Shloka 77

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

प्रत्यब्दं यो यथा कुर्यात्तथा कुर्यात्स तान्यपि / एकादशे द्वादशे ऽह्नि प्रेतो भुङ्क्ते दिनद्वयम्

Transliteration

pratyabdaṃ yo yathā kuryāttathā kuryātsa tānyapi / ekādaśe dvādaśe 'hni preto bhuṅkte dinadvayam

Translation

Whatever annual rite a person performs in a particular manner, in that very manner do those offerings reach the departed. On the eleventh and the twelfth day, the preta (departed spirit) partakes of the offerings for two days.

Word by Word

• प्रति-अब्दम्: every year
• प्रति-अब्दम्: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय) + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; अर्थे—प्रत्येकं वर्षम् (per year)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• यथा: as / in whatever manner
• यथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (manner adverb)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तथा: thus / in that way
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तद्वत्/एवम् इति प्रकारवाचक

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम

• तानि: those (rites/things)
• तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (also/even)

• एकादशे: on the eleventh (day)
• एकादशे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (अहन्-शब्दस्य अपेक्षया), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (on the eleventh)

• द्वादशे: on the twelfth (day)
• द्वादशे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (अहन्-शब्दस्य अपेक्षया), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (on the twelfth)

• अह्नि: on the day
• अह्नि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• प्रेतः: the departed spirit (preta)
• प्रेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भुङ्क्ते: eats / partakes
• भुङ्क्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दिन-द्वयम्: for two days
• दिन-द्वयम्: Karma (Measure/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्वयम् दिनानाम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Ekādaśāha and Dvādaśāha; also ‘pratyabda’ (annual) performance as stated

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual action (kriyā) bears corresponding results; offerings reach the departed in the same ‘mode’ as performed.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyama (lawful correspondence of action and result) within the dharmic-ritual order.

Application: Perform annual śrāddha with consistency, purity, and prescribed method; treat the 11th–12th day as especially supportive for the preta.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: ekādaśāha/dvādaśāha śrāddha sequence; sapiṇḍīkaraṇa context in the same adhyāya; Garuda Purana: preta-bhoga through piṇḍa/udaka offerings (nearby verses)

Characters & Entities

• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of the eleventh and twelfth day rites in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that on the 11th and 12th day the preta partakes of the offerings for two days, highlighting these days as crucial milestones in post-death observances.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It presents the preta stage as one in which the departed is still connected to ritual offerings; the manner of the rites performed by the living directly affects what the preta receives.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha and related annual observances with correctness and sincerity, understanding that ritual care is portrayed as materially beneficial to the departed in the Garuda Purana framework.