Shloka 53

Santaptaka’s Encounter with Five Pretas and Their Liberation through Viṣṇu’s Presence

Devanagari script

यतः पर्युषितं दत्तं ततः पर्युषितः स्मृतः / सूचीमुख उवाच / कदाचिद्ब्राह्मणी काचित्तीर्थं भद्रवटं ययौ

Transliteration

yataḥ paryuṣitaṃ dattaṃ tataḥ paryuṣitaḥ smṛtaḥ / sūcīmukha uvāca / kadācidbrāhmaṇī kācittīrthaṃ bhadravaṭaṃ yayau

Translation

Weil die Gabe erst gegeben wurde, nachdem sie abgestanden war, wird er daher „Paryuṣita“ genannt. Sūcīmukha sprach: „Einst ging eine Brahmanin zum heiligen tīrtha namens Bhadravaṭa.“

Word by Word

• यतः: from which/therefore
• यतः: Apadana (Source/Reason/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-अव्यय (relative adverb: from which/wherefore), पञ्चमी-अर्थे

• पर्युषितम्: stale (food)
• पर्युषितम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्युषित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular (qualifying implied अन्नम्)

• दत्तम्: was given
• दत्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; Past passive participle, Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular

• ततः: from that/therefore
• ततः: Apadana (Result/Reason/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-अव्यय (correlative adverb: from that/thereupon), पञ्चमी-अर्थे

• पर्युषितः: (he is) ‘Paryuṣita’
• पर्युषितः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्युषित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular (name/epithet)

• स्मृतः: is called/remembered
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सूचीमुखः: Sūcīmukha (name)
• सूचीमुखः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूची + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular (speaker name)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

• कदाचित्: once
• कदाचित्: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• ब्राह्मणी: a brahmin woman
• ब्राह्मणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• काचित्: some (one)
• काचित्: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Nominative, Singular (indefinite pronoun qualifying ब्राह्मणी)

• तीर्थम्: a sacred place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भद्रवटम्: Bhadravaṭa (sacred banyan/place)
• भद्रवटम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र + वट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular (place-name)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Perfect, 3rd person, Singular

Speaker

Sūcīmukha

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Implied: offering made after becoming stale (paryuṣita)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Improper timing/condition of offering (paryuṣita—stale) defines the moral quality and even the identity/name arising from the act; tīrtha context hints at purification and consequence.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra formation through repeated acts; nāma-rūpa shaped by karma within vyavahāra.

Application: Offer fresh, appropriate gifts; attend to timing and purity in ritual acts; seek tīrtha/holy contexts for reform and purification.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: etymological naming of pretas based on misdeeds; transition to next preta narrative (Sūcīmukha)

Characters & Entities

• Sūcīmukha
• Brāhmaṇī
• Bhadravaṭa (Tīrtha)

FAQs

What is the importance of avoiding paryuṣita (stale) offerings in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that once something is offered after becoming paryuṣita, it is deemed improper by tradition—highlighting that timeliness and freshness are part of dharmic correctness in dāna and ritual acts.

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

While not describing the soul’s journey directly, it sets a rule of ritual discipline that underlies śrāddha and related offerings—implying that correct observance (including freshness/timing) supports the intended spiritual efficacy of rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When giving food, charity, or making ritual offerings, prioritize freshness and timely giving; if doing śrāddha/pinda-related acts, follow proper procedure and timing rather than treating offerings as leftover or delayed.