Shloka 56

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

एकोद्दिष्टविधानेन कार्यं तदपि काश्यप / तिलगन्धोदकैर्युक्तं कुर्यात्पात्रचतुष्टयम्

Transliteration

ekoddiṣṭavidhānena kāryaṃ tadapi kāśyapa / tilagandhodakairyuktaṃ kuryātpātracatuṣṭayam

Translation

O Kāśyapa, that too should be performed according to the ekoddiṣṭa procedure; one should prepare a set of four ritual vessels, furnished with sesame (tila) and scented water.

Word by Word

• एकोद्दिष्टविधानेन: by the ekoddiṣṭa procedure
• एकोद्दिष्टविधानेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्दिष्ट (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; समासः—एक-उद्दिष्ट-विधान (एकस्य उद्दिष्टस्य विधानम्)

• कार्यम्: to be done; should be performed
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय; कार्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: to be done)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Particle (Nipāta/नipāta)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

• काश्यप: O Kāśyapa
• काश्यप: Address (Sambodhana/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काश्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• तिलगन्धोदकैः: with sesame-scented water
• तिलगन्धोदकैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—तिल-गन्ध-उदक (तिलगन्धयुक्तम् उदकम्)

• युक्तम्: joined/combined
• युक्तम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय; युक्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• कुर्यात्: should make/do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पात्रचतुष्टयम्: a set of four vessels
• पात्रचतुष्टयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—पात्र-चतुष्टय (पात्राणां चतुष्टयम्) = Genitive Tatpurusha

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda, addressing 'Kāśyapa' as an epithet)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Perform the rite by ekoddiṣṭa procedure; prepare four vessels with sesame and scented water as prescribed implements.

Vedantic Theme: Naimittika karma: correct means (upāya) and materials matter for intended saṃskāra-phala; external order supports inner intention (saṅkalpa).

Application: When conducting śrāddha/ekoddiṣṭa, prepare the required number of vessels and prescribed substances (tila, gandhodaka) carefully and consistently.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.5.55 (transition to sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa procedure); Garuda Purana 2.5.52-53 (timing and progression of rites)

Characters & Entities

• Kāśyapa

FAQs

What is the importance of ekoddiṣṭa in the Garuda Purana?

Ekoddiṣṭa is a śrāddha-style procedure directed to one specific departed person, and this verse emphasizes that the rite must follow that precise method rather than a general ancestral offering.

Why are sesame (tila) and scented water used in this ritual?

This verse prescribes vessels prepared with tila and fragrant water, indicating their ritual purity and suitability as standard components in post-death offerings meant to support the departed through proper observance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If performing remembrance or śrāddha-related observances, follow a clear, tradition-consistent procedure and keep the materials (water, offerings) clean and intentionally prepared rather than casual or improvised.