Shloka 67

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

नवश्राद्धस्य ते कालं वक्ष्यामि शृणु काश्यप / मरणाह्नि मृतिस्थाने श्राद्धं पक्षिन्प्रकल्पयेत्

Transliteration

navaśrāddhasya te kālaṃ vakṣyāmi śṛṇu kāśyapa / maraṇāhni mṛtisthāne śrāddhaṃ pakṣinprakalpayet

Translation

I shall declare the proper time for the nine śrāddhas—listen, O Kāśyapa. On the very day of death, at the place where death occurred, one should duly perform the śrāddha, O Bird (Garuda).

Word by Word

• नवश्राद्धस्य: of the ninefold śrāddha (series)
• नवश्राद्धस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव-श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; नव + श्राद्ध)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (नवम् श्राद्धम्)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थीविभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन (तुभ्यम्/ते)

• कालम्: the time
• कालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वक्ष्यामि: I will tell
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• काश्यप: O Kāśyapa
• काश्यप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काश्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• मरणाह्नि: on the day of death
• मरणाह्नि: Adhikarana (Location/Time locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण-अहन् (प्रातिपदिक; मरण + अहन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमीविभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मरणस्य अह्नि)

• मृतिस्थाने: at the place of death
• मृतिस्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृति-स्थान (प्रातिपदिक; मृति + स्थान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमीविभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मृतेः स्थानम्)

• श्राद्धम्: the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पक्षिन्: O bird (Khaga)
• पक्षिन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• प्रकल्पयेत्: one should perform/arrange
• प्रकल्पयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: On the day of death (maraṇāhni) at the death-site (mṛtisthāna).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Timely performance of navāśrāddha beginning on the day of death at the death-site.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra as purificatory duties supporting the jīva’s onward journey; dharma as a means to inner steadiness (śānti).

Application: Perform the first śrāddha on the day of death at the place of death, following prescribed procedure and purity rules.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: death-site/household threshold

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: navāśrāddha/ekoddiṣṭa discussions in adjacent verses (2.5.68–71); Garuda Purana: preta-yātrā and śrāddha-phala sections elsewhere in Pretakalpa

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Vinata-putra)
• Kashyapa

FAQs

What is the importance of nava-śrāddha (nine śrāddhas) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces the prescribed timing for the nine post-death śrāddhas and emphasizes that the rites begin immediately—starting on the day of death—showing their urgency in the preta-related observances.

What does this verse instruct about when and where to perform śrāddha after a death?

It states that on the day of death itself, the śrāddha should be performed at the very place of death, indicating a specific ritual timing and location tied to the moment and site of passing.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If following traditional practice, families should prioritize timely, properly guided post-death rites (with a qualified priest where applicable), treating the first day’s observances as foundational rather than postponing them without reason.