Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 25

Determining Rites for Difficult/Inauspicious Deaths; Annual and Daily Śrāddha Rules

Devanagari script

नित्यश्राद्धे ऽथ गन्धाद्यैर्द्विजानभ्यर्च्य भक्तितः / सर्वान् पितृगणान् सम्यक् सहैवोद्दिश्य योजयेत्

Transliteration

nityaśrāddhe 'tha gandhādyairdvijānabhyarcya bhaktitaḥ / sarvān pitṛgaṇān samyak sahaivoddiśya yojayet

Translation

日々のシュラーダ（śrāddha）においては、香などをもって二度生まれの者（バラモン）を信愛により供養し、そののち、すべてのピトリ（祖霊）の諸群に対し、共に、しかるべき順序で回向して、儀礼を正しく整えるべきである。

Word by Word

• नित्यश्राद्धे: in the daily śrāddha
• नित्यश्राद्धे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य + श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: नित्यं श्राद्धम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (particle: then/now)

• गन्धाद्यैः: with perfumes etc.
• गन्धाद्यैः: Karana (करण/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: आदि-तत्पुरुष (etc.-compound): गन्धः आदिः येषां तैः; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• द्विजान्: Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु) + अभि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable participle): ‘having worshipped’

• भक्तितः: with devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause-manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from/with devotion’

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• पितृगणान्: groups of ancestors
• पितृगणान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: पितॄणां गणाः; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): properly

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahartha (सहार्थ/Accompaniment)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-प्रयोग अव्यय (preposition-like): ‘together with’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• उद्दिश्य: having dedicated (to)
• उद्दिश्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दिश् (धातु) + उद् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): ‘having designated/addressed (to)’

• योजयेत्: should arrange/offer
• योजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु) (योजयति-णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद, णिच् (causative)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Nitya-śrāddha (daily)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In nitya-śrāddha, honor brāhmaṇas with gandha etc., and dedicate the rite properly to all pitṛ-gaṇas in due order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as yajña-spirit: honoring the worthy (dvija) as a conduit for offerings to pitṛs; śraddhā as inner alignment.

Application: Maintain a simple daily ancestral remembrance: respectful hospitality to qualified recipients, orderly sankalpa, and inclusive dedication to lineage ancestors.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.45.26 (āvāhana, svadhā, piṇḍa, niyamas, viśvedevas)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Dvijas (Brahmanas)

FAQs

What is the importance of nitya-śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that daily śrāddha should be done with devotion, honoring qualified brāhmaṇas and dedicating the offering correctly to the entire host of ancestors, ensuring the rite is complete and properly intended.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s post-death welfare in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta-kāṇḍa context, ancestor-directed rites (śrāddha) are presented as supportive acts that maintain the ancestral connection and ritual continuity, which the text links with post-death rites and the well-being of departed lineages.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If you perform śrāddha or ancestor remembrance, do it reverently: show respect to learned/ethical officiants, make offerings with clear dedication (intention and naming), and include all ancestors rather than focusing narrowly on one.