Shloka 13

Pitṛ-Stuti, Tarpaṇa, and the Ritual Power of Recitation in Śrāddha

Devanagari script

रुचिरुवाच / नमस्ये ऽहं पितॄन् भक्त्या ये वसन्त्यधिदेवतम् / देवैरपि हि तर्प्यन्ते ये श्राद्धेषु स्वधोत्तरैः

Transliteration

ruciruvāca / namasye 'haṃ pitṝn bhaktyā ye vasantyadhidevatam / devairapi hi tarpyante ye śrāddheṣu svadhottaraiḥ

Translation

Ruciru said: With devotion I bow to the Pitṛs who dwell in their divine presiding state; indeed, even the Devas are satisfied through those Pitṛs who are gratified by Śrāddha rites accompanied by the utterance of “svadhā”.

Word by Word

• रुचिरुः: Ruciru
• रुचिरुः: Karta (Speaker/वक्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुचिरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नमस्ये: I bow to / I salute
• नमस्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पितॄन्: the ancestors
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• वसन्ति: dwell/abide
• वसन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अधिदेवतम्: as presiding deities
• अधिदेवतम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधि (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + देवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (adverbial): अधिदेवतम् = ‘with reference to/over the deity; as presiding deity’

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana/Agent-instrument (करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Emphasis/Addition (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे/समुच्चये (also/even)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थे/निश्चयार्थे (indeed/for)

• तर्प्यन्ते: are satisfied/propitiated
• तर्प्यन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप्/तर्प् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘are satisfied’

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• श्राद्धेषु: in śrāddha rites
• श्राद्धेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• स्वधोत्तरैः: with (offerings) accompanied by “svadhā”
• स्वधोत्तरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; स्वधया उत्तरैः = ‘accompanied by/with the utterance “svadhā” as concluding/excellent’ (formulaic offerings)

Speaker

Ruciru

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Śrāddha rites specifically ‘with svadhā-utterance’ (svadhottaraiḥ)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pitṛs occupy a divine presiding station; śrāddha offerings with ‘svadhā’ gratify them, and through them even Devas are satisfied—interdependence of cosmic recipients in yajña ecology.

Vedantic Theme: Power of mantra/śabda (svadhā) and ritual intentionality; recognition of subtle hierarchies within īśvara-sṛṣṭi sustaining loka-saṅgraha.

Application: Perform śrāddha with correct utterance and reverence; honor ancestors as part of a larger sacred network of gratitude and responsibility.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Śrāddha portions on ‘svadhā’ usage and Pitṛ-devatā status (general)

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Devas
• Śrāddha
• Svadhā

FAQs

What is the importance of Pitṛs and Śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Śrāddha as a dharmic act that directly gratifies the Pitṛs, acknowledging them as divine presiding beings; honoring them is presented as spiritually effective and ritually authoritative.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing Pitṛ-satisfaction through Śrāddha, the verse points to post-death continuity: the departed are connected to the living through ritual offerings and mantras, and their welfare is supported through prescribed rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform Śrāddha (or at least Pitṛ-tarpaṇa) with devotion and correct intention, remembering that mantra-precision (like the Pitṛ-invocation “svadhā”) and sincerity are central to honoring ancestors.