तं चितागतम् आज्ञाय वैश्वानरमुखे हुतम् ॥
प्रविष्टा पावकं माद्री हित्वा जीवितम् आत्मनः ॥
सा गता सह तेनैव पतिलोकम् अनुव्रता ॥
तस्यास् तस्य च यत् कार्यं क्रियतां तदनन्तरम् ॥
इमे तयोः शरीरे द्वे सुताश् चेमे तयोर् वराः ॥
क्रियाभिर् अनुगृह्यन्तां सह मात्रा परंतपाः ॥
प्रेतकार्ये च निर्वृत्ते पितृमेधं महायशाः ॥
लभतां सर्वधर्मज्ञः पाण्डुः कुरुकुलोद्वहः ॥
taṃ citāgatam ājñāya vaiśvānaramukhe hutam ||
praviṣṭā pāvakaṃ mādrī hitvā jīvitam ātmanaḥ ||
sā gatā saha tenaiva patilokam anuvratā ||
tasyās tasya ca yat kāryaṃ kriyatāṃ tadanantaram ||
ime tayoḥ śarīre dve sutāś ceme tayor varāḥ ||
kriyābhir anugṛhyantāṃ saha mātrā paraṃtapāḥ ||
pretakārye ca nirvṛtte pitṛmedhaṃ mahāyaśāḥ ||
labhatāṃ sarvadharmajñaḥ pāṇḍuḥ kurukulodvahaḥ ||
"'Having learned that he had been placed on the pyre and offered into the mouth of the fire, Madri entered the fire, giving up her own life; she, faithful, went together with him into the world of her husband. Whatever rite is due for her and for him, let it be performed straightway thereafter. Here are their two bodies, and here are these excellent sons of theirs; let them be honored with the rites, together with their mother, O scorchers of foes. And when the funeral rite is concluded, let the most glorious Pandu, knower of all dharma, upholder of the Kuru line, receive the memorial offering.'"
b8a379fd55e8 · published Jul 12, 2026, 4:41:49 PM UTC
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Here the sage announces Madri's act of devotion and entrusts the family with the duty of burial. Telling is the honor shown to Madri: her self-immolation is called fidelity, a going "into the world of her husband" — her sacrifice is recognized as holy. Telling too is the sages' concern for the proper rites: they have not only brought the bodies and the orphans, but have also enjoined that everything be done according to dharma — burial, honoring, and the memorial offering (pitrimedha). Here lies the importance of the correct rites of passage: the departed are owed a proper burial and remembrance, so that they may attain a good state. Thus scripture shows the completeness of the saints' care: they have seen through both the bodies and the souls and the orphans, entrusting the family to carry out the rest according to the law.