Shloka 4

Determining Rites for Difficult/Inauspicious Deaths; Annual and Daily Śrāddha Rules

Devanagari script

यदा त्वन्यतरः साग्निः पुत्रो वाप्यथवा पिता / प्रत्यब्दं पार्वणं तत्र कुर्यातां क्षेत्रजौरसौ

Transliteration

yadā tvanyataraḥ sāgniḥ putro vāpyathavā pitā / pratyabdaṃ pārvaṇaṃ tatra kuryātāṃ kṣetrajaurasau

Translation

ولكن إذا كان هناك إمّا الابن الحافظ للنار المقدّسة (sāgni) أو كان الأب حاضرًا، فعندئذٍ على الابنين—سواء كانا kṣetraja أو aurasa (مولودين من الجسد)—أن يؤدّيا شرادها «بارفَنا» كل سنة.

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: सम्बन्ध/कालाधिकरण (kāla-adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb/conjunction): 'when'

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ (but/indeed)

• अन्यतरः: one (of the two)
• अन्यतरः: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्यतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (one of the two/one of them)

• साग्निः: one who maintains the sacred fire
• साग्निः: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: सः अग्निः यस्य (one who has sacred fire)

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle): 'or'

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle): 'also/even'

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: सम्बन्ध (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or else)

• पिता: father
• पिता: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रति-अब्दम्: every year
• प्रति-अब्दम्: कालाधिकरण (kāla-adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय) + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; अर्थः 'प्रत्येकं वर्षम्' (every year)

• पार्वणम्: the parva-śrāddha (fortnightly rite)
• पार्वणम्: कर्म (karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• तत्र: there/in that case
• तत्र: अधिकरण (adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb): 'there/in that case'

• कुर्याताम्: should perform (the two should do)
• कुर्याताम्: क्रिया (verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद; 'they two should do'

• क्षेत्रज-औरसौ: the kṣetraja and the aurasa (two sons)
• क्षेत्रज-औरसौ: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्रज (प्रातिपदिक) + औरस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; 'क्षेत्रजः च औरसः च' (two sons: kṣetraja and aurasa)

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Pratyabda (annual)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual authority and presence of qualified persons determine the correct śrāddha form; annual pārvaṇa is affirmed when sAgni son or father is present.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma upheld through qualified agency (adhikārin) and right context (deśa-kāla-pātra).

Application: If a qualified agni-maintainer or the father is available, coordinate family performance of annual pārvaṇa rather than improvising alternate forms.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: gṛhastha household with sacred fire / ritual enclosure

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.45.3 (restriction) and 2.45.6 (timing exceptions)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of Pārvaṇa śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats Pārvaṇa śrāddha as a required annual duty (pratyabda) for maintaining pitṛ-obligations, specifying eligible performers so the rite is not neglected.

How does this verse clarify who should perform the annual rites for ancestors?

It states that if either an agni-maintaining son or the father is present, then the two sons—kṣetraja and aurasa—are to carry out the yearly Pārvaṇa śrāddha, emphasizing continuity of lineage-duty.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Ensure annual ancestral observances are responsibly arranged within the family—identifying who will perform śrāddha and maintaining regularity—so that pitṛ-dharma is upheld without dispute or omission.