Shloka 139
Dharma–Adharma Marks; Daśāha, Piṇḍa Formation, Śrāddha Calendar, Śayyā-dāna, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Rules
देवानां पितरो देवा पितॄणामृषयस्तथा / ऋषीणां पितरो देवाः पिता जयति तेन वै
devānāṃ pitaro devā pitṝṇāmṛṣayastathā / ṛṣīṇāṃ pitaro devāḥ pitā jayati tena vai
தேவர்களுக்கு பித்ருக்களே தேவர்கள்; பித்ருக்களுக்கு ரிஷிகளே தேவர்கள்; ரிஷிகளுக்கு தேவர்களே தந்தையர். ஆகவே இத்தத்துவத்தால் தந்தையே வெற்றி பெறும், உயர்ந்த மரியாதைக்குரியவன்.
Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Lineage is sacral: each order venerates another as its ‘deva’; honoring the father/ancestors aligns one with the cosmic chain of obligation.
Vedantic Theme: Ṛṇa-traya (debts to devas, ṛṣis, pitṛs) and dharmic reciprocity sustaining loka-saṅgraha.
Application: Cultivate pitṛ-bhakti: respect parents, maintain ancestral rites, and honor teachers/sages as part of one continuum of gratitude.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: cosmic/lineage-schema
Related Themes: Garuda Purana śrāddha chapters emphasizing pitṛ-devatā-bhāva and the necessity of pitṛ-tarpaṇa
FAQs
This verse places Pitṛs in a divine position within the cosmic order, showing that honoring ancestors is not merely social custom but a dharmic act tied to the sacred hierarchy.
By declaring the Pitṛs as divine authorities, the verse supports the Purāṇic emphasis that śrāddha and related offerings are meaningful duties that uphold ancestral well-being and familial dharma.
Respect and serve parents—especially one’s father—and perform remembrance/ancestral rites with sincerity; the teaching frames this as a core dharmic practice that strengthens lineage responsibility.