Shloka 36

The Greatness of Offering Piṇḍas at Viṣṇvādipada (Viṣṇupada) — Gayā Śrāddha Procedure and Fruits

Devanagari script

स्वैरिणीजो ददौ चादौ क्षेत्रिणे बीजिने ततः । ततो भक्त्या महाभागे दत्वापिंडान्महामतिः ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

svairiṇījo dadau cādau kṣetriṇe bījine tataḥ | tato bhaktyā mahābhāge datvāpiṃḍānmahāmatiḥ || 36 ||

Translation

Trước hết, đứa con sinh từ người đàn bà phóng túng (svairiṇī) được trao cho kṣetrin, người chồng “chủ ruộng”; rồi sau đó trao cho bījī, kẻ “gieo hạt”. Kế đó, ôi phu nhân hữu phúc, bậc đại trí ấy với lòng bhakti đã dâng piṇḍa một cách cung kính.

Word by Word

• svairiṇī-jaḥ: the son of a svairiṇī
• svairiṇī-jaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svairiṇī (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa—‘born of a svairiṇī (independent woman)’

• dadau: gave
• dadau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• ādau: at first
• ādau: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial locative used as avyaya (अव्ययीभूत-सप्तमी) ‘at first/in the beginning’

• kṣetriṇe: to the kṣetrin (legal husband/field-owner)
• kṣetriṇe: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• bījine: to the bījin (seed-giver)
• bījine: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bījin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘then/thereafter’

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘then/thereafter’

• bhaktyā: with devotion
• bhaktyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahā-bhāge: O greatly fortunate one
• mahā-bhāge: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya—‘greatly fortunate one’

• datvā: having given
• datvā: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) ‘having given’

• piṇḍān: piṇḍas (offerings)
• piṇḍān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• mahā-matiḥ: the great-minded one
• mahā-matiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya—‘great-minded/very intelligent’

Speaker

Narada (narrating a dharma/ritual-merit account within the Uttara-Bhaga context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It highlights that devotional performance of ancestral rites (piṇḍa offerings) carries spiritual weight, even amid complex questions of lineage and social status.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Bhakti is shown as the inner force that sanctifies ritual action—after resolving duties toward relations, the wise person performs piṇḍa-offerings with sincere devotion, emphasizing intention (bhāva) alongside procedure.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Dharma-śāstra style ritual jurisprudence and śrāddha procedure (kalpa-prayoga): identifying the proper recipients/relations (kṣetrin, bījī) and then performing piṇḍa-dāna as part of pitṛ-kārya.