Shloka 58

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

Devanagari script

नवम्याञ्च मृतो यश्च रिक्ता तस्य चतुर्दशी / एता रिक्ताश्च विज्ञेया अन्त्येष्टौ कुशलेन च

Transliteration

navamyāñca mṛto yaśca riktā tasya caturdaśī / etā riktāśca vijñeyā antyeṣṭau kuśalena ca

Translation

Stirbt jemand am neunten Mondtag (navamī), so gilt für ihn der vierzehnte (caturdaśī) als „rikta“, als leer und unheilvoll. Ein kundiger Vollzieher der letzten Riten (antyeṣṭi) soll diese Tithis als „rikta“ erkennen und entsprechend handeln.

Word by Word

• navamyām: on the ninth (tithi)
• navamyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: navamī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Saptamī vibhakti (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (sg.); locative of time

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

• mṛtaḥ: dead (has died)
• mṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत्) → mṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā vibhakti (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; past passive participle (क्त) used adjectivally

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

• riktā: void/inauspicious (empty)
• riktā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rikta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate adjective agreeing with caturdaśī

• tasya: of him/for him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana; genitive

• caturdaśī: the fourteenth (tithi)
• caturdaśī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturdaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tithi-name

• etāḥ: these
• etāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana (pl.); demonstrative pronoun

• riktāḥ: void/inauspicious
• riktāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rikta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; predicate adjective

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

• vijñeyāḥ: should be known
• vijñeyāḥ: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√jñā (धातु) + ya (कृत्) → vijñeya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; gerundive (तव्यत्/य) = ‘to be known’

• antyeṣṭau: in the funeral rites
• antyeṣṭau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antya-iṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti, Ekavacana; locative; compound: antyā (अन्त्या) + iṣṭiḥ (इष्टिः) ‘final rite’

• kuśalena: by a skilled (person)
• kuśalena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (3rd/तृतीया), Ekavacana; instrumental of agent/means

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Tithi-based guidance: navamī death linked with caturdaśī as rikta for rites; adjust antyeṣṭi planning accordingly.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kāla-dharma: correct timing (tithi) and discernment of ‘rikta’ days in funeral rites.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual order (niyati/ṛta) supports dharma; skill (kauśala) in rites reduces disturbance for the departed and the living.

Application: Consult pañcāṅga; avoid/adjust rites on rikta tithis (navamī/caturdaśī linkage as stated); engage a competent officiant for antyeṣṭi scheduling.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Preta-khaṇḍa/Śrāddha-prakaraṇa: discussions of tithi-doṣa, ekādaśāha, sapīṇḍīkaraṇa timing (adjacent verses 2.34.59-62)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Antyeṣṭi (funeral rites)
• Tithi (lunar day)

FAQs

What is the importance of ‘rikta tithi’ in the Garuda Purana’s death-ritual guidance?

This verse states that certain lunar dates are treated as ‘rikta’ (ritually unsuitable) in the context of antyeṣṭi, so a competent officiant should recognize and avoid them when planning rites.

How does this verse explain the handling of funeral rites when death occurs on Navamī?

It links a death on Navamī with Caturdaśī being considered ‘rikta’ for that case, indicating that timing decisions for rites must account for such tithi-based constraints.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When arranging cremation or related rites, consult a knowledgeable priest/panchāṅga expert to avoid ritually unsuitable tithis and to perform the rites in a way consistent with traditional guidance.