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Shloka 122

Dharma–Adharma Marks; Daśāha, Piṇḍa Formation, Śrāddha Calendar, Śayyā-dāna, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Rules

Devanagari script

अपुत्रायां मृतायां तु पतिः कुर्यात् सपिण्डनम् / मात्रादितिसृभिः सार्धमेवं धर्मेण योजयेत्

Transliteration

aputrāyāṃ mṛtāyāṃ tu patiḥ kuryāt sapiṇḍanam / mātrāditisṛbhiḥ sārdhamevaṃ dharmeṇa yojayet

Translation

यदि पत्नी पुत्रहीन होकर मर जाए, तो पति उसके लिए सपिण्डीकरण करे; माता से आरम्भ होने वाली तीन मातृ-श्रेणियों के साथ उसे धर्मानुसार जोड़ दे।

Word by Word
अपुत्रायाम्in (the case of) a sonless (woman)
अपुत्रायाम्:
अधिकरण (Condition/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअ-पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग (a-), विशेषण
मृतायाम्when (she is) dead
मृतायाम्:
अधिकरण (Condition/अधिकरण)
TypeVerb
Rootमृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘मृता’
तुthen/but
तु:
सम्बन्ध/निपात
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formनिपात, अव्यय
पतिःthe husband
पतिः:
कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
कुर्यात्should do
कुर्यात्:
क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
सपिण्डनम्the sapiṇḍana rite
सपिण्डनम्:
कर्म (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसपिण्डन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
मात्रा-आदि-तिसृभिःwith the three (women) beginning with the mother
मात्रा-आदि-तिसृभिः:
सह/करण (Association/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootमातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः (मात्रा आदिः यासां तिसृणां ताभिः) — ‘माता-आदि-त्रय्या सह’
सार्धम्together with
सार्धम्:
सह (Association/सह)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसार्धम् (अव्यय)
Formसह-अर्थक-अव्यय (adverb ‘together with’)
एवम्thus
एवम्:
क्रियाविशेषण (Manner)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएवम् (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)
धर्मेणaccording to dharma/by rule
धर्मेण:
करण/हेतु (Means/Cause)
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; साधन/हेतु-भाव
योजयेत्should join/arrange
योजयेत्:
क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootयुज् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Sapindana

Beneficiary: Patni (wife) to be joined among pitṛ relations via maternal triad

Timing: At the wife’s sapiṇḍīkaraṇa when no son exists (exceptional kartṛ rule)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In absence of a son, the husband bears the duty to perform sapiṇḍīkaraṇa for the wife, joining her appropriately within the maternal ancestral triad, preserving her posthumous ritual status.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as compassionate continuity; agency (kartṛtva) and obligation persist beyond death to support the jīva’s orderly passage via rites.

Application: If a wife dies without a son, the husband should perform her sapiṇḍīkaraṇa and connect her with the three maternal ancestors (as defined by the tradition) to ensure proper pitṛ affiliation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: gṛha/śrāddha-sthāna (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.34.118 on ekoddiṣṭa responsibility; 2.34.121 on grouping rules for sapiṇḍīkaraṇa

Characters & Entities
P
Pitris
P
Pati (husband)

FAQs

This verse presents sapiṇḍīkaraṇa as the dharmic act of formally affiliating the departed with the ancestral pinda-line (Pitṛs), ensuring proper ritual incorporation even when the deceased leaves no son.

In the Preta Kanda framework, correct śrāddha and sapiṇḍīkaraṇa support the preta’s transition toward Pitṛ-status; here it specifies that the husband bears responsibility for completing that affiliation for a wife who died sonless.

It emphasizes continuity of funeral duties: if traditional family support (like a son) is absent, the closest dharmically responsible relation—in this case the husband—should ensure the prescribed rites are completed with proper guidance.

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