Shloka 156

Genealogy of the Ancestors (Pitṛs) and the Procedure of Śrāddha

Devanagari script

शशकूर्मयोस्तु मांसेन मासानेकादशैव तु । संवत्सरं तु गव्येन पयसा पायसेन वा

Transliteration

śaśakūrmayostu māṃsena māsānekādaśaiva tu | saṃvatsaraṃ tu gavyena payasā pāyasena vā

Translation

முயல் அல்லது ஆமை மாம்சம் உண்டால் (பிராயச்சித்தப் பலன்) பதினொன்று மாதங்கள் நீடிக்கும்; ஆனால் கோவினுடைய பொருட்கள்—பால் அல்லது பாயசம் (பால்சோறு)—உண்டால் அது முழு ஒரு ஆண்டு நீடிக்கும்.

Word by Word

• śaśa-kūrmayos: of the hare and the tortoise
• śaśa-kūrmayos: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + kūrma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः—‘शशकूर्म’ (hare and tortoise)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• māṃsena: with meat
• māṃsena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• māsān: months
• māsān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• ekādaśa: eleven
• ekādaśa: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekādaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्दः; द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे (agreeing with māsān)

• eva: only/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात

• tu: and/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• saṃvatsaram: a year
• saṃvatsaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃvatsara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• gavyena: with a cow-product
• gavyena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘गव्य’ = गोसम्बन्धि (cow-product)

• payasā: with milk
• payasā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: payas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• pāyasena: with rice-pudding (pāyasa)
• pāyasena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāyasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator/teacher voice in a prescriptive passage)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: śaśakūrmayostu = śaśa-kūrmayos + tu; māsānekādaśaiva = māsān + ekādaśa + eva.

FAQs

What is the main topic of this verse?

It states time-frames for a prāyaścitta (expiatory observance) connected with consuming specific foods—hare/tortoise meat versus cow-derived foods like milk and pāyasa.

Does the verse promote a particular ethical principle?

Indirectly, yes: it reflects a dharmic framework where dietary choices are morally evaluated and where purification/expiation is prescribed, aligning with broader ideals like restraint and harm-avoidance.

Why are cow-products (milk/pāyasa) singled out?

Within many Dharma and Purāṇic traditions, cow-derived substances (gavyam) are treated as ritually significant and purificatory; the verse uses them as benchmarks in prescribing an annual observance.