Shloka 22
अलोभोपाख्यानम् — शुनःसख-यातुधानी-संवादः
The Allegory of Non-Greed: Śunaḥsakha and the Yātudhānī
एते च पितरो राजन्नेष श्राद्धविधि: पर: । कुरुकुलश्रेष्ठ! ब्रह्मा, पुलस्त्य, वसिष्ठ, पुलह, अंगिरा, क्रतु और महर्षि कश्यप--ये सात ऋषि महान् योगेश्वर और पितर माने गये हैं। राजन्! इस प्रकार यह श्राद्धकी उत्तम विधि बतायी गयी || २०-२१ $ ।।
ete ca pitaro rājann eṣa śrāddhavidhiḥ paraḥ | pretāstu piṇḍasambandhān mucyante tena karmaṇā ||
毗湿摩说道：“大王啊，这些确是诸祖灵（Pitṛ），而此乃至上的施祖祭（śrāddha）之法。凭借此仪，那些处于‘饿鬼/中阴’（preta）状态的亡者，因与团食供（piṇḍa）相系，得以脱离彼境之苦。故我已依照圣典（śāstra）向你详明施祖祭的起源与全体脉络；如今我将谈论布施（dāna）之事。”
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Śrāddha, performed according to śāstra, is presented as a ‘supreme’ rite that benefits the departed: through the piṇḍa-offering and its ritual linkage, those in the preta condition are said to be released from that distress. The passage also signals a transition from śrāddha to the ethics of dāna (charitable giving).
Bhīṣma continues his instruction to the king, summarizing the authoritative śrāddha procedure and its intended effect on the departed, while referencing revered sages as exemplars/authorities. He then announces that he will proceed to teach about dāna.