Shloka 2

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

श्रुतिस्मृती तु विज्ञाय श्रौतं कर्म समाचरेत् / श्रौतं कर्म न चेदुक्तं तदा स्मार्तं समाचरेत्

Transliteration

śrutismṛtī tu vijñāya śrautaṃ karma samācaret / śrautaṃ karma na ceduktaṃ tadā smārtaṃ samācaret

Translation

إذا فَهِمَ المرءُ فهماً صحيحاً الشُّروتي (Śruti) والسِّمريتي (Smṛti)، فليعمل بالطقوس الشَّراوتية (Śrauta) الڤيدية. فإن لم تُذكر طريقةٌ شراوتيةٌ لحالةٍ ما، فليُؤدِّ حينئذٍ الطقسَ السِّمارتي (Smārta) القائمَ على التقليد.

Word by Word

• श्रुतिस्मृती: Śruti and Smṛti
• श्रुतिस्मृती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (श्रुतिः च स्मृतिः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः/विरोधार्थकः (but/indeed)

• विज्ञाय: having ascertained
• विज्ञाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); अव्ययभावः; ‘having known/ascertained’

• श्रौतं: Vedic/Śrauta
• श्रौतं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रौत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्म)

• कर्म: ritual act/duty
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समाचरेत्: should perform
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• श्रौतं: Śrauta
• श्रौतं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रौत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्म)

• कर्म: ritual act
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Condition marker (शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थकः (conditional ‘if’)

• उक्तं: is stated/prescribed
• उक्तं: Predicate qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘said/prescribed’ (कर्मणि)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adverbial (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• स्मार्तं: Smārta (based on Smṛti)
• स्मार्तं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मार्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्म)

• समाचरेत्: should perform
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, as per the Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hierarchy of pramāṇa and procedure: follow Śrauta injunctions; where absent, follow Smārta rites.

Vedantic Theme: Śāstra-prāmāṇya (scripture as valid means of knowledge) guiding pravṛtti-dharma.

Application: When planning rites, consult Vedic injunctions first; if no explicit Śrauta rule applies, adopt Smṛti/Smārta procedure consistent with one’s tradition and capacity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Dharma-kāṇḍa) discussions on sadācāra and śāstra-pramāṇa around 1.213; General Garuda Purana guidance on śrāddha being smārta when not śrauta-specified

Characters & Entities

• Śruti
• Smṛti
• Śrauta
• Smārta

FAQs

What is the importance of Śruti and Smṛti authority in the Garuda Purana?

This verse sets the decision-rule for dharma: prioritize Śrauta (Śruti-based) rites, and when a Śrauta injunction is unavailable, follow Smārta (Smṛti-based) procedure.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana rituals, including death rites?

It provides a hierarchy for choosing ritual authority—use Vedic (Śrauta) methods where specified, otherwise rely on Smārta prescriptions, which commonly govern many saṃskāras and post-death observances in practice.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing any religious rite, follow Vedic injunctions if clearly applicable; otherwise follow established Smārta guidelines as taught by competent tradition/ācāryas, ensuring consistency and scriptural grounding.