Shloka 23

Āvāhāryaka-Śrāddha: Qualifications of Recipients, Paṅkti-Pāvana, and Exclusions

Devanagari script

न श्राद्धे भोजयेन्मित्रं धनैः कार्यो ऽस्य संग्रहः / पैशाची दक्षिणा सा हि नैवामुत्र फलप्रदा

Transliteration

na śrāddhe bhojayenmitraṃ dhanaiḥ kāryo 'sya saṃgrahaḥ / paiśācī dakṣiṇā sā hi naivāmutra phalapradā

Translation

于施罗达（Śrāddha）之祭，不应以友人为食受者，亦不应以金钱“笼络”之作诱。此等酬施名为paiśācī，具鬼魅之性，于后世毫无果报。

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• श्राद्धे: in a śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) [णिच् causative: भोजय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्

• मित्रम्: a friend
• मित्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• धनैः: with money
• धनैः: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• कार्यः: should be made
• कार्यः: Vidhi (विधेय/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (यत्); विधेयार्थ (to be done); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (संग्रहः) इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अस्य: of him/this (person)
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• संग्रहः: accumulation/hoarding (of wealth)
• संग्रहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पैशाची: demonic/ghoulish
• पैशाची: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पैशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (दक्षिणा)

• दक्षिणा: fee/gift (dakṣiṇā)
• दक्षिणा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सा: that
• सा: Anvaya (अन्वय/Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Hetu (हेतु/Reason marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (reason/emphasis)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• एव: at all/indeed
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• अमुत्र: in the other world
• अमुत्र: Desha/Phala-adhikarana (देश/फलसन्दर्भ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अमुत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/परलोकवाचक (adverb: ‘there/in the other world’)

• फलप्रदा: fruit-giving
• फलप्रदा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फल + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (दक्षिणा); तत्पुरुष (फलम् प्रददाति)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma related to śrāddha and dāna

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma
• Śrāddha
• Dakṣiṇā
• Piśāca

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: it emphasizes that spiritual fruit (phala) depends on inner purity and dharmic intention, not on worldly favoritism—hinting that sacred action must align with truth to support higher realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific āsana or dhyāna is taught here; the verse supports Yoga indirectly by prescribing ethical purification (yama-like restraint) in ritual conduct—avoiding attachment, bribery, and partiality that disturb sattva.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Not explicitly; yet the teaching reflects the Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis in practice: dharma and purity of intention are universal prerequisites for spiritual merit, whether one follows Vaiṣṇava devotion or Śaiva-Pāśupata discipline.