Shloka 24

Devanagari script

नमस्ये ऽहं पितॄञ्छ्राद्धे पाताले ये महासुरैः / सन्तर्प्यन्ते सुधाहारास्त्यक्तदम्भमदैः सदा

Transliteration

namasye 'haṃ pitṝñchrāddhe pātāle ye mahāsuraiḥ / santarpyante sudhāhārāstyaktadambhamadaiḥ sadā

Translation

Me postro ante los Pitṛs, que—en los ritos de śrāddha—son saciados en Pātāla por los grandes Asuras, quienes siempre participan de alimento de amṛta, habiendo abandonado el orgullo y la arrogancia.

Word by Word

• नमस्ये: I bow / I salute
• नमस्ये: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस् (धातु: नम्)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; √नम् (to bow) + स्य (नमस्यति)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग (common), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (Singular)

• पितॄन्: the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄन्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन (Plural)

• श्राद्धे: in the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन (Singular)

• पाताले: in Pātāla (netherworld)
• पाताले: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन (Singular)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Relative pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (Plural)

• महासुरैः: by great asuras
• महासुरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महासुर (प्रातिपदिक: महा + असुर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सन्तर्प्यन्ते: are satisfied / are fed
• सन्तर्प्यन्ते: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सन्तर्पय् (धातु: तृप्/तर्प् causative)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• सुधाहाराः: those whose food is nectar
• सुधाहाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधा-आहार (प्रातिपदिक: सुधा + आहार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (Plural)

• त्यक्तदम्भमदैः: with pride and hypocrisy abandoned
• त्यक्तदम्भमदैः: Hetu/Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्यक्त-दम्भ-मद (प्रातिपदिक: त्यक्त (√त्यज्) + दम्भ + मद)
• Form: बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषणवत्; तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन (Plural); (with) pride and arrogance abandoned

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During śrāddha (general; applicable to parva/annual observances)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha performed without dambha/mada (hypocrisy/pride) truly satisfies the Pitṛs; inner disposition is integral to ritual efficacy.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi (purification of mind) as the condition for fruit-bearing karma; humility dissolves ahaṅkāra that obstructs grace.

Application: Perform śrāddha/tarpaṇa with sincerity, simplicity, and restraint; avoid display, rivalry, or pride in giving.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: netherworld region

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-khaṇḍa passages on tarpaṇa and Pitṛ-loka reach of offerings; Garuda Purana sections praising śraddhā and condemning dambha in rites

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Shraddha
• Patala
• Asuras

FAQs

What is the importance of śrāddha for the Pitṛs in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that śrāddha is a direct means by which the Pitṛs become ‘satisfied’ (santarpyante), emphasizing ancestor propitiation as a dharmic duty with real efficacy.

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

While not describing the soul’s journey step-by-step, it situates post-death welfare within ritual causality: offerings and remembrance through śrāddha support the ancestral realm (Pitṛ-loka/related regions such as Pātāla as named here).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha/ancestor rites with sincerity and humility—free from show (dambha) and ego (mada)—treating remembrance, gratitude, and disciplined ritual as part of daily dharma.