Shloka 4

Akalamṛtyu-kāraṇa and Bāla Antyeṣṭi: Age-graded Funeral Rites, Śrāddha Types, and Sonship Duties

Devanagari script

गर्भे नष्टे क्रिया नास्ति दुग्धं देयं मृते शिशौ / परं च पायसं क्षीरं दद्याद्वलविपत्तितः

Transliteration

garbhe naṣṭe kriyā nāsti dugdhaṃ deyaṃ mṛte śiśau / paraṃ ca pāyasaṃ kṣīraṃ dadyādvalavipattitaḥ

Translation

إذا فُقِدَ الجنينُ (إسقاطٌ)، فلا تُقامُ له شعائرُ الجنازة. وإذا ماتَ الرضيعُ تُقدَّمُ قُربانًا الألبانُ؛ ويُزادُ عليها الأرزُّ المطبوخُ باللبن (باياسا) واللبنُ أيضًا، بحسبِ الاستطاعةِ والظروف.

Word by Word

• गर्भे: in the womb
• गर्भे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• नष्टे: when (it is) lost/destroyed
• नष्टे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट (कृदन्त; √नश् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे (past passive participle)

• क्रिया: rite/act
• क्रिया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• अस्ति: exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दुग्धम्: milk
• दुग्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• देयम्: to be given
• देयम्: Vidhi (Injunctive qualifier/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देय (कृदन्त; √दा (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त विधेय/कर्तव्य (gerundive: to be given)

• मृते: when (he) is dead
• मृते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त; √मृ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• शिशौ: in/for the infant
• शिशौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• परम्: further/another
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• पायसम्: rice-pudding
• पायसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• क्षीरम्: milk
• क्षीरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दद्याद्: should give
• दद्याद्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वलविपत्तितः: due to the calamity of the foetus/embryo
• वलविपत्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वलविपत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; समासः—वलस्य विपत्तिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + तः (ablative sense)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vainateya)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Adhikāra-bheda (eligibility distinctions) in funerary rites; proportionate giving according to capacity.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra operate through dharma; rites are context-bound and not mechanically universal.

Application: In cases of miscarriage or infant death, follow śāstric limits: avoid inapplicable rites; offer simple, sattvic items (milk/pāyasa) within means.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: domestic/cremation-ritual context

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Preta/Śrāddha-kalpa sections on bāla-maraṇa and anadhikāra for full śrāddha; Garuda Purana passages distinguishing ekoddiṣṭa/parva and age-based rites

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of miscarriage and infant-death exceptions in Garuda Purana rituals?

This verse sets a dharma-based exception: no full funerary rite is prescribed for a miscarried fetus, while an infant’s death is met with simple, sattvic offerings like milk and pāyasa, emphasizing appropriateness of rite to life-stage.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey described in the Preta Kanda?

The Preta Kanda links post-death support to prescribed rites; here, Vishnu clarifies that ritual support is not uniform for all deaths—certain cases require minimal offerings rather than the complete sequence of obsequies.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow tradition proportionately: in sensitive cases like miscarriage or infant death, keep observances simple, compassionate, and within one’s means—prioritizing purity, intention, and family well-being over elaborate expenditure.