Shloka 39
Pitṛ-Stuti, Tarpaṇa, and the Ritual Power of Recitation in Śrāddha
रक्षांसि भूतान्यसुरांस्तथोग्रात्रिर्णाशयन्तु त्वशिवं प्रजानाम् / आद्याः सुराणाममरेशपूज्यास्तृप्यन्तु ते ऽस्मिन्प्रणतो ऽस्मितेभ्यः
rakṣāṃsi bhūtānyasurāṃstathogrātrirṇāśayantu tvaśivaṃ prajānām / ādyāḥ surāṇāmamareśapūjyāstṛpyantu te 'sminpraṇato 'smitebhyaḥ
May the fierce rākṣasas, bhūtas, and asuras destroy threefold whatever is inauspicious for people. May those primordial deities—worthy of worship even by the lords of the immortals—be satisfied here; to them I bow in reverence.
Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda, within a protective/propitiatory context)
Ritual Type: Parvana
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: During śrāddha protective preliminaries (rakṣā/śānti) before/around tarpaṇa.
Concept: Propitiation and protective invocation as part of ritual dharma to avert inauspicious influences.
Vedantic Theme: Adhidaivika upadrava-śānti (pacifying supra-human disturbances) through śraddhā and namaskāra; recognition of higher cosmic order.
Application: Use protective invocations and respectful salutations at the start of rites; cultivate humility and intention to remove harm from others (praja).
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: ritual space
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha sections where bhūta-rākṣasa-śānti and pitṛ-tarpaṇa are prescribed (general parallel)
FAQs
This verse treats aśiva as a real obstacle to well-being and ritual success, and frames its removal as a protective aim achieved through invocation and propitiation of higher powers.
Indirectly: by emphasizing protection and auspiciousness, it supports the broader Garuda Purana theme that unseen forces (bhūtas, hostile beings) can disturb life and rites that safeguard dharma and the soul’s welfare.
Use it as a reminder to combine inner discipline with prayerful protection—reduce harmful influences, keep rituals/intentions pure, and cultivate reverence toward the divine to restore stability and auspiciousness.