Shloka 57
The Procedure for Offering Piṇḍa (Funerary Rice-balls) — Gayā-māhātmya
आ ब्रह्मणो ये पितृवंशजाता मातुस्तथा वंशभवा मदीयाः । कुलद्वये ये मम संगताश्च तेभ्यः स्वधा पिंडमहं ददामि ॥ ५७ ॥
ā brahmaṇo ye pitṛvaṃśajātā mātustathā vaṃśabhavā madīyāḥ | kuladvaye ye mama saṃgatāśca tebhyaḥ svadhā piṃḍamahaṃ dadāmi || 57 ||
Đối với tất cả tổ tiên sinh trong dòng họ bên cha của ta, cho đến tận Brahmā, và cũng vậy đối với những người sinh trong dòng họ bên mẹ; cùng tất cả những ai liên hệ với ta trong cả hai gia tộc—ta dâng phần piṇḍa này cho họ, với lời xướng “svadhā”.
Narrator (Sūta) conveying the prescribed Śrāddha formula within the Narada Purana’s tīrtha/ritual teaching context
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It expands the scope of śrāddha beyond a narrow lineage by explicitly dedicating the piṇḍa to ancestors from both paternal and maternal lines, up to the cosmic progenitor (Brahmā), emphasizing gratitude, continuity of kula-dharma, and proper Pitṛ-tarpaṇa through the ‘svadhā’ invocation.
While primarily a ritual injunction, it supports bhakti indirectly by making ancestral offerings an act of reverence and duty (dharma) performed with sincerity; such disciplined observance purifies the practitioner and aligns household life with devotion-centered living.
It highlights Kalpa (ritual procedure): the correct ritual address and scope of beneficiaries in śrāddha, including the technical use of ‘svadhā’ (the Pitṛ-formula) and the rule to include both maternal and paternal lineages when offering piṇḍa.