Shloka 16
Yamavākya
The Words of Yama
प्रियायाः पितरो यांति मार्जयित्वा लिपिं मम । पितॄणां बीजतो यस्माद्धात्र्या कुक्षौ धृतो यतः ॥ १६ ॥
priyāyāḥ pitaro yāṃti mārjayitvā lipiṃ mama | pitṝṇāṃ bījato yasmāddhātryā kukṣau dhṛto yataḥ || 16 ||
抹去我所记之债后，我挚爱之人的祖灵（Pitṛ）得登高途；因为那种子属诸祖灵，我遂由乳母之胎所怀。
Narada (narrative voice within Uttara-Bhaga; dialogue context traditionally framed around Narada’s instruction)
Vrata: none
Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"adbhuta","secondary_rasa":"karuna","emotional_journey":"From a surprising claim about ancestors’ release through ‘erasing a written obligation’ to a poignant disclosure of unusual birth tied to Pitṛ-seed and a nurse’s womb."}
FAQs
It highlights that ancestral uplift (Pitṛ-gati) can occur when burdens recorded as karmic “obligations” are removed, emphasizing the Purāṇic theme that dharma and meritorious acts can benefit one’s lineage beyond the individual.
While not explicitly naming Vishnu-bhakti, it supports a core bhakti-era Purāṇic principle: spiritual merit and purification (often gained through tīrtha-sevā, vrata, and devotion) can transform destiny and extend grace to one’s family line, including the Pitṛs.
It implicitly reflects Dharma-śāstric and ritual reasoning (connected with Kalpa/Smārta practice): the idea of a ‘record’ (lipi) of obligation and the efficacy of acts that clear such debts, a concept commonly applied in śrāddha, tarpaṇa, and tīrtha-related rites.