Shloka 70

Devanagari script

यदि स्यात्तर्पणादर्वाग्ब्रयज्ञं कुतो भवेत् / कृत्वा मनुष्ययज्ञं वै ततः स्वाध्यायमाचरेत्

Transliteration

yadi syāttarpaṇādarvāgbrayajñaṃ kuto bhavet / kṛtvā manuṣyayajñaṃ vai tataḥ svādhyāyamācaret

Translation

If the tarpaṇa (oblations of water) were to be done before it, how could the brahma-yajña (study/recitation of sacred knowledge) take place? Having first performed the manuṣya-yajña (service to human beings/guests), one should then engage in svādhyāya (self-study of the Veda and śāstra).

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-निपात (conditional conjunction)

• स्यात्: should be/would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• तर्पणात्: from tarpaṇa (libation/satiation rite)
• तर्पणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; Ablative singular

• अर्वाक्: before/earlier than
• अर्वाक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अर्वाक् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (adverb): ‘before/this side of’

• ब्रह्म-यज्ञम्: Brahma/Veda-sacrifice (study)
• ब्रह्म-यज्ञम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• कुतः: how/from where
• कुतः: Sambandha (Question/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• भवेत्: could be/should occur
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having done’

• मनुष्य-यज्ञम्: human-sacrifice (service to humans/guests)
• मनुष्य-यज्ञम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘मनुष्याणां यज्ञः’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequence/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (sequential adverb): ‘thereafter’

• स्वाध्यायम्: self-study/recitation (of Veda)
• स्वाध्यायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• आचरेत्: should practise/perform
• आचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra, within the Garuḍa Purāṇa dialogue frame)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Daily/regular tarpaṇa context implied; instruction concerns its placement relative to other duties

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right order (krama) in nitya-karma: manuṣya-yajña precedes svādhyāya; tarpaṇa placed wrongly would obstruct brahma-yajña’s proper performance.

Vedantic Theme: Discipline and purity of routine (niyama) support inner clarity; dharma as the scaffolding for higher pursuit.

Application: Keep a consistent daily sequence: attend to people/guests and obligations first, then dedicate uninterrupted time to study/recitation; avoid ritual shortcuts that undermine purpose.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: daily household/ashrama routine (nitya-karma sequence)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.50.69 (pañca-mahāyajña)

FAQs

What is the importance of brahma-yajña (svādhyāya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats brahma-yajña as a core daily obligation: sacred learning/recitation should be preserved by doing duties in the proper order, culminating in svādhyāya.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

Indirectly: it emphasizes dharma through disciplined daily yajñas; such righteous routine supports merit (puṇya) and steadiness of mind, which the text repeatedly links with better post-death outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize service and hospitality (manuṣya-yajña) and then set a fixed time for scriptural study/recitation (svādhyāya), keeping household rites in a consistent, meaningful sequence.