Shloka 12

Dharma–Adharma Marks; Daśāha, Piṇḍa Formation, Śrāddha Calendar, Śayyā-dāna, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Rules

Devanagari script

अपक्वे मृन्मये पात्रे दुग्धं दत्तं दिनत्रयम् / काष्ठत्रयं गुणैर्बद्ध्वा प्रीत्यै रात्रौ चतुष्पथे

Transliteration

apakve mṛnmaye pātre dugdhaṃ dattaṃ dinatrayam / kāṣṭhatrayaṃ guṇairbaddhvā prītyai rātrau catuṣpathe

Translation

يُوضَع اللبن ثلاثةَ أيامٍ في إناءٍ فخّاري غيرِ مطبوخ؛ وللاسترضاء تُربَط ثلاثُ قطعٍ من الخشب بحبلٍ وتُوضَع ليلًا عند مفترق الطرق.

Word by Word

• अपक्वे: in an unbaked (one)
• अपक्वे: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपक्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• मृन्मये: earthen; made of clay
• मृन्मये: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृन्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण

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

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

• दत्तम्: given; offered
• दत्तम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (दुग्धम् इत्यस्य विशेषण)

• दिनत्रयम्: for three days
• दिनत्रयम्: Kala (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगुसमास (three days as a unit)

• काष्ठत्रयम्: three pieces of wood
• काष्ठत्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगुसमास

• गुणैः: with cords/strings (lit. guṇas)
• गुणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• बद्ध्वा: having tied
• बद्ध्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having tied)

• प्रीत्यै: for (his) satisfaction/pleasure
• प्रीत्यै: Sampradana (Recipient/Goal/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (for the sake of)

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• चतुष्पथे: at the crossroads
• चतुष्पथे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुष्पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Nighttime; milk kept for three days; placement at a crossroads (catuṣpatha).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific propitiatory measures (milk in unbaked earthen pot for three days; three sticks tied and placed at a crossroads at night) pacify transitional forces around death.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual ordering of liminality: dharma provides structure to navigate fear and transition; elements (earth, water, fire/wood) are harmonized for passage.

Application: Follow prescribed post-cremation/pretakalpa appeasement steps carefully (materials, duration, place, time) to reduce disturbances and support orderly transition.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: crossroads/liminal public space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: preta-śānti measures using milk/udaka and liminal placements; instructions involving crossroads and night offerings

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of keeping milk in an unbaked earthen pot for three days in the Garuda Purana?

This verse prescribes a specific, time-bound offering (three days) using a simple, impermanent vessel (unbaked clay), emphasizing ritual purity and a focused act of propitiation connected to preta-related rites.

Why does the verse mention placing tied wood at a crossroads at night?

The crossroads (catuṣpatha) is treated as a liminal space in ritual practice; placing the bound three sticks there at night is described as an act done “for propitiation,” intended to appease and pacify subtle influences associated with the preta-condition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Even when exact rites are not feasible, the takeaway is disciplined remembrance and respectful, time-specific offerings done with restraint and sincerity, supporting ethical living and mindful care for ancestral/departed rites.