Shloka 13

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

आशौचं ते समाख्यातं संक्षेपात्प्रकृतं ब्रुवे / जलं त्रिदिवमाकाशे स्थाप्यं क्षीरञ्च मृन्मये

Transliteration

āśaucaṃ te samākhyātaṃ saṃkṣepātprakṛtaṃ bruve / jalaṃ tridivamākāśe sthāpyaṃ kṣīrañca mṛnmaye

Translation

Thus āśauca has been explained to you; now I shall state, in brief, the customary procedure: place water in a raised, open spot beneath the sky, and set milk in an earthen vessel.

Word by Word

• āśaucam: impurity (mourning impurity)
• āśaucam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśauca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक-सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• samākhyātam: has been explained
• samākhyātam: Predicate (Kriyā/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-khyā (धातु) → samākhyāta (कृदन्त-क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘has been explained/declared’

• saṃkṣepāt: briefly/in summary
• saṃkṣepāt: Adverbial (Hetu/Avadhi via Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃkṣepa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; ‘संक्षेपतः’ अर्थे

• prakṛtam: as per the general rule/natural (standard)
• prakṛtam: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prakṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (आशौचम् इत्यस्य)

• bruve: I state/say
• bruve: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• jalam: water
• jalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र विधेयकर्मरूपेण (to be placed)

• tri-divam: for three days / three-day (period)
• tri-divam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + diva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः ‘त्रीणि दिवानि’

• ākāśe: in the open air/sky
• ākāśe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• sthāpyam: should be placed
• sthāpyam: Predicate (Vidhi/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु) → sthāpya (कृदन्त-तव्यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय—‘should be placed’

• kṣīram: milk
• kṣīram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (Samuccaya/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• mṛn-maye: in an earthen (vessel)
• mṛn-maye: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛd (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—मृन्मय (मृदा निर्मितः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual procedure (ācāra) operationalizes purity rules through specific placements and vessels.

Vedantic Theme: Outer śauca supports inner sattva; disciplined action (karma) as a means to harmony.

Application: Prepare ritual items correctly: keep water in an elevated open place; place milk in an earthen pot, maintaining cleanliness and separation during impurity periods.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: cross-ventilated rooftop/courtyard/raised platform

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: procedural vidhis around pretakarma/śānti and household purity (contextual parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of āśauca in the Garuda Purana?

Āśauca marks a regulated period of ritual impurity after death, during which specific observances are followed; this verse signals a concise, practical outline of customary steps connected with such rites.

How does this verse relate to offerings for the departed (preta-related rites)?

By prescribing keeping water in an open/elevated place and milk in an earthen pot, it points to concrete ritual arrangements commonly associated with post-death observances and support-offerings made during the mourning period.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If performing traditional rites, follow established family/śāstra-based procedure with cleanliness and simplicity—using appropriate vessels (like earthenware) and keeping offerings in a pure, open place as guided by qualified elders or priests.