Shloka 7

Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa-Śrāddha Vidhi

One-Year Concluding Rite

Devanagari script

अघोराः पितरः सन्तु अस्त्वित्युक्ते स्वधां वाचयिण्य इति पितामाहदिब्राह्मणानुज्ञापनम्

Transliteration

aghorāḥ pitaraḥ santu astvityukte svadhāṃ vācayiṇya iti pitāmāhadibrāhmaṇānujñāpanam

Translation

Nachdem man gesprochen hat: „Mögen die Pitṛs frei von Schrecken sein (aghorāḥ), so sei es“, soll man sodann zur Ausrufung von „svadhā“ anleiten; dies ist die förmliche Bitte um Erlaubnis (anujñā) bei den Brāhmaṇas, beginnend mit dem pitāmaha (dem Ältesten/Vornehmsten).

Word by Word

• अघोराः: non-terrible, benign
• अघोराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अघोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• पितरः: the ancestors
• पितरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सन्तु: let them be
• सन्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थे आशीर्लिङ्गवत् प्रयोगः

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्ते: when (it is) said
• उक्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (when said)

• स्वधाम्: the formula ‘svadhā’
• स्वधाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वाचयिणि: in/for the (female) reciter (who prompts the utterance)
• वाचयिणि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वच् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + इनि (कृदन्त)
• Form: णिजन्त-धातोः इनि-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘वाचयित्री’ अर्थे (in the female reciter/one who makes recite)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय

• पितामहादि-ब्राह्मण-अनुज्ञापनम्: the obtaining/statement of permission from the Brahmins beginning with the grandfather (etc.)
• पितामहादि-ब्राह्मण-अनुज्ञापनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुज्ञापन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषसमासः (paternal-grandfather etc. + Brahmins + permission/assent)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, on śrāddha and pitṛ-rites)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Śrāddha sequence after invoking fearlessness for Pitṛs; before/at the svadhā-utterance prompting and anujñā.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual correctness (vidhi) and respectful authorization from officiants ensures efficacy of Pitṛ-offerings.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as a purifier supporting dharma and inner steadiness; honoring Pitṛs as part of ṛṇa-traya (debts).

Application: In śrāddha, explicitly invoke ‘aghorāḥ pitarah santu’ and then prompt ‘svadhā’ only after proper anujñā from the senior Brahmin/elders, maintaining sequence and decorum.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: domestic-ritual-space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-kalpa sections on svadhā, anujñā, and pitṛ-brāhmaṇa roles (adjacent verses 1.220.8–1.220.10)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Brahmanas
• Svadhā

FAQs

What is the importance of saying “svadhā” in Garuda Purana ancestor rites?

In this verse, “svadhā” is the formal Pitṛ-invocation used to direct offerings and remembrance to the ancestors; it marks the rite as specifically addressed to the Pitṛs.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals and śrāddha procedure?

It preserves the procedural sequence: blessing the Pitṛs (“aghorāḥ pitaraḥ santu”) and then obtaining/initiating the correct mantra-response (“svadhā”) along with brāhmaṇa consent—key steps in śrāddha etiquette.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform ancestor remembrance with clarity and respect: use the proper Pitṛ-formulae and follow ritual decorum by seeking guidance/consent from knowledgeable officiants rather than treating rites casually.