Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 10

The Preta’s Staged Journey to Yama’s City: Monthly Śrāddha Supports, Vaitaraṇī Crossing, and the Witnesses of Deeds

Devanagari script

अत्र दत्तं सुतैः पात्रे (त्रैः) स्नेहाद्वा कृपयाथ वा / मासिकं पिण्डमश्राति ततः सौरिपुरं व्रजेत्

Transliteration

atra dattaṃ sutaiḥ pātre (traiḥ) snehādvā kṛpayātha vā / māsikaṃ piṇḍamaśrāti tataḥ sauripuraṃ vrajet

Translation

هنا يتناولُ قُربانَ البِنْدَة الشهريّة (piṇḍa) التي يقدّمها الأبناءُ في إناءٍ لائق—أو يقدّمها الأبناءُ الثلاثة—محبّةً أو رحمةً؛ ثمّ بعد ذلك يمضي إلى سَوْرِيپُورَ (Sauripura).

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb: here)

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘given’

• सुतैः: by sons
• सुतैः: Karana (Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• पात्रे: in a vessel
• पात्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• त्रैः: by three (persons)
• त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक (variant reading with पात्रे)

• स्नेहात्: out of affection
• स्नेहात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (from/through affection)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• कृपया: out of compassion
• कृपया: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (through compassion)

• अथ: or else/then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (then/else)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• मासिकम्: monthly
• मासिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मासिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (monthly)

• पिण्डम्: rice-ball offering (piṇḍa)
• पिण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• अश्राति: eats/partakes
• अश्राति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; छन्दसि/आर्ष-रूप ‘अश्राति’ (≈ अश्नाति)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequence/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक अव्यय (then)

• सौरि-पुरम्: the city of Sauri (Yama)
• सौरि-पुरम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौरि (प्रातिपदिक) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (सौरेः पुरम्)

• व्रजेत्: would go / should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/विधान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: मासिक (monthly)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha—especially monthly piṇḍa—nourishes/supports the departed; filial duty (putra-dharma) has real post-mortem efficacy within the karmic order.

Vedantic Theme: कर्तव्य (duty) within saṃsāra as purifier; compassionate linkage between living and departed without negating karma.

Application: Perform śrāddha with sincerity (sneha/kṛpā) and proper procedure; maintain remembrance and responsibility toward ancestors.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: city

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: piṇḍa nourishment of preta; monthly śrāddha (māsika) sequence; named waystations like Sauripura in the journey narrative

Characters & Entities

• Sons (sutāḥ)
• Departed soul (preta implied)
• Sauripura

FAQs

What is the importance of the monthly piṇḍa (māsika piṇḍa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the departed being is sustained by the monthly piṇḍa offered by the sons; it functions as ongoing support during the post-death journey and transition.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It links ritual support (monthly piṇḍa) with onward movement: after receiving the offering, the departed proceeds to a further station called Sauripura, indicating sequential stages in the afterlife journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha/piṇḍa-dāna with sincerity—whether motivated by love or compassion—emphasizing consistent remembrance, duty to ancestors, and responsible family dharma.