Shloka 27

Explanation of Purification (Śuddhi-vyākhyāna)

Devanagari script

उपस्थाय वदेदेवं मुञ्चन् मुद्रांशुकानि च / मधुरं तद्दिने ऽश्रीयाद्देवश्राद्धं समापयेत्

Transliteration

upasthāya vadedevaṃ muñcan mudrāṃśukāni ca / madhuraṃ taddine 'śrīyāddevaśrāddhaṃ samāpayet

Translation

Nachdem er aufgestanden und (zur Gottheit/zum Altar) herangetreten ist, soll er so sprechen; dann soll er die Mudrās und die rituellen Gewänder lösen, an jenem Tag etwas Süßes zu sich nehmen und so das Deva-śrāddha beschließen.

Word by Word

• उपस्थाय: having approached/stood near
• उपस्थाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive) — ‘उपस्थाय’ (having approached/attended); उपसर्गः ‘उप-’

• वदेत्: should say
• वदेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• मुञ्चन्: releasing/letting go
• मुञ्चन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle) परस्मैपद; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग — ‘releasing/letting go’

• मुद्रा-अंशुकानि: amulet-cloths / sealed cloth pieces
• मुद्रा-अंशुकानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + अंशुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास — ‘मुद्रायाः अंशुकानि’ (cloths/garments used as seals/amulets)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मधुरम्: something sweet
• मधुरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तत्-दिने: on that day
• तत्-दिने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास — ‘तस्मिन् दिने’

• अश्रीयात्: should eat
• अश्रीयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘अश्’ = to eat

• देव-श्राद्धम्: the deva-śrāddha rite
• देव-श्राद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास — ‘देवानां श्राद्धम्’ (rite for deities)

• समापयेत्: should complete/finish
• समापयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उपसर्गः ‘सम्-’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Deva

Timing: End of Deva-śrāddha on the śrāddha day after offerings and recitation

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Rites are completed not only by offerings but by correct concluding acts—utterance, releasing mudrā/ritual bindings, and taking auspicious food.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra as inner ordering: external ritual mirrors internal composure and completion (niṣṭhā).

Application: Conclude rituals deliberately: speak the concluding formula, end the ritual gestures properly, and take a small sweet as a sign of auspicious completion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.44 (Deva-śrāddha procedure): concluding steps and phala statements in nearby verses

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of Deva-śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Deva-śrāddha as a formally concluded rite: after the prescribed recitation and releasing ritual observances (mudrā/cloths), one completes the offering properly—signaling closure and correctness in dharmic procedure.

What does this verse indicate about completing a śrāddha ritual?

It emphasizes a clear ritual ending: respectful approach, prescribed words, then releasing the ritual constraints/markers (mudrā and aṃśuka), followed by taking a sweet item—after which the Deva-śrāddha is considered complete.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing śrāddha or any sacred observance, follow a complete closure: recite the concluding formula, end the temporary ritual restrictions with mindfulness, and finish with a simple sattvic act (here, a sweet), ensuring the rite is not left “open-ended.”