Shloka 20

Pavitrāropaṇa-vidhi

Rite of Investing Hari with the Pavitra

Devanagari script

अश्वत्थपत्रपुटके अष्टदिक्षु निवेशितम् / दण्डकाष्ठं कुशाग्रं च पूर्वे सङ्कर्षणेन तु

Transliteration

aśvatthapatrapuṭake aṣṭadikṣu niveśitam / daṇḍakāṣṭhaṃ kuśāgraṃ ca pūrve saṅkarṣaṇena tu

Translation

In einem Beutel aus Blättern der aśvattha (heiligen Feige) wird es zu den acht Himmelsrichtungen hin ausgerichtet; und auf der Ostseite legt man einen Holzstab und die spitze Spitze des kuśa-Grases nieder, wobei dort Saṅkarṣaṇa den Vorsitz führt.

Word by Word

• अश्वत्थ-पत्र-पुटके: in a pouch made of aśvattha leaves
• अश्वत्थ-पत्र-पुटके: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पुटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्देश); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular

• अष्ट-दिक्षु: in the eight directions
• अष्ट-दिक्षु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या) + दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगुसमास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग (दिश्), सप्तमी, बहुवचन; Locative plural

• निवेशितम्: placed/installed
• निवेशितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निवेशित (कृदन्त; √विश् धातु, णिच्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'placed/installed'

• दण्ड-काष्ठम्: a staff-wood (wooden staff)
• दण्ड-काष्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• कुश-अग्रम्: the tip of kuśa grass
• कुश-अग्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पूर्वे: in the east
• पूर्वे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular (in the east)

• सङ्कर्षणेन: with/by Saṅkarṣaṇa
• सङ्कर्षणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्कर्षण (प्रातिपदिक; देव-नाम)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by/with Saṅkarṣaṇa)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/contrast)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, within the Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Shraddha Ritual

Timing: During dik-nyāsa/dik-bandha phase of the rite

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Space is made sacred through ordered placement; the deity is approached as pervading directions via prescribed forms.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-vyāpti (divine pervasion) expressed through upāsanā-krama; the world as a worship-field (kṣetra) when ritually ordered.

Application: When doing pūjā, create a clear spatial order (clean altar, fixed directions, consistent placement) to support concentration and reverence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual mandala (dik-maṇḍala)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.43.20-23 (dik-nyāsa with Vyūhas: Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, etc.)

Characters & Entities

• Saṅkarṣaṇa

FAQs

What is the importance of arranging items toward the eight directions in the Garuda Purana?

This verse indicates a prescribed, direction-aware (aṣṭadik) placement of ritual materials, implying that correct orientation is part of the ritual’s efficacy and alignment with cosmic order.

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

It reads like a procedural instruction: using an aśvattha-leaf pouch and placing items such as a wooden staff and kuśa tip, with a specific eastern association, consistent with the Purana’s practical directions for rites connected with the departed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If performing traditional rites under a qualified priest’s guidance, observe prescribed cleanliness, materials (kuśa, sacred leaves), and directional setup—treating ritual precision as an expression of dharma and reverence.