Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 66

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

पितामहीभिः सापिण्ड्यं तथा मातामहैः सह / उक्तं भर्त्रापि सापिण्ड्यं स्त्रिया वेषयभेदतः

Transliteration

pitāmahībhiḥ sāpiṇḍyaṃ tathā mātāmahaiḥ saha / uktaṃ bhartrāpi sāpiṇḍyaṃ striyā veṣayabhedataḥ

Translation

وقد قيل أيضًا إن رابطة السَپِنْدَا (sapinda) تكون مع الجدّات من جهة الأب، وكذلك مع الأجداد من جهة الأم؛ وللمرأة تُعلَّم أيضًا رابطة السَپِنْدَا مع الزوج، بحسب اختلاف حالها الزوجيّ/البيتيّ.

Word by Word

• पितामहीभिः: by the paternal grandmothers
• पितामहीभिः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — Instrumental Plural

• सापिण्ड्यम्: sapinda-relationship
• सापिण्ड्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (सह) + पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + य (तद्धित/भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Nom./Acc. Singular; भाववाचक — ‘sapinda-relationship’

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Connector/Adverb (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/तुल्यार्थक (likewise/also)

• मातामहैः: by the maternal grandfathers
• मातामहैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — Instrumental Plural

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (with)

• उक्तम्: is stated/has been said
• उक्तम्: Kriya (Predicative in passive/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वच् (धातु) (कृदन्त, क्त ‘उक्त’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Nom./Acc. Singular; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय — ‘has been said’

• भर्त्रा: by the husband
• भर्त्रा: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — Instrumental Singular

• अपि: also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also)

• सापिण्ड्यम्: sapinda-relationship
• सापिण्ड्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (सह) + पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + य (तद्धित/भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Nom./Acc. Singular

• स्त्रिया: by/for a woman
• स्त्रिया: Karana (Agent/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — Instrumental Singular

• वेषय-भेदतः: due to difference of dress/guise
• वेषय-भेदतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वेष (प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित, अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) — ‘because of/due to’; समासः तत्पुरुष (वेषस्य भेदः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Sapindana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Applied when determining sapiṇḍya for śrāddha/sapiṇḍīkaraṇa eligibility across lines and for women by status.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sapinda relations extend through specified paternal and maternal ancestors; for women, sapinda connection with the husband depends on her āśrama/household status distinctions.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma organizes relational identity (saṃbandha) for karmic duties; social ontology supports ritual efficacy and ethical responsibility.

Application: When determining śrāddha beneficiaries/participants and sapiṇḍīkaraṇa relations, include the stated grandparents/lines; for a woman, apply the rule according to her marital/household status as taught in the tradition.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: genealogical/household context (lineage reckoning rather than a physical site)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.5: sapinda definitions and eligibility for śrāddha offerings; Garuda Purana: rules distinguishing women’s ritual affiliation (to father’s line vs husband’s line) depending on status

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Pinda
• Husband
• Paternal Grandmother
• Maternal Grandfather

FAQs

What is the importance of sapinda in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse clarifies who counts as sapinda kin—relevant for deciding who is ritually connected and thus eligible/obligated in śrāddha and pinda-dāna connected to ancestral rites.

How does this verse define sapinda connections for a woman?

It states that a woman’s sapinda relation can be considered with her husband as well, with the exact applicability depending on her social/household status as recognized by dharma-usage.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When arranging funeral rites or annual śrāddha, consult learned tradition to identify the correct sapinda circle (including maternal/paternal lines and marital affiliation) so offerings are made in a dharmically proper way.