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Shloka 55

Dharma–Adharma Marks; Daśāha, Piṇḍa Formation, Śrāddha Calendar, Śayyā-dāna, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Rules

Devanagari script

शवहस्ते च यच्छ्राद्धं मृतिस्थाने द्विजासने / तदेव प्रथमं श्राद्धं तत् स्यादेकादशे ऽहनि

Transliteration

śavahaste ca yacchrāddhaṃ mṛtisthāne dvijāsane / tadeva prathamaṃ śrāddhaṃ tat syādekādaśe 'hani

Translation

Das Śrāddha, das bei anwesendem Leichnam, am Ort des Todes, mit einem sitzenden Brāhmaṇa (dvija) als Empfänger des Ritus vollzogen wird—nur dieses gilt als das erste Śrāddha; es ist am elften Tag zu tun.

Word by Word
शव-हस्तेat the corpse-hand (ritual context)
शव-हस्ते:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootशव (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शवस्य हस्तः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'in/at the hand of the corpse' (ritual context)
चand
च:
सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Sambandha)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय
यत्which
यत्:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative)
श्राद्धम्Śrāddha rite
श्राद्धम्:
कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootश्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
मृति-स्थानेat the place of death
मृति-स्थाने:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootमृति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मृतेः स्थानम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
द्विज-आसनेon the seat of a Brahmin
द्विज-आसने:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्विजस्य आसनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
तत्that
तत्:
कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देशक
एवindeed; only
एव:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formनिश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)
प्रथमम्first
प्रथमम्:
विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; श्राद्धम् इति विशेषणम्
श्राद्धम्Śrāddha rite
श्राद्धम्:
कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootश्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
तत्that
तत्:
कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुनर्निर्देश
स्यात्should be
स्यात्:
क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
एकादशेon the eleventh
एकादशे:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootएकादश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसप्तमी, एकवचन; अहनि इति विशेषणम्
अहनिon the day
अहनि:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootअहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Ekādaśāha (11th day) identified as the first śrāddha when performed with the body present at the death-place.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The first śrāddha is the one performed with the body present at the death-place, with a brāhmaṇa seated; it is done on the eleventh day.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra and pitṛ-kārya as dharmic duty that steadies the mind and honors relational bonds without clinging.

Application: Arrange the ekādaśāha śrāddha as the primary ‘first’ rite: invite a qualified brāhmaṇa, prepare offerings, and perform at/connected to the death-place tradition as applicable.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: household/death-site

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.34.53-54 (counting and tithi basis); 2.34.56 (exceptions).

Characters & Entities
D
Dvija (Brahmana)

FAQs

This verse defines the first śrāddha as the rite connected with the body and performed at the death-place with a duly seated brāhmaṇa, establishing the formal beginning of post-death śrāddha observances.

The verse states the timing directly: the rite recognized as the first śrāddha is to be performed on the eleventh day, aligning the śrāddha schedule with the Purāṇic post-death ritual sequence.

If following Garuda Purana–based practice, families can ensure rites are done with proper ritual seating of a qualified brāhmaṇa and observe the eleventh-day śrāddha as a key milestone in the post-death duties.

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