Shloka 152

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

एकादशे द्वादशे हि षण्मासे आब्दिके तथा / विप्रान् बहून् भोजयेत् तत्र यन्महती क्षुधा

Transliteration

ekādaśe dvādaśe hi ṣaṇmāse ābdike tathā / viprān bahūn bhojayet tatra yanmahatī kṣudhā

Translation

On the eleventh and the twelfth day, and likewise at the six‑month observance and at the annual śrāddha, one should feed many Brāhmaṇas, for at those times the departed endures intense hunger.

Word by Word

• ekādaśe: on the eleventh (day)
• ekādaśe: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ekādaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (एक + दश)

• dvādaśe: on the twelfth (day)
• dvādaśe: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (द्वि + दश)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• ṣaṇmāse: in the sixth month
• ṣaṇmāse: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṇmāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (षट् + मास)

• ābdike: in the annual (rite/time)
• ābdike: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ābdika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying time)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• viprān: brahmins
• viprān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• bahūn: many
• bahūn: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (viprān)

• bhojayet: should feed
• bhojayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु) [णिच् causative: भोजयति]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• tatra: there/then
• tatra: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place)

• yat: when/where (that)
• yat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• mahatī: great
• mahatī: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (kṣudhā)

• kṣudhā: hunger
• kṣudhā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣudh (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: 11th and 12th day; ṣaṇmāsika; ābdika

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha-dāna (feeding brāhmaṇas) at key observances alleviates the departed’s hunger and supports their post-mortem welfare.

Vedantic Theme: Kartavya-karma and ṛṇa (pitṛ-ṛṇa) as purifying duty; compassionate action as sattvic dharma.

Application: Observe 11th/12th day rites, ṣaṇmāsika, and ābdika śrāddha; arrange annadāna and respectful brāhmaṇa-bhojana with sincerity and capacity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-space (gṛha/śrāddha-vedī)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: śrāddha-kāla, ekādaśāha/dvādaśāha, ṣaṇmāsika, ābdika discussions in adjacent verses of 2.5; Garuda Purana: pitṛ-tṛpti via brāhmaṇa-bhojana motif recurring in śrāddha sections

Characters & Entities

• Vipras (Brahmanas)
• Preta (implied departed soul)

FAQs

What is the importance of feeding Brahmanas on the 11th, 12th, six-month, and annual śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that these observances are crucial because the departed experiences acute hunger at these key ritual milestones; feeding learned Brahmanas is prescribed as the supportive offering.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s condition after death in the Garuda Purana?

It implies the preta-state dependency on ritual support from the living, indicating that specific post-death days and anniversaries are spiritually sensitive periods when offerings are most needed.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Perform the prescribed śrāddha dates with sincerity—offer food/charity in a dharmic way (including feeding the needy or qualified priests) and maintain remembrance and responsibility toward ancestors.