Shloka 3
Śrāddha-pravṛtti-kathana and Varjya-dravya-nirdeśa
Origin and Prohibitions in Śrāddha
भीष्मजीने कहा--युधिष्ठिर! श्राद्धवेत्ताओंने श्राद्ध-कल्पमें जो हविष्य नियत किये हैं, वे सब-के-सब काम्य हैं। मैं उनका तथा उनके फलका वर्णन करता हूँ, सुनो ।।
bhīṣma uvāca—yudhiṣṭhira! śrāddhavettābhiḥ śrāddhakalpe ye haviṣyāṇi niyatāni, tāni sarvāṇi kāmyāni. ahaṃ teṣāṃ ca teṣāṃ phalānāṃ ca varṇanaṃ karomi—śṛṇu. tilair vrīhiyavair māṣair adbhiḥ mūlaphalaiḥ tathā | dattena māsaṃ prīyante śrāddhena pitaro nṛpa ||
Sinabi ni Bhīṣma: “Yudhiṣṭhira, ang mga handog na itinakda ng mga nakaaalam sa agham ng śrāddha sa kodigo ng ritwal ay pawang nagbubunga ayon sa ninanais. Ilalarawan ko ang mga ito at ang mga bungang dulot—makinig ka. O hari, kapag ang śrāddha ay isinagawa gamit ang linga (sesame), bigas, sebada, itim na munggo (black gram), tubig, at mga ugat at bunga, ang mga Pitṛ (mga ninuno) ay nananatiling nasisiyahan sa loob ng isang buong buwan.”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Bhishma teaches that specific, scripturally prescribed śrāddha offerings (haviṣya)—such as sesame, rice, barley, black gram, water, and roots/fruits—produce definite results: they please the ancestors, here stated as granting satisfaction for a month. The ethical emphasis is on performing ancestral duties according to śāstra with proper materials and intention.
In the Anuśāsana Parva’s instruction section, Bhishma continues advising King Yudhishthira on dharma. Here he begins enumerating the kinds of śrāddha offerings and the duration of benefit they confer upon the Pitṛs, starting with a set of common ritual substances and their one-month effect.