Shloka 62

Āhnika-Dharma: Dawn Purification, Sandhyā-Upāsanā, Tarpana, Pañca-Mahāyajñas, and Aśauca Rules

Devanagari script

प्राचीनावीती पित्र्ये तु तेन तीर्थेन भारत / निष्पीड्य स्नानवस्त्रं वै समाचम्य च वाग्यतः

Transliteration

prācīnāvītī pitrye tu tena tīrthena bhārata / niṣpīḍya snānavastraṃ vai samācamya ca vāgyataḥ

Translation

O Bhārata, for rites meant for the Pitṛs one should wear the sacred thread in the prācīnāvītī manner. Then, at that tīrtha, after wringing out the bathing cloth, one should perform ācamana and remain restrained in speech.

Word by Word

• प्राचीनावीती: wearing the thread in prācīnāvīta (over right shoulder) manner
• प्राचीनावीती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राचीन (प्रातिपदिक) + आवीतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; कर्मधारय (प्राचीनः आवीतिः यस्य)

• पित्र्ये: in the ancestral rite
• पित्र्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘पित्र्य’ = पितृ-सम्बन्धि कर्म/कर्मकाण्ड

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• तेन: with that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• तीर्थेन: by/with that sacred water-place (method)
• तीर्थेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निष्पीड्य: having wrung out
• निष्पीड्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निष् + पीड् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having squeezed/pressed out’

• स्नानवस्त्रम्: the bathing cloth/garment
• स्नानवस्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (स्नानस्य वस्त्रम्)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Discourse (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात (indeed)

• समाचम्य: having performed ācamana
• समाचम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + चमू/चम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having sipped (water) properly’

• च: and
• च: Discourse (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• वाग्यतः: restrained in speech
• वाग्यतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाक् (प्रातिपदिक) + यत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः तत्पुरुष (वाचि यतः = वाक्-निग्रहयुक्तः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda; vocative 'Bhārata' is a conventional address within the narration)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: At the start of Pitṛ-kārya after snāna at a tīrtha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: External purity (snāna, vastra-śuddhi, ācamana) and internal purity (vāk-niyama) are prerequisites for Pitṛ rites.

Vedantic Theme: Śauca and dama as supports for sattva and citta-śuddhi; disciplined speech as a form of tapas.

Application: At a tīrtha after bathing: wring the cloth, perform ācamana, adopt prācīnāvītī for Pitṛ rites, and keep speech restrained during the procedure.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: riverbank/ghāṭa or sacred bathing place

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana śrāddha-vidhi passages on śauca, ācamana, and prācīnāvītī (surrounding context of 1.50)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Tirtha

FAQs

What is the importance of prācīnāvītī in Garuda Purana ancestor rites?

This verse states that for Pitṛ-related rites one should adopt prācīnāvītī, marking the ritual as specifically directed to the ancestors and aligning one’s bodily observance with Pitru-karma protocol.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana’s guidance on post-death and ancestor rituals?

It emphasizes preparatory purity and discipline—proper thread position, bathing etiquette, ācamana, and controlled speech—seen as essential foundations for effective Shraddha and offerings intended to benefit departed ancestors.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing Shraddha or tarpaṇa, follow the correct upavīta mode, maintain cleanliness after bathing, do ācamana, and keep speech restrained to preserve ritual focus and reverence.