Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

अनग्नयः साग्नयो वा पुत्रा वा पितरो ऽपि वा / एकोद्दिष्टं सुतैः कार्यं क्षयाह इति केचन

Transliteration

anagnayaḥ sāgnayo vā putrā vā pitaro 'pi vā / ekoddiṣṭaṃ sutaiḥ kāryaṃ kṣayāha iti kecana

Translation

سواء كان (المتوفّى) بلا نار مقدّسة (anagni) أو حافظًا لها (sāgni)، وسواء كان ابنًا أو حتى أبًا—فإن بعض أهل العلم يقولون إن على الأبناء أداء «إيكودِّشْتا» في يوم «كشَياها» (Kṣayāha).

Word by Word

• अनग्नयः: those without sacred fire
• अनग्नयः: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन् + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: येषां अग्निः नास्ति (without sacred fire)

• साग्नयः: those with sacred fire
• साग्नयः: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'with sacred fire'

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

• पुत्राः: sons
• पुत्राः: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

• पितरः: fathers/forefathers
• पितरः: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

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

• एकोद्दिष्टम्: the ekoddiṣṭa (single-oblation śrāddha)
• एकोद्दिष्टम्: कर्म (karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + उद्दिष्ट (कृदन्त; √दिश्/उद्दिश्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'एकस्य उद्दिष्टम्'—a śrāddha intended for one (ekoddiṣṭa rite)

• सुतैः: by the sons
• सुतैः: कर्ता/करण (agent/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• कार्यम्: should be done
• कार्यम्: विधेय/कर्म (predicate necessity)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (to be done/should be performed)

• क्षयाह: (called) kṣayāha, the day of loss/waning
• क्षयाह: सम्बन्ध (topic/label)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय + अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'क्षयस्य अहः' (day of kṣaya)

• इति: thus/so called
• इति: सम्बन्ध (quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• केचन: some (authorities)
• केचन: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केचन (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (some people)

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Kṣayāha (day of tithi ‘loss’/kṣaya) per some authorities

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Plurality of dharma authorities: some prescribe ekoddiṣṭa by sons on kṣayāha regardless of agni-status or whether the deceased is son/father.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma discernment (viveka) amid textual plurality; reliance on pramāṇa and sampradāya.

Application: When texts differ, follow one’s śākhā/sampradāya or a competent dharma authority; if observing kṣayāha, perform the prescribed ekoddiṣṭa accordingly.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: śāstric discourse setting / ritual consultation

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.45.2-6 (classification and timing)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of Ekoddiṣṭa Śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Ekoddiṣṭa as a son’s duty performed with a single focus on one departed person, emphasizing correct timing (Kṣayāha) and dharmic continuity of post-death rites.

Does the Garuda Purana make a distinction between sāgni and anāgni persons for these rites?

Yes. The verse explicitly includes both—those who maintained sacred fires (sāgni) and those who did not (anāgni)—indicating the Ekoddiṣṭa obligation applies regardless of that status.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If you observe śrāddha traditions, prioritize clarity of intention (one departed person) and proper calendrical timing per your tradition/purohita, treating the rite as a responsibility of gratitude and lineage-duty.