Shloka 23

Devotpatti-nirūpaṇa — Hari’s Pūrṇatva

Completeness) and the Ritual Doctrine of Sāra (Essence

Devanagari script

शुष्कभूतं नारिकेलं खजूरं तु यथा तथा / पक्षस्यानन्तरं चूतमसारं परिकीर्तितम्

Transliteration

śuṣkabhūtaṃ nārikelaṃ khajūraṃ tu yathā tathā / pakṣasyānantaraṃ cūtamasāraṃ parikīrtitam

Translation

乾いてしまった椰子の実も、またナツメヤシの実も同様に数えられる。さらに半月を過ぎれば、マンゴーでさえ精髄を失うと説き明かされる。

Word by Word

• śuṣka-bhūtam: having become dry
• śuṣka-bhūtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuṣka + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘शुष्कं भूतम्’ qualifying ‘nārikelam’

• nārikelam: coconut
• nārikelam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārikela (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• khajūram: date (fruit)
• khajūram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khajūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (contextually another fruit item)

• tu: and/then
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• yathā: as
• yathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (manner/comparison)

• tathā: so/likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनुरूप (correlative adverb)

• pakṣasya: of a fortnight
• pakṣasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• anantaram: after
• anantaram: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anantara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावार्थे प्रयुक्तम् (adverbial): ‘after’

• cūtam: mango (fruit)
• cūtam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• asāram: insubstantial
• asāram: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate of ‘cūtam’

• parikīrtitam: is declared
• parikīrtitam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari + √kīrt + ta (धातु + कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Timing: Dried coconut is unfit; dates treated similarly; mango becomes asāra after a fortnight (pakṣa).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Drying and time passage diminish sāra; offerings must be living in quality, not merely present in form.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa persists while guṇa changes; discern essence vs appearance in practice.

Application: Avoid dried coconut for offering; treat dates similarly; avoid mango after a fortnight for ritual use.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.14.20-22, 3.14.24 (same sequence of dravya-kāla determinations)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Preta
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of food freshness in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse emphasizes that certain items lose their ‘sāra’ (effective essence) over time—dried or time-passed fruits are considered less beneficial as offerings meant to support the departed in post-death rites.

How does this verse relate to helping the soul after death?

In the Preta context, offerings are understood to have a subtle efficacy; the verse signals that when items become dry or ‘asāra,’ their intended supportive value in rites like śrāddha/pinda offerings is diminished.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

For śrāddha or memorial offerings, choose fresh, wholesome items and avoid stale/dried substitutes when the rite’s purpose is to provide meaningful ritual support and maintain discipline in observance.