Shloka 21

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

प्रथमे ऽहनि यद्द्रव्यं तदेव स्याद्दशाहिकम् / यावदाशौचमेकैकस्याञ्जलेर्दानमुच्यते

Transliteration

prathame 'hani yaddravyaṃ tadeva syāddaśāhikam / yāvadāśaucamekaikasyāñjalerdānamucyate

Translation

أيُّ مادةٍ قُدِّمت في اليوم الأول فهي بعينها تكون قربان الدَشَاهَ (عشرة أيام) على التتابع. وإلى أن تنقضي مدة الآشَوچا (النجاسة الطقسية)، فإن العطاء المأمور به هو صدقةٌ يومية—كل يومٍ بمقدار «أَنْجَلي» واحد، أي حفنةٌ بكفّين مضمومتين.

Word by Word

• प्रथमे: on the first
• प्रथमे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अहनि: day
• अहनि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम

• द्रव्यम्: substance/item (to be given)
• द्रव्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta-predicative (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic/only)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• दशाहिकम्: pertaining to the ten-day period
• दशाहिकम्: Karta-predicative (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशाह (प्रातिपदिक) + इक (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तद्धितान्त विशेषण (दशाहसम्बन्धि)

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Sambandha (Extent marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/संबन्ध)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-बोधक अव्यय (as long as)

• आशौचम्: impurity period (mourning)
• आशौचम्: Adhikarana (Extent/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/अवधि), एकवचन

• एकैकस्य: of each (person)
• एकैकस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (एकः च एकः) अर्थे ‘each one’s’

• अञ्जलेः: of a handful (cupped palms)
• अञ्जलेः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दानम्: giving/donation
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उच्यते: is said/called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद-रूपम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Throughout the daśāha; daily until āśauca ends; each day an añjali-measure offering/donation.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Consistency in offering-substance across the ten days; during āśauca, daily giving is prescribed in a measured amount (añjali).

Vedantic Theme: Karma performed with regularity and restraint cultivates sattva and steadiness; dāna as purifying act.

Application: Choose a feasible offering on day one and keep it consistent; maintain daily discipline during mourning; give within a defined measure to ensure sustainability.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: domestic ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.5.20 (day-one start and permissible substances); Garuda Purana 2.5.17–19 (piṇḍa procedure and purity observance)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Aśauca
• Daśāha

FAQs

What is the importance of daśāha (ten-day rites) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the offering begun on the first day should be maintained through the full ten-day observance, emphasizing continuity and regularity in post-death rites.

How does this verse explain what to do during āśauca (mourning impurity)?

It prescribes that until āśauca ends, one should give a daily donation measured as an añjali (cupped handful), indicating a simple, repeatable daily act of dāna during the impurity period.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Keep the post-death observances consistent and manageable: continue the chosen first-day offering across the ten days and practice daily charity in a measured, disciplined way during the mourning period.