Shloka 16

Devanagari script

त्रिंशद्दिनानि च तथा भवति प्रेतसूतकम् / अहस्त्वदत्तकन्यासु बालेषु च विशोधनम्

Transliteration

triṃśaddināni ca tathā bhavati pretasūtakam / ahastvadattakanyāsu bāleṣu ca viśodhanam

Translation

So währt die mit dem Preta (preta-sūtaka) verbundene Unreinheit dreißig Tage. Doch bei einer unverheirateten, nicht zur Ehe gegebenen Tochter und bei kleinen Kindern ist die Reinigung in nur einem Tag vollendet.

Word by Word

• त्रिंशत्: thirty
• त्रिंशत्: Visheshana (Quantifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिंशत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-शब्दः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (indeclinable numeral)

• दिनानि: days
• दिनानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (thus/likewise)

• भवति: is/becomes
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रेतसूतकम्: death-impurity (preta-sūtaka)
• प्रेतसूतकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + सूतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (प्रेतस्य सूतकं)

• अहः: a day
• अहः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• तु: but/however
• तु: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• अदत्तकन्यासु: in (case of) unmarried girls (not given in marriage)
• अदत्तकन्यासु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदत्त (कृदन्त; दा-धातु, क्त) + कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (अदत्ता कन्या)

• बालेषु: among children
• बालेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• विशोधनम्: purification (period/act)
• विशोधनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: 30 days generally; 1 day for specified cases

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Preta-sūtaka lasts thirty days generally; for an unmarried, un-given daughter and for young children, purification is completed in one day.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma adapts to circumstance (yukti-yukta ācāra) while acknowledging impermanence; compassion within rule-based order.

Application: Observe 30-day preta-related restrictions where applicable; apply the one-day śuddhi exception for specified cases to resume essential rites and social duties appropriately.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household/cremation-community interface

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.106 (preta-sūtaka durations and exceptions)

Characters & Entities

• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of preta-sūtaka in the Garuda Purana?

This verse sets the dharmic time-frame for post-death ritual impurity (śauca/sūtaka), indicating that preta-related impurity is observed for thirty days, shaping when purification and normal rites may resume.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By defining the preta-sūtaka period, the verse reflects the transitional post-death phase in which the deceased is treated as a preta and the family follows prescribed observances that support proper rites and orderly passage through the after-death process.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow tradition-specific mourning and purification practices with clarity: observe an extended period for standard cases, while recognizing that some situations (e.g., very young children or an unmarried girl) are treated with shorter purification, as guided by one’s dharma and local smṛti/custom.