Shloka 30

Śrāddha as Trans-realm Nourishment; Pitṛ-Conveyance; Piṇḍa-born Body and the ātivāhika; Bhakti-based Release

Devanagari script

काङ्क्षन्ति पुत्रपौत्रेभ्यः पायसं मधुसंयुतम् / तस्मात्तांस्तत्र विधिना तर्पयेत्पायसेन तु

Transliteration

kāṅkṣanti putrapautrebhyaḥ pāyasaṃ madhusaṃyutam / tasmāttāṃstatra vidhinā tarpayetpāyasena tu

Translation

Die Pitṛs, die Ahnen, verlangen von Söhnen und Enkeln nach Pāyasa, dem mit Honig vermischten Milchreis. Darum soll man sie in jenem Ritus, nach vorgeschriebener Ordnung, dort durch die Darbringung von Pāyasa sättigen.

Word by Word

• काङ्क्षन्ति: they desire/long for
• काङ्क्षन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: काङ्क्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पुत्रपौत्रेभ्यः: from sons and grandsons
• पुत्रपौत्रेभ्यः: Apadana/Source (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पौत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी/षष्ठी?—तृतीयार्थे न; अत्र पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान) बहुवचन (Plural); द्वन्द्वसमास (पुत्राश्च पौत्राश्च)

• पायसम्: rice-pudding (payasa)
• पायसम्: Karma/Object (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• मधुसंयुतम्: mixed with honey
• मधुसंयुतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (कृदन्त; √युज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषसमास (मधुना संयुतम्)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Sambandha/Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle); हेत्वर्थे/तस्मात् = therefore/from that reason

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma/Object (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place)

• विधिना: by the prescribed rite/method
• विधिना: Karana/Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन (Singular)

• तर्पयेत्: one should satisfy/offer libations
• तर्पयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु) [णिच् causative: तर्पय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• पायसेन: with payasa
• पायसेन: Karana/Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle; emphasis/contrast)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Śrāddha occasion (tithi-based; as prescribed by family custom and śāstra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pitṛ-tarpaṇa through properly prepared and properly offered food (pāyasa with honey) is a duty of descendants.

Vedantic Theme: Ṛṇa-traya (especially pitṛ-ṛṇa) and dharma as a purifier that sustains cosmic reciprocity.

Application: During śrāddha, prepare pāyasa with honey and offer it with correct mantras and procedure, cultivating gratitude and continuity of lineage-responsibility.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual ground/household altar

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Preta-kalpa/Śrāddha-kalpa passages on anna, pāyasa, madhu, and tarpaṇa; Garuda Purana sections describing pitṛ-bhojana through śrāddha offerings

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Sons
• Grandsons

FAQs

What is the importance of offering pāyasa in Garuda Purana śrāddha rites?

This verse states that the Pitṛs specifically desire honey-mixed pāyasa from descendants, so offering it becomes a direct means of propitiating and satisfying them in the prescribed rite.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s post-death journey described in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda framework, proper offerings by descendants support and steady the departed’s transition and the ancestral connection; this verse highlights a concrete ritual item used for Pitṛ-tarpaṇa.

Practical application of this teaching today?

When performing śrāddha or ancestor remembrance, follow the prescribed method and include appropriate sattvic offerings (such as pāyasa with honey where tradition allows), emphasizing duty, gratitude, and continuity of dharma in the family line.