Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 60

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

Devanagari script

एकादशाहादारभ्य घटस्यान्नं जलान्वितम् / दिनेदिने च दातव्यमब्दं यावद्द्विजोत्तमे

Transliteration

ekādaśāhādārabhya ghaṭasyānnaṃ jalānvitam / dinedine ca dātavyamabdaṃ yāvaddvijottame

Translation

ابتداءً من طقس اليوم الحادي عشر، يُقدَّم الطعام مقرونًا بالماء من الإناء الطقسي (غَطَ ghaṭa). يا أفضلَ ذوي الميلادين، ليُعطَ ذلك يومًا بعد يوم ما دام عامًا كاملًا.

Word by Word

• ekādaśāhāt: from the eleventh day
• ekādaśāhāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekādaśāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Pañcamī vibhakti (5th/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana; ablative ‘from’

• ārabhya: starting from
• ārabhya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√rabh (धातु)
• Form: Gerund/absolutive (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्) used as indeclinable; ‘having begun/starting from’

• ghaṭasya: of the pot
• ghaṭasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; genitive

• annam: food
• annam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; here as object of implied dātavyam

• jala-anvitam: accompanied with water
• jala-anvitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: jalena anvitaṃ ‘accompanied with water’; agrees with annam

• dine: on a day
• dine: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Saptamī, Ekavacana; first member of repetition

• dine: on (each) day
• dine: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Saptamī, Ekavacana; in reduplication ‘day by day’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

• dātavyam: should be given
• dātavyam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dā (धातु) + tavya (कृत्) → dātavya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsaka, Prathamā, Ekavacana; gerundive (तव्यत्) used impersonally: ‘is to be given’

• abdam: for a year
• abdam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; duration-accusative (काल-द्वितीया)

• yāvat: until/as long as
• yāvat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय/संबन्ध)
• Form: Correlative indeclinable (यावत्) indicating limit ‘as long as/until’

• dvijottame: O best of the twice-born
• dvijottame: Sambodhana/Adhikaraṇa (सम्बोधन/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija-uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: dvijānām uttamaḥ ‘best of the twice-born’; vocative sense possible but form is locative; taken as locative of reference/address

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, addressing the ritual recipient as 'dvijottama')

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: From the eleventh day onward, daily for one year.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Annual continuity of post-death giving: daily dāna of food with water from the ritual pot beginning on the eleventh day.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as sustained duty (nitya/naimittika) shaping subtle welfare; compassion expressed as disciplined giving.

Application: Establish a daily offering routine (anna + udaka) linked to the ghaṭa from ekādaśāha onward; maintain consistency for one year, adapting to capacity while preserving intent and purity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: domestic ritual area

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.34.62 on kumbha nourishing the preta; Garuda Purana śrāddha chapters on annual śrāddha and preta-supporting offerings

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (twice-born)
• Brahmin (dvijottama)

FAQs

What is the importance of beginning offerings from the eleventh day in the Garuda Purana?

This verse indicates that after the eleventh-day rite, regular offerings of food with water are prescribed, marking a structured continuation of post-death observances for the departed.

How long should the daily offering be continued according to this verse?

It should be performed day after day for a full year (abdaṃ yāvat), emphasizing sustained ritual support rather than a single ceremony.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If traditional rites are followed, maintain consistency in remembrance and charity—offer food and water (or donate meals and water in the departed’s name) with regularity and sincerity.