Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 52

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

मासादौ प्रतिमासञ्च शुद्धं मृततिथौ खग / एकेनाह्ना त्रिभिर्वापि हीनेषु विनतासुत

Transliteration

māsādau pratimāsañca śuddhaṃ mṛtatithau khaga / ekenāhnā tribhirvāpi hīneṣu vinatāsuta

Translation

O Khaga (Garuda), at the beginning of the month and again each month, the rite should be performed in purity on the death‑anniversary tithi. O son of Vinatā, if the prescribed conditions are lacking, it may be completed within one day—or, at most, within three days.

Word by Word

• मासादौ: at the beginning of the month
• मासादौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—मास-आदौ (मासस्य आदौ) = Locative Tatpurusha

• प्रतिमासम्: every month
• प्रतिमासम्: Adverbial (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial)

• च: and
• च: Connector (Samuccaya/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शुद्धम्: purified; pure
• शुद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with implied कर्म)

• मृततिथौ: on the death-tithi (death anniversary lunar day)
• मृततिथौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—मृत-तिथौ (मृतस्य तिथौ) = Locative Tatpurusha

• खग: O bird (Garuda)
• खग: Address (Sambodhana/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• एकेन: by one
• एकेन: Instrument/Measure (Karana/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• अह्ना: day (as a measure)
• अह्ना: Instrument/Measure (Karana/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (वैकल्पिक रूप: अह्ना)

• त्रिभिः: by three
• त्रिभिः: Instrument/Measure (Karana/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• वा: or
• वा: Connector (Vikalpa/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Particle (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• हीनेषु: in deficient (cases)
• हीनेषु: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; विशेषण (in deficient/short cases)

• विनतासुत: O son of Vinatā (Garuda)
• विनतासुत: Address (Sambodhana/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनता (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः—विनता-सुत (विनतायाः सुतः) = Genitive Tatpurusha

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Monthly (pratimāsa) and at month-beginning; specifically on the death-anniversary tithi; if deficient, completion within 1 day up to 3 days.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha must be performed with purity on the death-tithi; if circumstances are deficient, dharma allows a limited completion window (up to three days).

Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra as purificatory duties sustaining ṛṇa (ancestral debt) while accommodating human limitation through śāstric flexibility.

Application: Maintain a monthly remembrance/rite on the death-tithi; if travel/impurity/constraints intervene, complete within 1–3 days rather than abandoning the duty.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.5.53-56 (sequence on periodic śrāddha and sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa sections on śrāddha timing and śauca (general)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Vinata-suta)

FAQs

What is the importance of performing rites on the mṛta-tithi in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that observances tied to the departed should be done on the exact death-anniversary lunar day (mṛta-tithi) and in ritual purity, indicating correct timing and śuddhi are central to the rite’s efficacy.

How does this verse guide śrāddha performance when ideal conditions are not available?

It allows a practical completion window—within one day, or up to three days—when prescribed requirements are deficient, preserving continuity of the rite while acknowledging real-world constraints.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Plan remembrance and śrāddha around the death tithi with cleanliness and discipline; if unavoidable obstacles arise, complete the observance promptly within a short, defined period rather than abandoning it.