Shloka 17

Āśauca and Udaka-kriyā: Post-Cremation Conduct, Eligibility, and Purifiers

Devanagari script

गुर्वन्तेवास्यनूचानमातुलश्रोत्रियेषु च / अनौरसेषु पुत्रेषु भार्यास्वन्यगतासु च

Transliteration

gurvantevāsyanūcānamātulaśrotriyeṣu ca / anauraseṣu putreṣu bhāryāsvanyagatāsu ca

Translation

وكذلك (لا يُعتدّ بمثل هذا الادّعاء) في شأن الغورو (guru)، وتلميذ المعلّم المقيم عنده، والقارئ الفيديّ العالم (śrotriya)، والخال، وكذلك الشروتريا؛ وأيضًا في شأن الأبناء غير البيولوجيين، والزوجات اللواتي مضين إلى رجلٍ آخر أو بيتٍ آخر.

Word by Word

• गुरु: in the case of a teacher
• गुरु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• अन्तेवासि: in the case of a resident pupil
• अन्तेवासि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तेवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• अनूचान: in the case of a learned man (versed in Veda)
• अनूचान: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनूचान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• मातुल: in the case of a maternal uncle
• मातुल: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• श्रोत्रियेषु: among śrotriyas (Vedic scholars)
• श्रोत्रियेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• अनौरसेषु: in (case of) non-biological (sons)
• अनौरसेषु: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनौरस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुत्रेषु)

• पुत्रेषु: among sons
• पुत्रेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन

• भार्यासु: among wives
• भार्यासु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन

• अन्यगतासु: who have gone to another (man/place)
• अन्यगतासु: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त; गम्-धातु, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (अन्यं गता) विशेषणम् (भार्यासु)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain claims/impurity-extensions are not upheld (or are limited) regarding guru, resident pupil, learned reciter, maternal uncle, śrotriya, non-biological sons, and wives who have gone elsewhere—indicating boundary rules for obligation/impurity.

Vedantic Theme: Social dharma delineates roles to sustain yajña, study, and household order; detachment from over-extension of ritual contagion.

Application: In applying āśauca/related obligations, consult enumerated relationship categories; do not automatically extend restrictions/claims to these specified relations without textual basis.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: community/ashrama network

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.106 (exceptions list continuing into next verse)

FAQs

What is the importance of disqualification rules in Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights dharma-based boundaries on who is (and is not) considered eligible for certain claims/rights, stressing social order and responsibility rather than mere proximity or association.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it supports the Garuda Purana’s broader ethic: rightful conduct (dharma) in family and social obligations shapes karmic outcomes, which later affects post-death consequences described elsewhere in the text.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain clarity in duties, guardianship, and legal/ethical rights within family structures; align decisions with fairness, responsibility, and established norms rather than opportunistic claims.