Shloka 19

Determining Rites for Difficult/Inauspicious Deaths; Annual and Daily Śrāddha Rules

Devanagari script

गृहस्थे प्रोषिते यच्च कश्चित्तु म्रियते गृहे / आसौचापगमे यत्र प्रारब्धे श्राद्धकर्मणि

Transliteration

gṛhasthe proṣite yacca kaścittu mriyate gṛhe / āsaucāpagame yatra prārabdhe śrāddhakarmaṇi

Translation

Wenn während der Abwesenheit des Hausherrn jemand im Haus stirbt, soll man nach dem Ende der rituellen Unreinheit (āśauca) die für den Verstorbenen bestimmten śrāddha-Riten beginnen.

Word by Word

• गृहस्थे: in the householder (state/condition)
• गृहस्थे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• प्रोषिते: when (he) is away
• प्रोषिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रोषित (कृदन्त; √वस् (धातु) उपसर्ग-प्रो + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) ‘gone away/absent’

• यत्: which/that (event)
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक relative pronoun

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

• कश्चित्: someone
• कश्चित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (indefinite pronoun)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• म्रियते: dies
• म्रियते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘dies’

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• आसौच-अपगमे: at the cessation of impurity
• आसौच-अपगमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसौच (प्रातिपदिक) + अपगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘आसौचस्य अपगमः’ (cessation of impurity)

• यत्र: where/when
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where/when)

• प्रारब्धे: when begun
• प्रारब्धे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रारब्ध (कृदन्त; √रभ् (धातु) उपसर्ग-प्र + आ + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त ‘begun/undertaken’ (agreeing with कर्मणि)

• श्राद्ध-कर्मणि: in the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्ध-कर्मणि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘श्राद्धस्य कर्म’ (rite of śrāddha)

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After the completion of āśauca, commence the śrāddha rites for the deceased when death occurred during the householder’s absence.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: If someone dies in the house while the householder is away, then after āśauca ends, begin the śrāddha rites for the departed.

Vedantic Theme: Purity/impurity as functional dharmic categories enabling proper performance of pitṛ-kriyā; compassion expressed through correct rites.

Application: In cases of death during a family head’s absence, observe āśauca as applicable and schedule śrāddha after its completion, ensuring rites are not performed prematurely.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: household

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.45 (āśauca and śrāddha sequencing)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Grihastha
• Shraddha
• Ashauca

FAQs

What is the importance of āśauca ending before performing śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that śrāddha should be undertaken only after the period of death-impurity (āśauca) has ceased, preserving ritual correctness and dharmic order.

How does this verse guide families if a death occurs while the householder is away?

It clarifies that even if the head of the household is absent, the household must observe āśauca and then proceed with the prescribed śrāddha rites once impurity ends.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow local śāstric/customary āśauca observance after a death and schedule śrāddha-related rites after that period, ensuring the family’s actions align with dharma and tradition.