Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 41
Vānaprastha-dharma and Tapas: Śiva–Umā Saṃvāda
Forest-Stage Discipline and Austerity
एतत् ते कथित सर्व त्रिषु पिण्डेषु या गति: । ऋत्विग्यो यजमानस्य पितृत्वमनुगच्छति
etat te kathitaṃ sarvaṃ triṣu piṇḍeṣu yā gatiḥ | ṛtvigyo yajamānasya pitṛtvam anugacchati ||
“Naipaliwanag ko na sa iyo ang lahat ng ito, pati ang landas at kahihinatnang kaugnay ng tatlong handog na piṇḍa. Ang paring tagapagpaganap (ṛtvij) na inanyayahang kumain sa hapag ng śrāddha, sa araw na iyon ay itinuturing na tumatanggap ng katayuang gaya ng ama ng nag-aalay; kaya sa araw na iyon, ang pakikipagtalik ay itinuturing na dapat iwasan (bilang paggalang at pagpipigil na pang-ritwal).”
देवदूत उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes the sanctity of the śrāddha context: the invited officiant/priest is to be regarded as embodying the father (pitṛ) for that day, so the household observes heightened restraint—especially avoiding sexual intercourse—as an act of reverence and ritual discipline.
A divine messenger (devadūta) concludes an explanation about the ‘three piṇḍas’ and their associated outcomes, then states a rule of conduct for śrāddha: the invited priest assumes the father’s status for the day, shaping how the patron’s household should behave.