Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 37

Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda

Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity

Devanagari script

देवदूतेन यः पृष्ट: श्राद्धस्य विधिनिश्चय: । गतिं त्रयाणां पिण्डानां शृणुष्वावहितो मम

Transliteration

devadūtena yaḥ pṛṣṭaḥ śrāddhasya vidhiniścayaḥ | gatiṃ trayāṇāṃ piṇḍānāṃ śṛṇuṣvāvahito mama ||

Translation

Wika ng sugo ng mga diyos: “Tinanong mo ako tungkol sa wastong tuntunin at pasya hinggil sa ritong śrāddha. Kaya ngayon, makinig kang mabuti habang ipinapaliwanag ko ang landas at hantungan ng tatlong handog na piṇḍa.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'devadūta', 'definition': 'divine messenger

• celestial envoy'}, {'term': 'pṛṣṭaḥ', 'definition': 'asked

• questioned'}, {'term': 'śrāddha', 'definition': 'ancestral rite

• offering performed with faith for departed ancestors'}, {'term': 'vidhi', 'definition': 'prescribed procedure

• ritual rule'}, {'term': 'niścaya', 'definition': 'determination

• authoritative decision'}, {'term': 'gati', 'definition': 'course

• post-offering result'}, {'term': 'trayaḥ / trayāṇām', 'definition': 'three

• of the three'}, {'term': 'piṇḍa', 'definition': 'rice-ball offering in śrāddha

• symbolic food offering to the departed'}, {'term': 'śṛṇuṣva', 'definition': 'listen (imperative, 2nd person singular)'}, {'term': 'āvahitaḥ', 'definition': 'attentive

• mentally present'}, {'term': 'mama', 'definition': 'from me

Speaker

देवदूत उवाच

Characters & Entities

• देवदूत (Devadūta)
• श्राद्ध (Śrāddha)
• पिण्ड (Piṇḍa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

That śrāddha is governed by a definite ritual order (vidhi-niścaya), and that the offerings—specifically the three piṇḍas—have distinct intended ‘destinations’ or effects; therefore one should learn and perform the rite with attentiveness and precision.

What is happening in the narrative?

A divine messenger responds to a query about the correct procedure of śrāddha and introduces an explanation of what happens to the three piṇḍa offerings, asking the listener to pay close attention.