Shloka 48

Babhruvāhana Meets a Preta: Vṛṣotsarga, Heirless Death, and the Signs of Preta-Affliction

Devanagari script

प्रतिमास्यानि चान्या नि ह्येवं श्राद्धानि षोडश / यस्यैतानि न दीयन्ते प्रेतश्राद्धानि भूपते

Transliteration

pratimāsyāni cānyā ni hyevaṃ śrāddhāni ṣoḍaśa / yasyaitāni na dīyante pretaśrāddhāni bhūpate

Translation

So gibt es sechzehn Śrāddha-Riten—die monatlichen und andere. O König, wem diese Preta-Śrāddhas nicht dargebracht werden, für den bleiben die gebührenden Riten nach dem Tod unerfüllt.

Word by Word

• प्रतिमास्यानि: monthly (rites)
• प्रतिमास्यानि: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय) + मास्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-बहुवचनम्; अव्ययीभाव-समासः (प्रतिमासम्—each month)

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

• अन्यानि: other
• अन्यानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-बहुवचनम्; ‘श्राद्धानि’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (other)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic/causal particle)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: ‘thus/in this manner’)

• श्राद्धानि: śrāddha rites
• श्राद्धानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-बहुवचनम् (Nom./Acc. plural, neut.)

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; अत्र ‘श्राद्धानि’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (sixteen)

• यस्य: whose / for whom
• यस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Relative pronoun; Genitive singular: ‘of whom/whose’)

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-बहुवचनम्; ‘श्राद्धानि’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (these)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्ययम्

• दीयन्ते: are given
• दीयन्ते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (वर्तमान), कर्मणि प्रयोगः, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम् (Present passive, 3rd pl.: ‘are given’)

• प्रेतश्राद्धानि: preta-śrāddha rites (for the departed)
• प्रेतश्राद्धानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रेतस्य श्राद्धानि) (preta-śrāddhas)

• भूपते: O king
• भूपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Vocative singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instruction to Garuda; address ‘bhūpate’ indicates the teaching is also framed for a king/listener)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Sixteen preta-śrāddhas including monthly (māsika) and other scheduled observances

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sixteen śrāddhas (monthly and others) constitute a structured dharmic obligation; omission harms the departed’s welfare.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual action (karma-kāṇḍa) as a pragmatic support within saṃsāra; dharma sustains transitions of the jīva until higher realization.

Application: Maintain a clear śrāddha calendar; perform or sponsor rites for those without family; treat memorial obligations as part of ethical continuity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Preta-kalpa: lists of preta-śrāddhas and their necessity; warnings about consequences of omission

Characters & Entities

• Pretas
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of the sixteen (ṣoḍaśa) śrāddhas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that post-death rites are structured as sixteen śrāddhas, including monthly offerings; they form the prescribed sequence of obligations for supporting the departed in the preta phase.

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

By emphasizing preta-śrāddha, it implies an intermediate ‘preta’ condition after death where ritual offerings are considered necessary supports; neglecting them is treated as leaving the post-death duty incomplete.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If one follows tradition, ensure the family’s post-death śrāddha schedule (including monthly rites and other prescribed observances) is performed with sincerity and ethical living, treating it as a duty of care for the departed.