Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 33

The Narrative of the Five Pretas

Eligibility for rites and jīvac-chrāddha procedure

Devanagari script

कुर्यादस्थिरतां ज्ञात्वा शक्त्यारोग्यधनायुषम् / एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं जीवच्छ्राद्धं मया खग

Transliteration

kuryādasthiratāṃ jñātvā śaktyārogyadhanāyuṣam / etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ jīvacchrāddhaṃ mayā khaga

Translation

Knowing that strength, health, wealth, and lifespan are all unstable, one should perform these rites according to one’s capacity. Thus, O Bird (Garuda), I have explained to you in full the jīvac-śrāddha—the śrāddha performed while one is still alive.

Word by Word

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

• अस्थिरताम्: impermanence/instability
• अस्थिरताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थिरता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ज्ञात्वा: having understood
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having known'

• शक्ति: capacity/ability
• शक्ति: Sambandha (Qualifier in compound/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• आरोग्य: health
• आरोग्य: Sambandha (Qualifier in compound/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आरोग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); समासपूर्वपद

• धन: wealth
• धन: Sambandha (Qualifier in compound/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); समासपूर्वपद

• आयुषम्: life-span (and, collectively: ability, health, wealth, life)
• आयुषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—द्वन्द्व (शक्ति+आरोग्य+धन+आयुस्) समाहारद्वन्द्वः

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• ते: to you/for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Gen./Dat.), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आख्यातम्: has been told/explained
• आख्यातम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + ख्या (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense)

• जीवत्: while living
• जीवत्: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीवत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < जीव् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (Present active participle) used as पूर्वपद in compound; अव्ययवत् (indeclinable-like in compound)

• श्राद्धम्: the śrāddha performed while alive
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष ('जीवत्-श्राद्धम्')

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Performed while alive (jīvac-chrāddha), undertaken without delay, ‘yathāśakti’ (according to capacity).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Recognize the instability of strength, health, wealth, and lifespan; therefore perform śrāddha (including jīvac-chrāddha) according to one’s capacity.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā of upādhis (body/wealth) fostering vairāgya; yet engagement in niyata-karma as purifying duty within pravṛtti.

Application: Do not postpone essential rites waiting for perfect circumstances; scale offerings to means (śakti) while keeping sincerity and correctness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: dialogue setting (Kṛṣṇa–Garuda)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.8.xx on jīvac-chrāddha and capacity-based performance (śaktyā)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of jīvac-chrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames jīvac-chrāddha as a deliberate, timely rite done while alive, motivated by awareness that strength, health, wealth, and lifespan are uncertain—so one should not postpone dharmic duties.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in Garuda Purana’s narrative?

By emphasizing impermanence and completing prescribed rites in time, the teaching supports the broader Preta Kanda theme: proper observances reduce anxiety and disorder surrounding death and help ensure orderly post-death transitions described elsewhere in the text.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Do essential dharmic duties without delay and within your means—prioritize sincere, capacity-based observance over display, remembering that health, resources, and time can change suddenly.