Shloka 159
Genealogy of the Ancestors (Pitṛs) and the Procedure of Śrāddha
दत्तमक्षयमित्याहुः पितरः पूर्वदेवताः । स्वाध्यायं श्रावयेत्पित्र्यं पुराणान्यखिलानि च
dattamakṣayamityāhuḥ pitaraḥ pūrvadevatāḥ | svādhyāyaṃ śrāvayetpitryaṃ purāṇānyakhilāni ca
پِتر—قدیم دیوتا—فرماتے ہیں: “جو دان وِدھی کے مطابق دیا جائے وہ اَکشَے، یعنی لازوال ہے۔” اس لیے پِتروں کے لیے پِتریہ سوادھیائے کا پاٹھ سنائے، اور تمام پرانوں کی کتھا بھی سنوائے۔
Pitṛs (ancestral deities) as the quoted authority within the narration
Concept: Dāna performed in proper rite becomes akṣaya (imperishable); recitation of pitṛ-related svādhyāya and Purāṇas nourishes and honors the ancestors.
Application: On śrāddha days, combine charity with sacred listening/recitation; sponsor Purāṇa reading, feed brāhmaṇas, and dedicate merit to ancestors with a devotional intention.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A śrāddha gathering where translucent, benevolent Pitṛs hover like soft moonlit silhouettes above the ritual space, hands raised in blessing as a priest recites from palm-leaf manuscripts. A householder offers dāna—cloth, grains, and a small pot of ghee—while another reciter chants Purāṇa passages, making the air feel thick with sacred remembrance.","primary_figures":["Pitṛs (ancestral deities)","brāhmaṇa reciter","gṛhastha donor"],"setting":"ritual pavilion with kuśa grass seats, palm-leaf manuscripts, dāna items arranged neatly, small fire/lamps","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["pearl white","ash gray","indigo blue","ghee-gold","vermillion"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central brāhmaṇa reciter with palm-leaf manuscript, donor presenting cloth and grains; above them, stylized Pitṛs with gold leaf aura and ornate crowns, rich crimson and emerald textiles, heavy jewelry highlights, symmetrical composition with temple-lamp motifs and gold borders.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: serene night-time śrāddha scene with cool blues, delicate faces, fine manuscript details; Pitṛs appear as faint luminous forms in the sky; courtyard architecture and a small tulsi pot in the periphery as cultural realism (not doctrinally central).","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines, flat pigments; Pitṛs in a horizontal band above, priest and donor below; strong lamp flame, ritual vessels, red-yellow-green palette with black detailing and stylized eyes.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate floral border with lotus and creepers; central tableau of Purāṇa-śravaṇa and dāna; peacocks at corners, deep blue ground, gold highlights; Pitṛs depicted in small circular medallions above as blessing witnesses."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft Vedic chanting","page/palm-leaf rustle","lamp crackle","distant temple bell"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दत्तमक्षयम् = दत्तम् + अक्षयम्; इत्याहुः = इति + आहुः; श्रावयेत्पित्र्यं = श्रावयेत् + पित्र्यम्; पुराणान्यखिलानि = पुराणानि + अखिलानि.
FAQs
It recommends making gifts (dāna) and arranging the recitation/hearing of ancestral-oriented svādhyāya (Vedic recitation) and Purāṇas as offerings for the Pitṛs.
It implies that a properly offered gift—especially within righteous rites such as śrāddha—yields an enduring, inexhaustible merit rather than a temporary result.
The verse underscores generosity and reverent remembrance: giving and transmitting sacred knowledge are presented as lasting acts that benefit both the giver and the ancestral lineage.