Shloka 30

The Explanation of the Post-funeral Rites (Aurdhvadehika) and Related Matters

Devanagari script

अग्नौकरणमुच्छिष्टं श्राद्धं वै वैश्वदैविकम् / विकिरं च स्वधाकारं पितृशब्दं न चोच्चरेत्

Transliteration

agnaukaraṇamucchiṣṭaṃ śrāddhaṃ vai vaiśvadaivikam / vikiraṃ ca svadhākāraṃ pitṛśabdaṃ na coccaret

Translation

Die mit dem Feuerritus verbundene Vaiśvadeva-Darbringung gilt im Verhältnis zum Śrāddha als „Übriggebliebenes“. Darum soll man beim Ausstreuen der Speisegabe und beim Sprechen der Formel „svadhā“ das Wort „pitṛs“ (Ahnen) nicht aussprechen.

Word by Word

• अग्नौकरणम्: (the act of) offering into fire
• अग्नौकरणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नौ + करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• उच्छिष्टम्: leftover/impure remainder
• उच्छिष्टम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चयार्थ/सम्भावनार्थ

• वैश्वदैविकम्: pertaining to the Viśvedevas
• वैश्वदैविकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैश्व + दैविक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण

• विकिरम्: scattering (of offerings)
• विकिरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• स्वधाकारम्: the utterance/form ‘svadhā’
• स्वधाकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वधा + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• पितृशब्दम्: the word ‘pitṛ’ (ancestor)
• पितृशब्दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• च: also
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उच्चरेत्: should utter/pronounce
• उच्चरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उद्-उपसर्ग

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During preta-śrāddha performance when vikira and svadhā are employed.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Maintain śrāddha’s distinct purity: treat vaiśvadeva connected to agni as secondary/leftover relative to śrāddha; in vikira and svadhā utterance, avoid saying 'pitṛ'.

Vedantic Theme: Purity of intention and speech (vāk-śuddhi) as part of dharma; correct designation shapes subtle efficacy.

Application: Do not mix vaiśvadeva-agni procedures into śrāddha; while scattering offerings and saying svadhā, avoid the explicit 'pitṛ' word in this preta-context (as per the surrounding preta-vidhi).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.35.29–31 (preta-śrāddha prohibitions; mantra and procedure restrictions)

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Vaiśvadeva
• Pitṛs

FAQs

What is the importance of mantra precision in Garuda Purana śrāddha rituals?

This verse stresses that specific parts of the offering (like vikira and the “svadhā” formula) have strict usage rules; even saying “pitṛ” at the wrong step is discouraged to preserve ritual correctness.

How does this verse distinguish Vaiśvadeva from Pitṛ-oriented śrāddha acts?

It treats the Vaiśvadeva connected with the fire-rite as separate and secondary (“ucchiṣṭa”) relative to śrāddha, and instructs that Pitṛ-address should not be mixed into the “svadhā” and scattering portion.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If performing śrāddha, follow a reliable śāstra-based procedure and priestly guidance—keeping deity-offerings and ancestor-invocations distinct and reciting mantras only at their prescribed steps.