Shloka 14

The Narrative of the Five Pretas

Eligibility for rites and jīvac-chrāddha procedure

Devanagari script

दक्षिणेन तु दद्याच्च तृतीयां दक्षिणायुताम् / यमायाङ्गिरसे चाथ स्वधा नम इति स्मरन्

Transliteration

dakṣiṇena tu dadyācca tṛtīyāṃ dakṣiṇāyutām / yamāyāṅgirase cātha svadhā nama iti smaran

Translation

Dann soll man, begleitet von der vorgeschriebenen dakṣiṇā, die dritte Opfergabe zusammen mit dakṣiṇā darbringen und dabei eingedenk sprechen: „svadhā—namah“ für Yama und für Āṅgirasa.

Word by Word

• दक्षिणेन: with dakṣiṇā (fee/gift)
• दक्षिणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; करण (by/with dakṣiṇā)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• दद्याच्: should give
• दद्याच्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

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

• तृतीयाम्: the third (one)
• तृतीयाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal)

• दक्षिणा-युताम्: endowed with dakṣiṇā
• दक्षिणा-युताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक) + युत (कृदन्त; युज् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—दक्षिणया युता (endowed with dakṣiṇā)

• यमाय: to Yama
• यमाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• अङ्गिरसे: to Aṅgiras
• अङ्गिरसे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

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

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse marker (क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• स्वधा: “svadhā”
• स्वधा: Vacana/Mantra (उद्गार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक/मन्त्रपद)
• Form: मन्त्र-उद्गाररूपेण अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Vacana/Mantra (उद्गार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नमस्कारार्थे अव्ययप्रयोगः

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacana-marker (उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात

• स्मरन्: remembering/uttering
• स्मरन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Third oblation segment within śrāddha sequence

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Offerings with dakṣiṇā are made acknowledging Yama and Āṅgirasa, affirming moral causality and ritual correctness in pitṛ-kārya.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala governance: dharma as cosmic order; ritual acts align the individual with ṛta/dharma, reducing fear through right action.

Application: When performing śrāddha, complete the prescribed third offering with dakṣiṇā and the correct dedicatory remembrance to Yama/Āṅgirasa.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-directional invocation within śrāddha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.8 (third offering; mention of Yama; sequence leading to feeding brāhmaṇas)

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Āṅgirasa
• Pitṛs (implied by the svadhā formula)

FAQs

What is the importance of dakṣiṇā in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse emphasizes that the oblation is not merely symbolic; it is to be accompanied by dakṣiṇā, completing the rite through respectful gifting that supports the ritual order and its officiation.

Why are Yama and Āṅgirasa invoked with “svadhā namaḥ” in this verse?

“Svadhā” is the traditional formula linked to Pitṛ-related offerings; here it is remembered while directing the offering to Yama and Āṅgirasa, aligning the rite with the departed’s post-death journey and the authorities of the afterlife/ancestral domain.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing śrāddha or memorial rites, pair ritual acts with sincere remembrance and ethical giving (dakṣiṇā/charity), treating the rite as both devotion and responsibility.