Shloka 30

Akālamṛtyu: Preta-state Categories and the Nārāyaṇa-bali / Ekoddiṣṭa Remedy

Devanagari script

भद्रं कर्णेभिरिति च कुर्यात्पिण्डविसर्जनम् / कृत्वैकादशदेवत्यं श्राद्धं कुर्यात्परे ऽहनि

Transliteration

bhadraṃ karṇebhiriti ca kuryātpiṇḍavisarjanam / kṛtvaikādaśadevatyaṃ śrāddhaṃ kuryātpare 'hani

Translation

Unter Rezitation des Mantras, das mit „bhadraṁ karṇebhiḥ…“ beginnt, soll man die abschließende Darbringung vollziehen, das Entlassen der piṇḍas. Danach, nachdem das Śrāddha für die Elf Gottheiten ausgeführt wurde, soll man am folgenden Tag erneut Śrāddha darbringen.

Word by Word

• bhadram-karṇebhiḥ: The 'Bhadram Karnebhih' mantra
• bhadram-karṇebhiḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadraṃ-karṇebhiḥ (भद्रं कर्णेभिः)
• Form: Mantra reference (bhadraṃ karṇebhiḥ śṛṇuyāma...)

• iti: Thus (indicating the mantra)
• iti: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (इति)
• Form: Particle

• ca: And
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: Conjunction

• kuryāt: Should perform
• kuryāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ)
• Form: Vidhilin (Optative), Parasmaipada, Prathama Purusha, Singular

• piṇḍa-visarjanam: Discarding/Immersion of the Pinda
• piṇḍa-visarjanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṇḍa-visarjana (पिण्डविसर्जन)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular. (Shasthi Tatpurusha: piṇḍasya visarjanam)

• kṛtvā: Having done/performed
• kṛtvā: Purvakalika Kriya (Prior Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ)
• Form: Ktva Pratyaya (Absolutive/Gerund)

• ekādaśa-devatyam: Relating to the eleven deities
• ekādaśa-devatyam: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekādaśa-devatya (एकादशदैवत्य)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular. (Relating to the eleven deities/forms)

• śrāddham: Shraddha ceremony
• śrāddham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (श्राद्ध)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• kuryāt: Should perform
• kuryāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ)
• Form: Vidhilin (Optative), Parasmaipada, Prathama Purusha, Singular

• pare: On the next/following
• pare: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (पर)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• ahani: Day
• ahani: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahan (अहन्)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: At the conclusion of piṇḍa sequence: piṇḍa-visarjana with ‘bhadraṃ karṇebhiḥ…’; ekādaśa-devatya śrāddha performed, and again on the following day.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual completion (visarjana) must be sealed with śānti-mantra; prescribed repetition and devatā-framing ensure wholeness (pūrṇatā) and benefit to pitṛs.

Vedantic Theme: Śānti as harmonization of mind and environment; karma-kāṇḍa performed with sattva and completion rites to avoid doṣa.

Application: Do not omit concluding mantras and visarjana; perform the ekādaśa-devatya śrāddha as prescribed and repeat on the next day if the tradition requires.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: śrāddha-vedi / domestic ritual ground

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.40: piṇḍa-dāna, piṇḍa-visarjana, ekādaśa-devatya śrāddha instructions

Characters & Entities

• Ekadasha Devatas (Eleven Rudras)
• Pitris (implicitly, via Śrāddha)

FAQs

What is the importance of piṇḍa-visarjana in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse treats piṇḍa-visarjana as a formal completion of the piṇḍa offerings, performed with mantra-recitation, marking a ritually proper close to that stage of the preta-related rites.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

By prescribing Śrāddha and the concluding piṇḍa rite, the verse points to the Garuda Purana’s framework that post-death rites support the departed’s transitional state (preta) and aid orderly progression through the after-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If following traditional practice, ensure rites are done in sequence—mantra-guided completion of offerings, then the Ekādaśa-devatya Śrāddha and the next-day Śrāddha—preferably under guidance of a qualified priest and family tradition (śākhā/ācāra).