Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 53

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

Devanagari script

द्वादश प्रतिमास्यानि श्राद्धान्यैकादशे तथा / त्रिपक्षञ्चापि षण्मासे द्वे श्राद्धानि च षोडश

Transliteration

dvādaśa pratimāsyāni śrāddhānyaikādaśe tathā / tripakṣañcāpi ṣaṇmāse dve śrāddhāni ca ṣoḍaśa

Translation

توجد اثنتا عشرة شعيرة شرادها (śrāddha) شهرية تُؤدَّى شهرًا بعد شهر؛ وكذلك شعيرة في اليوم الحادي عشر. وفي مدة ستة أشهر تُشرَع أيضًا ثلاث شعائر نصف شهرية (tripakṣa)؛ فالمجموع ست عشرة شرادها.

Word by Word

• द्वादश: twelve
• द्वादश: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण (numeral adjective), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (agreeing with श्राद्धानि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग-समन्वय

• प्रति-मास्यानि: monthly (per-month)
• प्रति-मास्यानि: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय) + मास्य (प्रातिपदिक; मास-सम्बन्धिन्)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; श्राद्धानि इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• श्राद्धानि: Śrāddha rites
• श्राद्धानि: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• एकादशे: on the eleventh (day)
• एकादशे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन; (अहनि/दिने इति अध्याहारः)

• तथा: likewise; also
• तथा: सम्बन्ध/वाक्योपपद (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक/समुच्चयार्थक (adverb: 'also/likewise')

• त्रि-पक्षम्: a period of three fortnights
• त्रि-पक्षम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कालपरिमाणवाचक

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे (also/even)

• षण्-मासे: in six months; at the six-month (mark)
• षण्-मासे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षण् (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; (काले)

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन (agreeing with श्राद्धानि)

• श्राद्धानि: Śrāddha rites
• श्राद्धानि: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन/बहुवचन-रूप (context: द्विवचनार्थे)

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

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन/बहुवचन-सम्भाव्य (अध्याहारः: श्राद्धानि/संख्या); अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda / Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Monthly (māsika) plus 11th-day (ekādaśāha) and additional half-year/fortnight observances; total sixteen śrāddhas.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha is structured by time (māsa, pakṣa, ahan) and must be performed in a prescribed sequence and count.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as purifier (citta-śuddhi) supporting higher pursuit; honoring ṛṇa (pitṛ-ṛṇa).

Application: Maintain a śrāddha calendar: 12 monthly rites plus the 11th-day rite and additional half-year/fortnight observances as specified, totaling sixteen.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Preta-kalpa/Śrāddha-prakaraṇa: sequences of ekoddiṣṭa, māsika, ṣaṇmāsika, ābdika rites (adjacent verses in 2.34).

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of counting śrāddhas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse standardizes the required post-death śrāddha schedule—monthly rites plus specific day/fortnight/half-year observances—so the family can fulfill pitṛ-dharma in an orderly way.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By prescribing timed śrāddhas for the departed (preta), it implies that ritual support is given in stages during the post-death transition, aligning offerings and remembrance with key intervals.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a clear śrāddha calendar (monthly and milestone rites) and perform offerings with sincerity, charity, and ethical living, treating ancestral obligations as part of dharma.