Shloka 23

Devanagari script

मृते ऽहनि च कर्तव्यम् एकोद्दिष्टम् अतः परम् आह्वानादिक्रियादैवनियोगरहितं हि तत्

Transliteration

mṛte 'hani ca kartavyam ekoddiṣṭam ataḥ param āhvānādikriyādaivaniyogarahitaṃ hi tat

Translation

On the very day a person has died, the rite known as Ekoddiṣṭa should be performed, and thereafter as well. For it is observed without the customary invocations and other formal acts, and without assigning offerings to the deities—being directed solely to the departed spirit.

Word by Word

• मृते: when (someone) has died
• मृते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘मृत’; सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; नपुंसक/पुं-प्रयोगे ‘when (he) is dead’

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Conjunction (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• कर्तव्यम्: is to be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; कर्तव्यताप्रत्यय -तव्य; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय ‘should be done’

• एकोद्दिष्टम्: the ekoddiṣṭa (funeral śrāddha)
• एकोद्दिष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्दिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषप्रायः ‘एकं उद्दिष्टम्’ (एकोद्दिष्ट-श्राद्धम्)

• अतः: thereafter
• अतः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/अनन्तरार्थ ‘thereafter/from this point’

• परम्: afterwards
• परम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; क्रियाविशेषण ‘afterwards/further’

• आह्वान-आदि-क्रिया-दैव-नियोग-रहितम्: devoid of invocation etc. rites and of deity-assignments
• आह्वान-आदि-क्रिया-दैव-नियोग-रहितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आह्वान (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + दैव (प्रातिपदिक) + नियोग (प्रातिपदिक) + रहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘आह्वानादि-क्रिया’ (invocation etc. rites) + ‘दैव-नियोग’ (assignment to deities) + ‘रहित’ (devoid of)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle) ‘indeed/for’

• तत्: that (rite)
• तत्: Karta/Karma (Subject or object pronoun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Ekoddiṣṭa rite timing and procedure on the day of death and thereafter

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Ekoddiṣṭa śrāddha is performed from the very day of death, directed solely to the departed, omitting deva-invocations and deity allotments.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: In bereavement, simplify ritual and attention: focus on remembrance, responsibility, and support for family rather than display.

Vishishtadvaita: Acknowledges distinct jīva-journey after death while preserving dharma as a divinely ordered means of care (anugraha) within saṃsāra.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

What is the significance of Ekoddiṣṭa in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse states that Ekoddiṣṭa śrāddha is to be performed on the day of death and thereafter, and it is specifically directed to the departed individual rather than being distributed as deva-offerings.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the procedure of post-death rites here?

He distinguishes Ekoddiṣṭa from other rites by emphasizing its simplified form: it is done without the usual invocations and related preliminaries, and without assigning portions to the deities.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Although Vishnu is not named in the verse, the instruction reflects Vishnu Purana’s dharmic framework: orderly rites uphold ṛta/dharma, aligning human duty with the cosmic governance ultimately grounded in the Supreme Reality presided over by Vishnu.