Adhyaya 31 — Naimittika and Related Śrāddha Rites: Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, Eligibility, Timing, and Procedure
इति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे अलर्कानुशासने नैमित्तिकादिश्राद्धकल्पो नाम त्रिंशोऽध्यायः ।
एकत्रिंशोऽध्यायः । मदालसोवाच ।
सपिण्डीकरणादूर्ध्वं पितुर्यः प्रपितामहः ।
स तु लेपभुजो याति प्रलुप्तः पितृपिण्डतः ॥
iti śrīmārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe alarkānuśāsane naimittikādiśrāddhakalpo nāma triṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ | ekatriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ | madālasovāca | sapiṇḍīkaraṇād ūrdhvaṃ pitur yaḥ prapitāmahaḥ | sa tu lepabhujo yāti praluptaḥ pitṛpiṇḍataḥ ||
Sa gayon nagtatapos, sa Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, sa pagtuturo kay Alarka, ang ikatatlumpung kabanata na tinatawag na ‘Pamamaraan ng naimittika at iba pang mga śrāddha.’ Kabanata Tatlumpu’t Isa. Sinabi ni Madālasā: Pagkaraan ng sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, ang ninuno na siyang lolo-sa-tuhod ng ama (prapitāmaha) ay nagiging ‘lepabhuj’—yaong tumatanggap lamang ng mga tira—sapagkat nahihiwalay na siya sa tuwirang handog na piṇḍa para sa mga ninuno.
{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "dharma", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
The text emphasizes structured remembrance: offerings are ordered by proximity, ensuring the most immediate ancestors are directly sustained while more remote forebears receive indirect benefit—encouraging continuity of family rites.
This is ritual-dharma instruction (ācāra) rather than pañcalakṣaṇa narrative content; it is appended within the Purāṇa’s didactic sections.
‘Direct piṇḍa’ versus ‘lepa’ encodes degrees of relational energy: closer bonds carry stronger ritual ‘addressability,’ while distant links are sustained through residual transmission.