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Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 34

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

with Vṛṣotsarga and Ghaṭa-dāna

Devanagari script

वर्षं यावक्त्रिया कार्या नामगोत्रेण धीमता / घटादि भोजनं नित्यं पददानानि यानि च / सपिण्डीकरणे वृत्ते एकस्यैव तु दापयेत्

Transliteration

varṣaṃ yāvaktriyā kāryā nāmagotreṇa dhīmatā / ghaṭādi bhojanaṃ nityaṃ padadānāni yāni ca / sapiṇḍīkaraṇe vṛtte ekasyaiva tu dāpayet

Translation

一年のあいだ、賢者は定められた儀礼を行い、亡き者を名とゴートラ（氏族）によって呼び起こすべきである。日々、食物の供えと、ガタ（ghaṭa：水壺）などの施与を怠ってはならない。だがサピṇḍīカラナ（sapiṇḍīkaraṇa）が成就した後は、彼を祖霊の総体と一つになった者として供養し、別々には供えない。

Word by Word
वर्षम्for a year
वर्षम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular
यावत्until; for as long as
यावत्:
Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयावत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्रयोग)
Formअव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि-सूचक (until/as long as)
क्रियाrite/act
क्रिया:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootक्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine, Nominative, Singular
कार्याshould be done
कार्या:
Pradhana-kriya-visheshana (Predicate adjective)
TypeAdjective
Rootकृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत्) → कार्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; Gerundive (to be done)
नामगोत्रेणwith (his) name and lineage
नामगोत्रेण:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootनाम + गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
धीमताby the wise person
धीमता:
Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootधीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Singular
घटादिpots etc.
घटादि:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeNoun
Rootघट + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular (used as qualifier)
भोजनम्food/meal
भोजनम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootभोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular
नित्यम्daily/always
नित्यम्:
Avyaya (Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (always/daily)
पददानानिgifts of footwear (sandals)
पददानानि:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपद + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Neuter, Nom./Acc., Plural
यानिwhich
यानि:
Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Relative pronoun; Neuter, Nom./Acc., Plural
चand
च:
Avyaya (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)
सपिण्डीकरणेin the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa rite
सपिण्डीकरणे:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootस + पिण्ड + करण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Neuter, Locative, Singular
वृत्तेwhen (it is) completed
वृत्ते:
Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवृत्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from वृत्/वृत्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative absolute-like usage: 'when completed'
एकस्यof one (person)
एकस्य:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootएक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; Genitive, Singular
एवonly
एव:
Avyaya (Emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारण (only/indeed)
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Avyaya (Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विरोध/विशेष (but/indeed)
दापयेत्should have (it) given
दापयेत्:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु) + णिच् (प्रेरण) → दापय (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; Causative: 'should cause to give'
Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Sapindana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Daily/regular rites for one year up to completion of sapiṇḍīkaraṇa; thereafter offerings shift to collective pitṛ address.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual continuity for one year and the doctrinal shift after sapiṇḍīkaraṇa: the departed is no longer invoked as a separate preta but as part of the pitṛ-collective.

Vedantic Theme: Kartavya-karma as purificatory duty (śuddhi) supporting social-cosmic order (ṛta/dharma) rather than personal desire.

Application: Maintain daily/regular offerings with correct nāma-gotra invocation for the first year; after sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, perform śrāddha addressing the pitṛs collectively rather than separately for the individual.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: śrāddha-vidhi sections on ekoddiṣṭa, sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, and abda-śrāddha (contextual continuity within 2.26)

Characters & Entities
P
Pitris
P
Preta

FAQs

This verse states that after sapiṇḍīkaraṇa is completed, the departed is no longer treated as a separate preta for offerings, but is to be offered to as part of the ancestral collective (pitṛ-group).

It instructs that for up to one year the rites should be performed with explicit identification of the deceased by name and gotra, along with regular food offerings and charitable gifts.

If one follows śrāddha traditions, this verse emphasizes consistency (regular offerings/charity), correct invocation (name and lineage), and observing the transition point after sapiṇḍīkaraṇa when rites shift from individual to ancestral-form remembrance.

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