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Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 11

Tila–Darbha–Maṇḍala in Aūrdhvadaihika: Protection, Eligibility, and the Merit of Salt-Dāna

Devanagari script

नित्यहोमं तथा श्राद्धं विप्राणां पादशोधनम् / मण्डलेन विना भूम्यां कुर्वन्त्येतच्च निष्फलम्

Transliteration

nityahomaṃ tathā śrāddhaṃ viprāṇāṃ pādaśodhanam / maṇḍalena vinā bhūmyāṃ kurvantyetacca niṣphalam

Translation

الهُوما اليوميّة، وطقوسُ الشرادّها (śrāddha)، وغَسلُ أقدامِ البراهمة—إذا أُجريت على الأرض من غير أن يُرسَمَ أوّلًا الماندالا الطقسيّة—صارتْ بلا ثمرةٍ ولا جدوى.

Word by Word
नित्यहोमम्daily oblation (homa)
नित्यहोमम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootनित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + होम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारयसमास: नित्यः होमः; पुंलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्
तथाalso/likewise
तथा:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formप्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (also/likewise)
श्राद्धम्śrāddha rite
श्राद्धम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootश्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्
विप्राणाम्of the brāhmaṇas
विप्राणाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचनम्
पादशोधनम्washing/cleansing of feet
पादशोधनम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपाद (प्रातिपदिक) + शोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी): पादस्य शोधनम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्
मण्डलेनwith a (protective) circle/maṇḍala
मण्डलेन:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया, एकवचनम्
विनाwithout
विना:
Sambandha (Exclusion/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootविना (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (preposition-like), वियोगार्थ (without); सहप्रयोगे तृतीया/पञ्चमी
भूम्याम्on the ground
भूम्याम्:
Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootभूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी, एकवचनम्
कुर्वन्तिdo/perform
कुर्वन्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; धातुः: कृ (करण)
एतत्this
एतत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)
निष्फलम्fruitless/ineffective
निष्फलम्:
Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootनिः + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुषसमास (नञ्/निस्-पूर्वक): निष्फल = फलरहित; नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (एतत् विशेषयति)
Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: On śrāddha days as prescribed (tithi-based)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vidhi-pradhāna karma: ritual efficacy depends on correct procedure, including consecration of space (maṇḍala).

Vedantic Theme: Karma requires proper saṅkalpa and upakaraṇa; order (ṛta-like discipline) supports fruit (phala).

Application: Before homa, śrāddha, or honoring brāhmaṇas, prepare and mark the ritual area (maṇḍala), ensuring cleanliness and correct layout.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: ritual_ground

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana ritual chapters on mandala, bhumi-shuddhi, shraddha-vidhi, and daily homa observances

Characters & Entities
V
Vishnu
G
Garuda
V
Vipras (Brahmanas)

FAQs

This verse states that without establishing a maṇḍala (a sanctified, ritually defined space), acts like daily homa, śrāddha, and washing a brāhmaṇa’s feet do not yield their intended spiritual results.

Śrāddha is central to post-death and ancestral rites; the verse emphasizes procedural correctness—especially preparing the ritual ground—so that offerings meant for pitṛ-related merit are not rendered ineffective.

When performing śrāddha or homa, prepare a clean, designated ritual area (even a simple marked space) and follow basic purity rules so the intention and the rite align with traditional dharma.

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