Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 7 Chapter 15 Verse 4

Canto 7: The Science of God | Chapter 15: Instructions for Civilized Human Beings

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 7.15.4

deśa-kālocita-śraddhā-

dravya-pātrārhaṇāni ca

samyag bhavanti naitāni

vistarāt sva-janārpaṇāt

SYNONYMS

deśa — place; kāla — time; ucita — proper; śraddhā — respect; dravya — ingredients; pātra — a suitable person; arhaṇāni — paraphernalia for worship; ca — and; samyak — proper; bhavanti — are; na — not; etāni — all these; vistarāt — due to expansion; sva-jana-arpaṇāt — or due to inviting relatives.

TRANSLATION

If one arranges to feed many brāhmaṇas or relatives during the śrāddha ceremony, there will be discrepancies in the time, place, respectability and ingredients, the person to be worshiped, and the method of offering worship.

PURPORT

Nārada Muni has prohibited unnecessarily gorgeous arrangements to feed relatives or brāhmaṇas during the śrāddha ceremony. Those who are materially opulent spend lavishly during this ceremony. Indians spend especially lavishly on three occasions — at the birth of a child, at marriage and while observing the śrāddha ceremony — but the śāstras prohibit the excessive expenditures involved in inviting many brāhmaṇas and relatives, especially during the śrāddha ceremony.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness