Shloka 45

Garuḍa’s Return to Vaikuṇṭha and the Comprehensive Inquiry into Death-Rites and the Preta’s Journey

Devanagari script

त्रयोदशे ऽह्नि देयं स्यात्पददानं किमर्थकम् / श्राद्धानि षोडशैतानि अब्दं यावत्कुतो घटः

Transliteration

trayodaśe 'hni deyaṃ syātpadadānaṃ kimarthakam / śrāddhāni ṣoḍaśaitāni abdaṃ yāvatkuto ghaṭaḥ

Translation

On the thirteenth day, the offering called “padadāna,” the gift of the feet, should be given—what is its purpose? And if these sixteen śrāddha rites are to be performed until a full year is completed, from where is one to obtain so much water in a pot for the rites?

Word by Word

• त्रयोदशे: on the thirteenth (day)
• त्रयोदशे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयोदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (त्रयः+दश) — ‘तेरहवें (दिन) में’

• अह्नि: on the day
• अह्नि: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• देयम्: to be given
• देयम्: कर्म/विधेय (Object/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य (gerundive/भाव्य) — नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘दातव्यम्/देयम्’

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• पददानम्: the giving of a foot-measure/step (offering)
• पददानम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पदस्य दानम्)

• किमर्थकम्: for what purpose?
• किमर्थकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः — ‘कस्य अर्थः?’ = ‘किमर्थम्’

• श्राद्धानि: śrāddha rites
• श्राद्धानि: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण; (श्राद्धानि इति) नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनार्थे प्रयोगः

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• अब्दम्: a year
• अब्दम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• यावत्: up to; as long as
• यावत्: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि-बोधक (until/as long as)

• कुतः: from where? how?
• कुतः: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative adverb: whence/how)

• घटः: a pot; (here) a pot-measure offering
• घटः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), questioning Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: 13th day (trayodaśāha) and continuing through the first year with sixteen śrāddhas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual obligations after death (padadāna and the sequence of sixteen śrāddhas) must be understood in purpose and feasibility.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as supportive discipline (saṃskāra) for the departed and the living; dharma as ordered response to impermanence.

Application: Plan the śrāddha schedule and resources; seek guidance on padadāna’s intent rather than performing mechanically.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Pretakalpa: discussions of ekoddiṣṭa/ṣoḍaśa-śrāddha sequence and preta-tṛpti through anna-udaka offerings; Garuda Purana: padadāna/vastra-dāna/śayyā-dāna style gifts for the preta’s journey

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Pitris
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of padadāna on the 13th day in the Garuda Purana?

This verse flags padadāna as a distinct, prescribed 13th-day offering and asks its purpose—indicating it is a specific rite meant to support the departed’s post-death passage and ritual completeness.

How does this verse explain the sequence of śrāddha rites for the departed?

It references a structured set of “sixteen śrāddhas” extending up to a year, showing that the Garuda Purana presents post-death care as a staged ritual program rather than a single-day act.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat bereavement rites as a planned sequence (13th-day observances and periodic śrāddha through the year), performed with sincerity and capacity—prioritizing essential duties while seeking competent guidance for tradition-specific details.