tathā || 16 ||

Translation

प्राचीनावीतिको भूयाद् दक्षिणाभिमुखः स्मरन्। कव्यवाहनोऽनलो सोमो यमश्चैवार्यमा तथा॥

Word by Word

• प्राचीन-आवीतिकः: one wearing the sacred thread in the prācīna manner
• प्राचीन-आवीतिकः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राचीन (प्रातिपदिक) + आवीति (प्रातिपदिक) + क (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (determinative: ‘प्राचीनम् आवीतिः यस्य’ in sense ‘wearing the sacred thread in the prācīna manner’), पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• भूयात्: should be
• भूयात्: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• दक्षिण-अभिमुखः: facing south
• दक्षिण-अभिमुखः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Adjective of subject/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (directional determinative), पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• स्मरन्: remembering
• स्मरन्: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Adjectival participle/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• कव्य-वालः: Kavyavāla (a divine name/epithet)
• कव्य-वालः: कर्म (Object of स्मरन्/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (determinative; epithet), पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• अनलः: Anala (Fire)
• अनलः: कर्म (Object of स्मरन्/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• सोमः: Soma
• सोमः: कर्म (Object of स्मरन्/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: कर्म (Object of स्मरन्/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अर्यमा: Aryaman
• अर्यमा: कर्म (Object of स्मरन्/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्यमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): प्रकारवाचक (manner)

Speaker

Sage Nārada (teaching the śrāddha procedure, as transmitted in the Purāṇic dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Kavyavāhana (Agni)
• Anala (Agni)
• Soma
• Yama
• Aryamā

FAQs

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

It prescribes the correct bodily orientation and inner remembrance for Pitṛ rites: adopting prācīnāvīta, facing south (the direction linked with the departed), and invoking deities who govern the safe conveyance of offerings and ancestral welfare.

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

Here bhakti appears as disciplined remembrance (smaraṇa): even a ritual act becomes devotional when performed with mindful invocation of the deities connected to the Pitṛ-yajña, aligning outer conduct with inner reverence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) through rules of upavīta-wearing and directional posture, and also touches on mantra-smaraṇa (intentional recitation/remembering) as a technical component of śrāddha performance.