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Shloka 14

Akalamṛtyu-kāraṇa and Bāla Antyeṣṭi: Age-graded Funeral Rites, Śrāddha Types, and Sonship Duties

Devanagari script

यद्यद्यस्योपजीव्यं स्यात्तत्तद्देयमिहेच्छति / ब्रह्मबीजोद्भवाः पुत्रा देवर्षोणां च वल्लभाः

Transliteration

yadyadyasyopajīvyaṃ syāttattaddeyamihecchati / brahmabījodbhavāḥ putrā devarṣoṇāṃ ca vallabhāḥ

Translation

Wovon ein Wesen gelebt und sich erhalten hat, eben das begehrt es, dass man es ihm hier nach dem Tod darbringe. Die aus Brahmās Samen hervorgegangenen Söhne—den deva‑ṛṣi lieb und teuer—lehren, dass solche Gaben entsprechend zu geben sind.

Word by Word
यत्whatever (that which)
यत्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)
यत्whatever (each)
यत्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition)
यस्यof whom/whose
यस्य:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)
उपजीव्यम्means of livelihood; what is to be depended on
उपजीव्यम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootउप-जीव् (धातु) + यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय) → उपजीव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भाव्य/कर्तव्य-अर्थे (gerundive: 'to be lived on')
स्यात्may be/is (would be)
स्यात्:
Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
तत्that
तत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative)
तत्that (each such)
तत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति
देयम्to be given; a gift due
देयम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootदा (धातु) + यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय) → देय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्तव्य-अर्थे (gerundive: 'to be given')
इहhere
इह:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)
इच्छतिdesires
इच्छति:
Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootइष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
ब्रह्मबीजोद्भवाःborn from Brahma’s seed
ब्रह्मबीजोद्भवाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + बीज (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('ब्रह्मणः बीजम्' + 'तस्मात् उद्भवः')
पुत्राःsons
पुत्राः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन
देवर्षोणाम्of the divine sages
देवर्षोणाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः ('देवाश्च ते ऋषयः')
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)
वल्लभाःdear; beloved
वल्लभाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootवल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Post-death offerings during preta period (implied).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Offerings after death should correspond to what sustained the person in life; ritual giving is tailored to the departed’s needs/saṃskāra-context.

Vedantic Theme: Subtle continuity of vāsanā (residual desire) beyond death; dharmic action (dāna/śrāddha) addresses the preta’s condition without denying the soul’s separateness from the body.

Application: When performing śrāddha/offerings, include items aligned with the deceased’s customary sustenance (within dharmic bounds), emphasizing timely dāna and appropriate food/water offerings.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: general teaching that preta is sustained by offerings and desires persist post-mortem; Garuda Purana Śrāddha sections: tailoring piṇḍa/udaka and dāna to benefit the departed

Characters & Entities
B
Brahma
D
Devarshis

FAQs

This verse states that the departed tends to desire offerings that correspond to what sustained him in life; hence śrāddha gifts should be appropriate and meaningful rather than random.

In the Preta Kanda context, it indicates the preta’s dependence on ritual support and the idea that offerings should match the departed’s lived dependencies (upajīvika), shaping what is ritually “received.”

When performing śrāddha or memorial charity, offer suitable food/gifts connected to the departed’s life and needs, and give with intention and dharmic conduct rather than mere formality.

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