Shloka 23

Preta-bhāva: Causes, Remedies, and the Rationale of Post-death Rites

Question-Catalogue

Devanagari script

देशमे ऽहनि यः पिण्डस्तं दद्यादामिषेण तु / पिण्डं चैकादशे कस्माद् वृषोत्सर्गः कथं भवेत्

Transliteration

deśame 'hani yaḥ piṇḍastaṃ dadyādāmiṣeṇa tu / piṇḍaṃ caikādaśe kasmād vṛṣotsargaḥ kathaṃ bhavet

Translation

Am zehnten Tag: soll der vorgeschriebene Piṇḍa mit Fleisch dargebracht werden? Und am elften Tag: warum wird der Piṇḍa dargebracht, und wie wird das Ritual der Freilassung eines Stieres (vṛṣotsarga) vollzogen?

Word by Word

• दशमे: on the tenth (day)
• दशमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण

• अहनि: on the day
• अहनि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• यः: which/that (who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• पिण्डः: rice-ball offering (piṇḍa)
• पिण्डः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दद्याद्: should give
• दद्याद्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• आमिषेण: with meat/flesh
• आमिषेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आमिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• पिण्डम्: piṇḍa offering
• पिण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• एकादशे: on the eleventh (day)
• एकादशे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः: एक + दश (eleven)

• कस्मात्: why/from what cause
• कस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• वृषोत्सर्गः: release/donation of a bull
• वृषोत्सर्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष + उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: वृषस्य उत्सर्गः (release/donation of a bull)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय/प्रश्न)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (how)

• भवेत्: should be; would occur
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra) questioning Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: 10th and 11th day after death (daśama/ekādaśa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual acts (piṇḍa, vṛṣotsarga) generate supportive karma for the departed; questions of dravya (meat vs. other) relate to adhikāra and śāstric injunction.

Vedantic Theme: Interdependence of action and subtle consequence; compassion expressed through prescribed karma.

Application: Follow lineage/śāstra guidance on piṇḍa ingredients; perform ekādaśāha piṇḍa and vṛṣotsarga according to rule, with proper intention for preta-gati.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: ritual ground/household śrāddha space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa 2.28 (daśama/ekādaśa rites; piṇḍa and vṛṣotsarga discussion); Garuda Purana sections on vṛṣotsarga merit and preta uplift (recension-dependent)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Preta
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of the 10th-day piṇḍa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse flags the 10th-day piṇḍa as a distinct, rule-governed offering within preta-kriyā, prompting clarification about its proper mode (including whether it is accompanied by āmiṣa).

Why is the piṇḍa offered on the 11th day (ekādaśa) according to this passage?

The verse treats the 11th-day piṇḍa as a purposeful rite needing explanation—implying it marks an important transition in the departed’s ritual sequence and is linked with associated observances like vṛṣotsarga.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow lineage-appropriate śrāddha/preta-rites under a qualified priest, and treat day-specific offerings (10th/11th) as precise observances rather than interchangeable rituals.