Text 43]
Conversation Between Maitreya and Vidura
791
TRANSLATION
Recognizing himself to be full of desire and energy, the worshipful Brahmā, the creator of the living entities, evolved from his own invisible form, from his navel, the hosts of Sādhyas and Pitās.
PURPORT
The Sādhyas and Pitās are invisible forms of departed souls, and they are also created by Brahmā.
TEXT 43
त आत्मसर्गं तं कायं पितरः प्रतिपेदिरे । साध्येभ्यश्च पितृभ्यश्च कवयो यद्वितन्वते ॥४३॥
ta ātma-sargam tam kāyam pitaraḥ pratipedire sādhyebhyaś ca pitrbhyaś ca kavayo yad vitanvate
te—they; ātma-sargam—source of their existence; tam—that; kāyam—body; pitaraḥ—the Pitās; pratipedire—accepted; sādhyebhyaḥ—to the Sādhyas; ca—and; pitrbhyaḥ—to the Pitās; ca—also; kavayaḥ—those well versed in rituals; yat—through which; vitanvate—offer oblations.
TRANSLATION
The Pitās themselves took possession of the invisible body, the source of their existence. It is through the medium of this invisible body that those well versed in the rituals offer oblations to the Sādhyas and Pitās [in the form of their departed ancestors] on the occasion of śrāddha.
PURPORT
Śrāddha  is a ritualistic performance observed by the followers of the  Vedas . There is a yearly occasion of fifteen days when ritualistic religionists follow the principle of offering oblations to departed souls. Thus those fathers and ancestors who, by freaks of nature, might not have a gross body for material enjoyment, can again gain such bodies due to the offering of  śrāddha  oblations by their descendants. The performance of  śrāddha , or offering oblations with  prasāda , is still current in India, especially at