Shloka 7

पितृसर्ग-श्राद्धमाहात्म्य-प्रश्नः

Pitṛ-sarga and the Greatness of Śrāddha: The Inquiry

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । वच्मि तत्तेऽखिलं प्रीत्या पितृसर्गं तु शौनक । मार्कण्डेयेन कथितं भीष्माय परिपृच्छते

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | vacmi tatte'khilaṃ prītyā pitṛsargaṃ tu śaunaka | mārkaṇḍeyena kathitaṃ bhīṣmāya paripṛcchate

Translation

苏多说道：噢舍乌那迦，我将怀着深情为你完整讲述祖灵（Pitṛ）之流出与生成——正如马尔坎德耶在毗湿摩发问时对他所叙述的那样。

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• वच्मि: I tell
• वच्मि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• अखिलम्: entire, complete
• अखिलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘तत्’

• प्रीत्या: with affection
• प्रीत्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; भावे—‘with affection’

• पितृसर्गम्: the creation/origin of the Pitṛs
• पितृसर्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘of the Pitṛs’ + ‘creation’)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थ particle

• शौनक: O Śaunaka
• शौनक: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• मार्कण्डेयेन: by Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• कथितम्: told/narrated
• कथितम्: Karma (कर्म; described content)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त past passive participle (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘told’

• भीष्माय: to Bhīṣma
• भीष्माय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• परिपृच्छते: (when he) asks/inquires
• परिपृच्छते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि+प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; present ‘asks’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Suta
• Shaunaka
• Markandeya
• Bhishma
• Pitrs

FAQs

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

It establishes the sacred lineage of transmission—Sūta relays an earlier teaching (Mārkaṇḍeya to Bhīṣma), emphasizing that dharmic knowledge such as Pitṛ-sarga is to be received respectfully and shared with devotion.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Though not naming the Liṅga directly, it frames a Shaiva Purana teaching context where duties like honoring the Pitṛs are harmonized under Shiva’s lordship (Pati), supporting orderly life (dharma) that culminates in devotion to Saguna Shiva and realization of the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to attentive listening (śravaṇa) and faithful inquiry into dharma; practically, it supports Pitṛ-tarpaṇa and ancestral remembrance performed with Shiva-bhakti, often alongside japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) in Shaiva practice.