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Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 7

The Narrative of the Five Pretas

Eligibility for rites and jīvac-chrāddha procedure

Devanagari script

सरीसृपान्मातृगणान्यच्चान्यद्भूतसंज्ञितम् / श्राद्धं श्रद्धान्वितः कुर्वन्प्रीणयत्यखिलं जगत्

Transliteration

sarīsṛpānmātṛgaṇānyaccānyadbhūtasaṃjñitam / śrāddhaṃ śraddhānvitaḥ kurvanprīṇayatyakhilaṃ jagat

Translation

श्रद्धा सहित श्राद्ध करने से सर्पादि रेंगने वाले प्राणी, मातृगण तथा भूत-श्रेणी के अन्य समस्त जीव तृप्त होते हैं; इस प्रकार वह सम्पूर्ण जगत् को प्रसन्न करता है।

Word by Word
सरीसृपान्reptiles/creeping beings
सरीसृपान्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसरीसृप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन
मातृगणान्groups of mothers (matṛ-gaṇas)
मातृगणान्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमातृ + गण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मातॄणां गणाः)
यत्whatever/that which
यत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
अन्यत्other (thing)
अन्यत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
भूतसंज्ञितम्designated as ‘bhūta’ (spirit/being)
भूतसंज्ञितम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootभूत + संज्ञित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूत-शब्देन संज्ञितम् (past passive participle from √ज्ञा with सम्-उपसर्ग: संज्ञित)
श्राद्धम्śrāddha rite
श्राद्धम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootश्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
श्रद्धान्वितःendowed with faith
श्रद्धान्वितः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootश्रद्धा + अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (श्रद्धया अन्वितः)
कुर्वन्performing
कुर्वन्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Root√कृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
Formवर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘doing/performing’
प्रीणयतिpleases/satisfies
प्रीणयति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√प्री (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन
अखिलम्entire
अखिलम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘जगत्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
जगत्world
जगत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootजगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vainateya)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha performed with faith (śraddhā) gratifies not only pitṛs but also nāgas/sarīsṛpas, mātr̥gaṇas, and bhūtas—thus sustaining cosmic reciprocity.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-adhīnatva of yajña/karma: ritual action, when aligned with right intention, participates in a wider order (ṛta/dharma) that links visible and invisible beings.

Application: Perform śrāddha with inner faith and careful purity, understanding it as a duty that supports familial, social, and unseen ecological relations—not merely a private memorial act.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa 2.7–2.9 (śrāddha-adhikāra, śrāddha-phala, pitṛ-tarpaṇa context)

Characters & Entities
B
Bhutas
M
Matrigana (Mātṛs)
S
Sarīsṛpas (creeping beings)

FAQs

This verse states that Śrāddha, when done with genuine faith, is not limited to pleasing ancestors alone—it also pacifies spirit-class beings (bhūtas), the Mātṛs, and even lower life-forms, thereby producing broad harmony.

In the Preta Kanda context, the departed may encounter various subtle beings; the verse implies that faith-filled Śrāddha supports order in the unseen realm by satisfying such entities, reducing obstacles and unrest around post-death transitions.

Perform ancestral rites (Śrāddha/tarpaṇa) sincerely and ethically, with cleanliness and devotion, understanding it as a practice of gratitude and responsibility that fosters peace for both the living community and the unseen ecosystem described in the Purāṇa.

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