यथेह बन्धने कश्चिद्रक्ष्यते विषमैर्नरैः । प्रेतपिंडा न दीयंते षोडशश्राद्धपूर्वकाः
yatheha bandhane kaścidrakṣyate viṣamairnaraiḥ | pretapiṃḍā na dīyaṃte ṣoḍaśaśrāddhapūrvakāḥ
正如在此世间,被囚之人由凶严之人看守;同样地,献给饿鬼(preta)的团食供(piṇḍa)并未奉献——本应从十六次施罗达(śrāddha)起而供之。
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)
Scene: Two parallel scenes: a prisoner guarded by stern men; beside it, a preta guarded in the otherworld, while a family neglects to offer piṇḍas—highlighting the cause of continued bondage.
Neglect of piṇḍa and śrāddha is likened to leaving someone imprisoned—ritual duty is framed as liberation and care.
No sacred site is specified; the verse is primarily about the necessity of śrāddha and piṇḍa for the departed.
Offer pretapiṇḍas in the proper sequence, beginning with the ṣoḍaśa-śrāddhas.