Shloka 2

Gayā Śrāddha at Preta-śilā: Universal Piṇḍa-dāna for Ancestors and the Unrescued Dead

Devanagari script

अस्मत्कुले मृता ये च गतिर्येषां न विद्यते / आवाहयिष्येतान्सर्वान् दर्भपृष्ठे तिलोदकैः

Transliteration

asmatkule mṛtā ye ca gatiryeṣāṃ na vidyate / āvāhayiṣyetānsarvān darbhapṛṣṭhe tilodakaiḥ

Translation

Alle, die in unserem Geschlecht gestorben sind und für die es keinen rechten Weg (gati) gibt, soll man alle herbeirufen, sie auf ein Lager aus Darbha-Gras setzen und Sesamwasser (tila-udaka) darbringen.

Word by Word

• अस्मत्कुले: in our family
• अस्मत्कुले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अस्माकं कुलम्)

• मृताः: dead (ones)
• मृताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मृ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यः-तद् (relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• गतिः: (a) refuge/way/destination
• गतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• येषाम्: of whom
• येषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation particle)

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• विद्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; भावे/कर्तरि प्रयोग (exists/is found)

• आवाहयिष्येतान्: should/will invoke them
• आवाहयिष्येतान्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-वाह् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/भविष्यत्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; एतान् (द्वितीया बहुवचन) कर्म-प्रत्यय-सम्बद्ध (sandhi-attached object)

• एतान्: these (them)
• एतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying एतान्)

• दर्भपृष्ठे: on a darbha-grass seat/bed
• दर्भपृष्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दर्भस्य पृष्ठम्)

• तिलोदकैः: with sesame-water offerings
• तिलोदकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तिलयुक्तम् उदकम्)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa, Vinatā-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Within śrāddha sequence, during āvāhana/tarpaṇa portion

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: One should ritually include lineage members who died without proper rites or whose ‘gati’ is obstructed, invoking them with darbha and sesame-water.

Vedantic Theme: Compassionate dharma toward ancestors; karma’s continuity across generations and the remedial power of prescribed rites.

Application: In śrāddha saṅkalpa, explicitly remember forgotten/unknown ancestors; offer tilodaka and seat them on darbha with focused intention.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space (śrāddha-vedi/kuśa seat)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.85.3-4 (father/mother/maternal-grandfather lineages).; Garuda Purana śrāddha sections on tilodaka and darbha as pitṛ-priya.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Deceased of the lineage

FAQs

What is the importance of invoking ancestors with tilodaka (sesame-water) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents tilodaka offered on darbha as a ritual means to call and support departed relatives—especially those believed to lack proper post-death support—within the framework of pitṛ-karmas.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

By stating that some deceased may be “without gati,” it implies that post-death progress is influenced by dharmic rites; invocation and offerings are portrayed as aids that can benefit such departed beings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha/tarpaṇa with sincerity (as per one’s tradition and guidance), remembering neglected or unknown ancestors and dedicating offerings for their welfare and peace.