Shloka 11

The Destiny of Those Who Die Through Fasting & the Procedure of Udakumbha-dāna

Devanagari script

उक्त्रान्तिश्राद्धमारभ्य श्राद्धषोडषोडशकस्य तु / षोडशब्राह्मणानान्तु एकैकं विनिवदयेत्

Transliteration

uktrāntiśrāddhamārabhya śrāddhaṣoḍaṣoḍaśakasya tu / ṣoḍaśabrāhmaṇānāntu ekaikaṃ vinivadayet

Translation

Beginning with the funeral śrāddha, and throughout the full set of the sixteen śrāddhas, one should respectfully offer the rite and its gifts to sixteen Brāhmaṇas, assigning them one by one.

Word by Word

• utkrāntiśrāddham: Utkranti Shraddha (funeral rite)
• utkrāntiśrāddham: Karma (Object/कर्म) related to ārabhya
• Type: Noun
• Root: utkrāntiśrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ārabhya: beginning with / starting from
• ārabhya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior Action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā + rabh (आ + रभ्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund

• śrāddhaṣoḍaśakasya: of the set of sixteen Shraddhas
• śrāddhaṣoḍaśakasya: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddhaṣoḍaśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: None (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (तु)
• Form: Conjunction/Particle

• ṣoḍaśabrāhmaṇānām: of sixteen Brahmins
• ṣoḍaśabrāhmaṇānām: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣoḍaśabrāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• tu: and/but
• tu: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (तु)
• Form: Conjunction

• ekaikam: one by one / each one
• ekaikam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekaika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (Distributive)

• vinivedayet: should offer/dedicate
• vinivedayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + ni + vid (वि + नि + विद्)
• Form: Causative, Optative (Vidhilin/विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person, Singular

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: From the funeral śrāddha onward through the ṣoḍaśa-śrāddha cycle

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Across the ṣoḍaśa-śrāddhas, offerings should be respectfully distributed to sixteen Brāhmaṇas, one portion each, maintaining ritual order and honor.

Vedantic Theme: Yajña/दान as purifying duty; interdependence of social and cosmic order (loka-saṅgraha).

Application: Organize the rite with qualified recipients, allocate offerings fairly and respectfully, and maintain consistency from antyeṣṭi-related śrāddha onward.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: śrāddha venue (home/riverbank/temple adjunct)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: prescriptions for śrāddha recipients and counts; etiquette (vinaya) in offering

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Brahmanas
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of the Ṣoḍaśa-Śrāddhas in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the sixteen śrāddhas as a structured sequence beginning from the utkrānti (funeral) śrāddha, emphasizing orderly, respectful performance to support the departed and satisfy the Pitṛs.

How does this verse explain the role of Brāhmaṇas in śrāddha?

It instructs that sixteen Brāhmaṇas be engaged and honored, with offerings distributed individually—highlighting the ritual principle that proper recipients and proper distribution complete the śrāddha.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform post-death rites with discipline and respect: if full traditional numbers are not feasible, preserve the spirit—reverent offering, correct intention (saṅkalpa), and ethical giving to qualified recipients.