Shloka 76

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

सपिण्डीकरणादूर्ध्वं यानि श्राद्धानि षोडश / एकोद्दिष्टविधानेन चरेद्वा पार्वणादृते

Transliteration

sapiṇḍīkaraṇādūrdhvaṃ yāni śrāddhāni ṣoḍaśa / ekoddiṣṭavidhānena caredvā pārvaṇādṛte

Translation

After the rite of sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, the sixteen śrāddha ceremonies that follow should be performed according to the ekoddiṣṭa procedure, excluding the pārvaṇa method.

Word by Word

• सपिण्डीकरणात्: after/from the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa rite
• सपिण्डीकरणात्: Apadana (Source/starting point/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सपिण्डीकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• ऊर्ध्वम्: thereafter/above
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial accusative), काल/दिशावाचक (afterwards/upwards)

• यानि: which (things)
• यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• श्राद्धानि: śrāddha rites
• श्राद्धानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण (Numeral), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (agreeing with ‘श्राद्धानि’)

• एकोद्दिष्टविधानेन: by the ekoddiṣṭa procedure
• एकोद्दिष्टविधानेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकोद्दिष्ट (एक + उद्दिष्ट) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: एकोद्दिष्टस्य विधानम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• चरेत्: one should perform
• चरेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• पार्वणात्: from the pārvaṇa (parvan) rite
• पार्वणात्: Apadana (Exclusion/source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• ऋते: except/without
• ऋते: Sambandha (Exclusion/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋते (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, वर्जनार्थक उपपद (excepting; governs ablative)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Sapindana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After completion of sapiṇḍīkaraṇa; governs the following sixteen śrāddhas.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, the prescribed set of sixteen śrāddhas should follow ekoddiṣṭa-vidhi, not the pārvaṇa method; dharma is maintained by correct sequencing and method-selection.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual order (krama) as dharma’s embodiment; saṃskāra transitions (preta→pitṛ) reflected in procedural change.

Application: Track the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa milestone; thereafter perform the enumerated śrāddhas using ekoddiṣṭa prayoga and avoid mixing in pārvaṇa unless specifically required elsewhere.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: household/śrāddha venue

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Śrāddha-khaṇḍa: sapiṇḍīkaraṇa definitions and timing; ekoddiṣṭa vs pārvaṇa distinctions (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of ekoddiṣṭa śrāddha after sapiṇḍīkaraṇa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse instructs that the post-sapiṇḍīkaraṇa śrāddhas are to be done as offerings directed to the specific departed individual (ekoddiṣṭa), emphasizing proper ritual targeting rather than the collective ancestral (pārvaṇa) format.

How does this verse explain the transition from preta rites to pitṛ rites?

By placing sapiṇḍīkaraṇa as the turning point, the verse indicates that subsequent śrāddhas follow a defined procedure; it marks the ritual integration of the departed into the ancestral stream while still prescribing specific, person-focused offerings afterward.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If one performs śrāddha, follow the correct vidhi for the intended recipient—especially distinguishing single-departed offerings (ekoddiṣṭa) from collective Pitṛ rites (pārvaṇa)—and seek guidance from a qualified priest/tradition for accurate observance.