Shloka 116

Devanagari script

तीर्थाभावे तु कर्तव्यमुष्णोदकपरोदकैः / भूमिष्ठादुद्धृतं पुण्यं ततः प्रस्त्रवणोदकम्

Transliteration

tīrthābhāve tu kartavyamuṣṇodakaparodakaiḥ / bhūmiṣṭhāduddhṛtaṃ puṇyaṃ tataḥ prastravaṇodakam

Translation

Wenn kein Tīrtha verfügbar ist, soll der Ritus mit heißem Wasser und anderem geeigneten Wasser vollzogen werden. Aus dem Boden geschöpftes Wasser gilt als verdienstvoll; danach folgt Quellwasser oder sickerndes, rinnendes Wasser.

Word by Word

• तीर्थाभावे: in the absence of a holy place
• तीर्थाभावे: Adhikarana (Location/Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—“तीर्थस्य अभावे” (in the absence of a sacred place)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• कर्तव्यम्: should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Pradhana/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (तव्यत्/gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय—“ought to be done”

• उष्णोदकपरोदकैः: with hot water and other water
• उष्णोदकपरोदकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः—उष्णोदक + परोदक (hot water and other water)

• भूमिष्ठात्: from a ground-source
• भूमिष्ठात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; ‘भूमौ स्थित’ (from the ground/ground-source)

• उद्धृतम्: drawn up
• उद्धृतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-हृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि—“drawn up”

• पुण्यम्: holy/meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—पवित्र/शुभ (holy/meritorious)

• ततः: thereafter/then
• ततः: Sambandha/Discourse (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/अपादानार्थक अव्यय (thereafter/from that)

• प्रस्त्रवणोदकम्: water from a spout/flowing outlet
• प्रस्त्रवणोदकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र-स्त्रवण (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—“प्रस्त्रवणस्य उदकम्” (water from a spout/flowing outlet)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śāstra provides substitutes: when ideal conditions fail, one may use appropriate waters; groundwater is praised as especially meritorious, then spring water.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as adaptable within boundaries (anukalpa), preserving intention and purity without rigid literalism.

Application: If no tīrtha is accessible, perform snana with clean available water (including warmed water when needed); prioritize safer/purer sources like well/groundwater or spring water.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: well/groundwater source; spring

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213.113-114 (tīrtha preference and fruit)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of water choice in Garuda Purana rites when a tīrtha is unavailable?

This verse sets a practical hierarchy of acceptable waters, teaching that the rite should still be performed using available purifying substitutes—especially hot water and water drawn from the ground.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana guidance on death rituals?

It provides procedural dharma for śrāddha/ritual purity: if pilgrimage waters cannot be obtained, one should not abandon the rite but use sanctioned alternatives ranked by merit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If you cannot access a holy river or tīrtha, perform the rite with clean available water—preferably drawn from a well/ground source or spring water—maintaining sincerity and ritual cleanliness.