Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

किं करोमि क्र गच्छामि कथं मे दारसंग्रहः / क्षिप्रं भवेन्मत्पितॄणां ममाभ्युदयकारकः

Transliteration

kiṃ karomi kra gacchāmi kathaṃ me dārasaṃgrahaḥ / kṣipraṃ bhavenmatpitṝṇāṃ mamābhyudayakārakaḥ

Translation

“What should I do, where should I go, and how may I obtain a wife? And what can quickly bring prosperity to me and become a cause of upliftment for my Pitṛs (ancestors)?”

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Interrogative object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा (प्रश्नार्थक); एकवचन; वाक्ये कर्मरूपे (किं करोमि)

• करोमि: do (shall I do)
• करोमि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); उत्तमपुरुष (1st person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्व: where
• क्व: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb of place)

• गच्छामि: go (shall I go)
• गच्छामि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-रीत्यर्थक (interrogative adverb of manner)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन (enclitic)

• दारसंग्रहः: marriage / obtaining a wife
• दारसंग्रहः: Karta (Subject of implied 'bhavet'/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार (प्रातिपदिक) + संग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष: दाराणां संग्रहः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• क्षिप्रम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्रम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/शीघ्रता-वाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of speed)

• भवेत्: may become / should happen
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मत्पितॄणाम्: of my ancestors
• मत्पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-सम्बद्ध, प्रातिपदिक) + पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: मम पितरः); पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी; बहुवचन

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी; एकवचन

• अभ्युदयकारकः: causing prosperity (for me/them)
• अभ्युदयकारकः: Karta-anvaya (Qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभ्युदय (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (कृ धातु, ण्वुल्/क-प्रत्यय)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष: अभ्युदयस्य कारकः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; विशेषण (दारसंग्रहः)

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), questioning Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pitṛ-ṛṇa and prajā: marriage/householder life as a means of personal abhyudaya and Pitṛ uplift; dharma integrates self-good with ancestral duty.

Vedantic Theme: From kāmya pursuit to dharma-oriented intention; aligning individual aims with a wider cosmic/lineage order (ṛta/dharma).

Application: Make life choices (marriage, family, livelihood) with an eye to responsibilities—care for elders, perform remembrance/rites, and cultivate stability that benefits descendants and ancestors.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pitṛ-related teachings on śrāddha and ancestral satisfaction (broader internal corpus); Garuda Purana 1.89 (continuation likely detailing means for Pitṛ benefit)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of Pitṛ-upliftment (Pitṛs’ welfare) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows that benefiting one’s Pitṛs is treated as a central dharmic concern—linked with one’s own abhyudaya (worldly welfare) and right life-direction.

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

Indirectly: the question foregrounds Pitṛ-related obligations, which in the Garuda Purana commonly connect to śrāddha, tarpaṇa, and other rites that support ancestors and maintain dharmic order across generations.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live as a responsible householder: pursue marriage and livelihood through dharma, and remember ancestral duties (such as respectful remembrance and prescribed rites) as part of one’s ethical and spiritual life.