Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

जन्मतः पञ्च वर्षाणि भुङ्क्ते दत्तमसंस्कृतम् / पञ्चवर्षाधिके बाले विपत्तिर्यदि जायते

Transliteration

janmataḥ pañca varṣāṇi bhuṅkte dattamasaṃskṛtam / pañcavarṣādhike bāle vipattiryadi jāyate

Translation

Von der Geburt bis zum fünften Lebensjahr nimmt das Kind an dem Dargebrachten teil, ohne durch die volle rituelle Weihe gebunden zu sein. Wenn aber ein Kind über fünf Jahren von Unheil (wie dem Tod) getroffen wird, dann entstehen entsprechend die Folgen und die erforderlichen Riten.

Word by Word

• जन्मतः: from birth
• जन्मतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग (ablative used adverbially: 'from birth')

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; विशेषण (varṣāṇi-विशेषण)

• वर्षाणि: years
• वर्षाणि: Karma (Extent/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कालपरिमाण (duration)

• भुङ्क्ते: enjoys/consumes
• भुङ्क्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• असंस्कृतम्: unconsecrated; not duly sanctified
• असंस्कृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्-प्रत्यय) + संस्कृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from सम्-स्कृ + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नकारार्थ (unconsecrated/without rites)

• पञ्चवर्षाधिके: when (the child is) over five years (old)
• पञ्चवर्षाधिके: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ('पञ्च वर्षाणि अधिकः' = more than five years old)

• बाले: in the child
• बाले: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• विपत्तिः: misfortune; calamity
• विपत्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle)

• जायते: arises/occurs
• जायते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Age-based: up to five years vs. beyond five years (threshold rule).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Up to five years, the child partakes of what is given as ‘asaṃskṛta’ (not fully bound by full ritual refinement/obligation); beyond five years, if death/misfortune occurs, corresponding rites and implications arise.

Vedantic Theme: Gradation of adhikāra (eligibility/ritual status) by life-stage; dharma as context-sensitive rather than one-size-fits-all.

Application: In child-death cases, consider age thresholds when consulting tradition/family priest for appropriate rites; avoid both neglect and excess by following age-appropriate procedure.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: age-based distinctions in death rites and preta-support; Garuda Purana śrāddha chapters: procedural variations by eligibility/saṃskāra

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of the five-year threshold in Garuda Purana?

This verse marks five years as a practical dharma boundary: before that, the child is treated as not fully subject to complete ritual obligations, while after five years, misfortune like death is addressed with more formally applicable rites and consequences.

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

In the Preta Kanda context, Vishnu explains criteria affecting post-death procedures; here, age determines whether the death is treated under minimal childhood considerations or under the more standard framework of antyeṣṭi/śrāddha-related duty.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It advises families and priests to consider the child’s age when deciding the appropriate level of funeral and śrāddha observance, aligning rites with dharma rather than applying a single uniform rule.