Shloka 18

Sapindīkaraṇa: Timing, Eligibility, Gotra Rules, and Yearlong Śrāddha

with Vṛṣotsarga and Ghaṭa-dāna

Devanagari script

तद्दिने तद्दिने कुर्यात्पितामहमुखान्यतः / अज्ञानाद्दिनमासानां तस्मात्पार्वणमिष्यते

Transliteration

taddine taddine kuryātpitāmahamukhānyataḥ / ajñānāddinamāsānāṃ tasmātpārvaṇamiṣyate

Translation

それぞれ定められた日に、祖父祖霊（ピターマハ）をはじめとして、祖先の順に従い、しかるべく儀礼を修すべきである。日や月の確定が難しいこともあるゆえ、ゆえにパールヴァナ・シュラーダ（Pārvaṇa śrāddha）が正しい行として定められる。

Word by Word

• तत्: on that
• तत्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; (तस्मिन् दिने)

• दिने: day
• दिने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तत्: on that
• तत्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दिने: day
• दिने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पितामह: of the grandfather
• पितामह: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• मुखानि: mouths/faces (i.e., principal recipients)
• मुखानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• यतः: because/therefore
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक/अपादानार्थक-अव्यय (from which/therefore; ‘because’)

• अज्ञानात्: from ignorance
• अज्ञानात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ- + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (अविद्या)

• दिनमासानाम्: of days and months
• दिनमासानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः (दिनाश्च मासाश्च)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Conclusion (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक तद्)
• Form: तद्-प्रातिपदिकस्य पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपम्, निपातार्थे (therefore/from that reason)

• पार्वणम्: the pārvaṇa rite
• पार्वणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• इष्यते: is accepted/considered proper
• इष्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is considered/approved)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: On prescribed days; especially when tithi/māsa is uncertain

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Perform rites on each prescribed day beginning with forefathers; because people may be uncertain about exact day/month, the pārvaṇa śrāddha is enjoined as the appropriate observance.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma prioritizes intention and continuity over brittle exactitude; śāstra provides resilient forms to uphold pitṛ-yajña amid epistemic limits.

Application: When exact tithi/māsa is uncertain, perform the standardized pārvaṇa śrāddha to fulfill ancestral obligations reliably.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household/śrāddha-venue

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.26.17 (threefold offerings; pārvaṇa minimum); Garuda Purana 2.26.14-16 (sapīṇḍīkaraṇa and post-incorporation offering mode)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Ancestors (Pitamaha)

FAQs

What is the importance of Pārvaṇa śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that when the exact calendrical day/month is uncertain, Pārvaṇa śrāddha is prescribed as the correct form of ancestor-rite, ensuring the pitṛ-offerings are not missed due to timing confusion.

How does this verse relate to post-death rites in the Preta Kanda?

In the Preta Kanda’s discussion of śrāddha, the verse emphasizes regular performance on the appointed days and prioritizes rites for the ancestors (pitṛs), offering a practical rule for situations where tithi calculation is unclear.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If you cannot determine the exact tithi/month for a śrāddha, perform the prescribed Pārvaṇa-style ancestor rite (as guided by a competent priest/almanac), focusing on sincere pitṛ-tarpaṇa and proper offerings rather than delaying indefinitely.