Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

ताभ्यां बलिमकृत्वा स्याद्गयाश्राद्धमपार्थकम् । श्वानौ द्वौ श्यामशबलौ वैवस्वतकुलोद्भवौ ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

tābhyāṃ balimakṛtvā syādgayāśrāddhamapārthakam | śvānau dvau śyāmaśabalau vaivasvatakulodbhavau || 13 ||

Translation

หากมิได้ถวายบะลีแก่ทั้งสองนั้น พิธีคยา-ศราทธะย่อมไร้ผล ทั้งสองเป็นสุนัข—ตัวหนึ่งสีคล้ำ อีกตัวลายด่าง—กำเนิดจากวงศ์ไววัสวตะ (ยม)

Word by Word

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

• बलिम्: offering
• बलिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• अकृत्वा: without making
• अकृत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), नञ्-पूर्वक (with negation a-), अर्थः: ‘न कृत्वा’ (having not done)

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• गया-श्राद्धम्: the Gayā śrāddha (rite at Gayā)
• गया-श्राद्धम्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (Genitive determinative: ‘गयायाः श्राद्धम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्गे (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• अपार्थकम्: fruitless
• अपार्थकम्: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Subject complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-पार्थक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम् (Singular); विशेषणम् (adjective)

• श्वानौ: two dogs
• श्वानौ: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), द्विवचनम् (Dual)

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Adjective of subject/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम् (numeral adjective), पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), द्विवचनम् (Dual)

• श्याम-शबलौ: black and mottled
• श्याम-शबलौ: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Adjective of subject/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम (प्रातिपदिक) + शबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासः (copulative: ‘श्यामश्च शबलश्च’), पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), द्विवचनम् (Dual)

• वैवस्वत-कुल-उद्भवौ: born from Vaivasvata’s lineage
• वैवस्वत-कुल-उद्भवौ: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Adjective of subject/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैवस्वत (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (Genitive determinative: ‘वैवस्वतस्य कुलात् उद्भवौ’), पुंलिङ्गे (m.), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nom./1st), द्विवचनम् (Dual)

Speaker

Narada (teaching within the Gaya-tirtha mahātmya narration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Gayā
• Śrāddha
• Yama (Vaivasvata)
• Śvāna (dogs)

FAQs

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

It stresses ritual completeness in Gayā-śrāddha: neglecting the prescribed bali to the two Vaivasvata-associated dogs renders the rite ineffective, highlighting dharma as careful adherence to tirtha-vidhi for Pitṛ-satisfaction.

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

Even in a karma-focused rite like śrāddha, the verse implies devotional reverence to divine order (Yama’s domain and tirtha-vidhi). Bhakti here is shown as humble compliance and faith in the sacred procedure rather than self-willed improvisation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is foregrounded: the verse gives a specific injunction (bali to designated recipients) as an essential component of śrāddha at a particular tīrtha.