Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

कृत्वा चैकादशाहञ्च पुनः स्नात्वा शुचिर्भवेत् / दद्याद्विप्राय यः शय्यां यथोक्तं प्रेतमोक्षदाम्

Transliteration

kṛtvā caikādaśāhañca punaḥ snātvā śucirbhavet / dadyādviprāya yaḥ śayyāṃ yathoktaṃ pretamokṣadām

Translation

بعد إتمام طقس الأحد عشر يومًا على الوجه المشروع، ينبغي أن يغتسل المرء ثانيةً فيصير طاهرًا. ومن يهبُ لبرهمنٍ سريرًا كما ورد في الحكم، فإنه يمنح روح الميت (preta) الخلاص.

Word by Word

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/क्त्वा), पूर्वकाले क्रिया

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• ekādaśa-ahān: the eleventh-day rite/period
• ekādaśa-ahān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekādaśa-aha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (एकादशानां अहः)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय (adverb)

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √snā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/क्त्वा)

• śuciḥ: pure
• śuciḥ: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• bhavet: should become
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• dadyāt: should give
• dadyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• viprāya: to a Brahmin
• viprāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• śayyām: a bed
• śayyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śayyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• yathā-uktam: as prescribed
• yathā-uktam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + ukta (√vac, क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial) — ‘यथा उक्तम्’

• preta-mokṣa-dām: granting liberation to the departed
• preta-mokṣa-dām: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: preta + mokṣa + dā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (प्रेतस्य मोक्षः; तं ददाति इति) — ‘मोक्षद’ विशेषणम् शय्यायाः

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After completion of ekādaśāha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual completion plus renewed bathing; prescribed dāna (bed to a brāhmaṇa) yields ‘preta-mokṣa’ (release/relief for the departed).

Vedantic Theme: Karma and dāna as purifiers that support auspicious gati; compassion expressed as ritualized giving.

Application: After ekādaśāha, bathe again; perform the specified dāna carefully (object, recipient, manner) as part of post-death duties.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: gṛha/śrāddha-maṇḍala (ritual area)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dāna items for preta-śānti (śayyā-dāna, vastra-dāna, anna-dāna) and their stated fruits

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brahmin)
• Preta (departed spirit)

FAQs

What is the importance of Ekadashaaha (eleven-day rites) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats the eleven-day observance as a required completion of post-death rites, after which purification (snāna) and prescribed charity are performed to aid the preta’s release.

How does this verse explain helping the soul (preta) after death?

It states that giving a properly prescribed bed (śayyā-dāna) to a qualified Brahmin functions as a ritual support that “grants release” to the departed, indicating that specific dānas are considered spiritually efficacious for preta-moksha.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow funeral rites with cleanliness and sincerity, and practice purposeful charity—especially prescribed forms of giving—dedicated to the welfare of the departed and the cultivation of dharma in the living.