Shloka 50

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

Devanagari script

जात्यं तरसहस्रेषु ये भ्रमंति स्वकर्मणा । मानुष्यं दुर्लभं येषां तेभ्यः पिंडं ददाम्यहम् ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

jātyaṃ tarasahasreṣu ye bhramaṃti svakarmaṇā | mānuṣyaṃ durlabhaṃ yeṣāṃ tebhyaḥ piṃḍaṃ dadāmyaham || 50 ||

Translation

แด่ผู้ที่ด้วยกรรมของตนเองเร่ร่อนผ่านกำเนิดนับพัน และผู้ที่ได้เกิดเป็นมนุษย์ได้ยาก ข้าพเจ้าขอถวายปิณฑะนี้

Word by Word

• जात्यम्: (various) births/species-states
• जात्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; implied ‘(various) births’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘जाति/जन्म-प्रकार’ अर्थे

• तरसहस्रेषु: among thousands (of states/conditions)
• तरसहस्रेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर-सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक; तर + सहस्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/निर्देश: तराणां सहस्रेषु = in thousands of ‘crossings/conditions’)

• ये: who
• ये: कर्तृ (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भ्रमन्ति: wander
• भ्रमन्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• स्वकर्मणा: by their own karma
• स्वकर्मणा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + कर्मन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘one’s own’ + ‘karma’)

• मानुष्यम्: human state/birth
• मानुष्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; durlabham)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दुर्लभम्: rare, hard to obtain
• दुर्लभम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying मानुष्यम्)

• येषाम्: for whom/whose
• येषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• तेभ्यः: to them
• तेभ्यः: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पिण्डम्: piṇḍa offering
• पिण्डम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ददामि: I give
• ददामि: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्तृ (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Pilgrim/ritual performer (narrative voice within the Tīrtha–Māhātmya section; specific named speaker not explicit in this single verse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

FAQs

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

It frames piṇḍa-dāna as an act of compassion toward beings bound by karma and saṃsāra, acknowledging the rarity of human birth and directing merit through śrāddha offerings.

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

By treating ritual offering as a sacred, selfless act, it supports bhakti in practice—service done with reverence and intent to benefit others—though the verse itself centers on karma and śrāddha rather than explicitly naming a deity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It implicitly points to Kalpa (ritual procedure) through the practice of śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna—how offerings are formally given for the benefit of departed beings/ancestors.