Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

ताभ्यां पिंडं प्रदास्यामि स्यातामेतावहिंसकौ । तीर्थे प्रेतशिलादौ च चरुणा सघृतेन च ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

tābhyāṃ piṃḍaṃ pradāsyāmi syātāmetāvahiṃsakau | tīrthe pretaśilādau ca caruṇā saghṛtena ca || 14 ||

Translation

“அவ்விருவருக்கும் நான் பிண்டம் அளிப்பேன்; அப்பொழுது இவ்விருவரும் அஹிம்சகர்கள் (தீங்கு செய்யாதவர்கள்) ஆவர். இது தீர்த்தத்தில், பிரேதசிலா முதலிய இடங்களில், நெய்யுடன் கூடிய சருவுடன் செய்யப்பட வேண்டும்.”

Word by Word

• ताभ्याम्: to those two (f.)
• ताभ्याम्: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्गे (f.), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), द्विवचनम् (Dual)

• पिण्डम्: rice-ball offering (piṇḍa)
• पिण्डम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• प्रदास्यामि: I shall offer
• प्रदास्यामि: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुषः (1st person), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• स्याताम्: may they be
• स्याताम्: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), द्विवचनम् (Dual)

• एतौ: these two
• एतौ: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), द्विवचनम् (Dual)

• अहिंसकौ: non-violent, harmless
• अहिंसकौ: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Adjective of subject/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहिंसक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), द्विवचनम् (Dual); विशेषणम्

• तीर्थे: at the sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (n.), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• प्रेत-शिला-आदौ: at Pretaśilā and the like
• प्रेत-शिला-आदौ: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + शिला (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (determinative; ‘प्रेतशिला’ as a named stone; ‘आदि’ = ‘etc./beginning’), नपुंसकलिङ्गे (n.), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम् (Singular)

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

• चरुणा: with cooked oblation (caru)
• चरुणा: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• स-घृतेन: with ghee
• स-घृतेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘with’) + घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः (adverbial/qualifying: ‘घृतेन सह’ = ‘with ghee’), नपुंसकलिङ्गे (n.), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

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

Speaker

Narada (teaching within a tīrtha-māhātmya/ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Pretaśilā
• Tīrtha

FAQs

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

It teaches that piṇḍa-dāna performed at powerful tīrthas (such as Pretaśilā) can pacify harmful influences connected with the departed, transforming them into “ahiṃsaka” (non-harming), and thus restoring ritual and spiritual well-being.

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

While primarily ritual, it aligns with bhakti by emphasizing sacred-place observance and reverent offerings done with faith (śraddhā), treating pitṛ-kārya as a dharmic act supportive of a devotee’s purity and devotional life.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is implied: the prescription of place (tīrtha/Pretaśilā), offering type (piṇḍa, caru), and substance (ghee) reflects applied śrāddha-vidhi and tīrtha-based ritual injunctions.