Shloka 38

Pitṛ-Stuti, Tarpaṇa, and the Ritual Power of Recitation in Śrāddha

Devanagari script

ये देवपूर्वाण्यभितृप्तिहेतोर श्रन्ति कव्यानि शुभाहृतानि / तृप्ताश्च ये भूतिसृजो भवन्ति तृप्यन्तु ते ऽस्मिन्प्रणतो ऽस्मि तेभ्यः

Transliteration

ye devapūrvāṇyabhitṛptihetora śranti kavyāni śubhāhṛtāni / tṛptāśca ye bhūtisṛjo bhavanti tṛpyantu te 'sminpraṇato 'smi tebhyaḥ

Translation

ຂໍໃຫ້ທ່ານທັງຫຼາຍຜູ້ເປັນທິບພະສັດ ຜູ້ຮັບຄາວະຍາອັນຖືກນຳມາດ້ວຍຄວາມມົງຄຸນ—ຊຶ່ງໄດ້ຖວາຍແກ່ເທວະກ່ອນເພື່ອເປັນເຫດໃຫ້ເກີດຄວາມອິ່ມໃຈ—ເມື່ອອິ່ມໃຈແລ້ວຈົ່ງພໍໃຈຢູ່ນີ້. ຂ້ອຍນົບນ້ອມຕໍ່ທ່ານທັງຫຼາຍ.

Word by Word

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• deva-pūrvāṇi: preceded by offerings to the gods (done first for devas)
• deva-pūrvāṇi: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (देवपूर्व = देवैः पूर्वं/देवान् पूर्वं कृत्वा); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (कव्यानि)

• abhitṛpti-hetoḥ: for the purpose of (their) full satisfaction
• abhitṛpti-hetoḥ: Hetu (Cause/Purpose/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhitṛpti (प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (हेतौ/कारणे); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/पञ्चमी (6th/5th), एकवचन; अत्र हेत्वर्थे षष्ठी (for the sake of satisfaction)

• śranti: strive/exert themselves
• śranti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śram (श्रम्)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘श्रान्ति/श्रमन्ति’ अर्थे—‘परिश्रमं कुर्वन्ति/यतन्ते’ (they exert/strive)

• kavyāni: kavya offerings
• kavyāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• śubha-āhṛtāni: auspiciously brought/prepared
• śubha-āhṛtāni: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक) + āhṛta (कृदन्त; √hṛ हृ with ā-)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; āhṛta = भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (कव्यानि)

• tṛptāḥ: satisfied
• tṛptāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tṛpta (कृदन्त; √tṛp तृप्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘तृप्त’ = satisfied

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• bhūti-sṛjaḥ: bestowers of prosperity
• bhūti-sṛjaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūti (प्रातिपदिक) + sṛj (प्रातिपदिक from √sṛj सृज्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (भूतिं सृजन्ति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘भूतिसृज्’ = creators/bestowers of prosperity

• bhavanti: become/are
• bhavanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘भवन्ति’ = become/are

• tṛpyantu: may they be satisfied
• tṛpyantu: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tṛp (तृप्)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/benedictive), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘तृप्यन्तु’ = may they be satisfied

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘अस्मिन्’ = in this (rite/place)

• praṇataḥ: bowed
• praṇataḥ: Kartṛ-bhāva (Predicate of speaker/कर्ता-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praṇata (कृदन्त; √nam नम् with pra-)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वक्तृविशेषण

• asmi: am
• asmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस्)
• Form: लट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• tebhyaḥ: to them
• tebhyaḥ: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी, बहुवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान)

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: during kavya offering with deva-first precedence

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Devapūrvaka-kavya: ritual portions offered in proper precedence yield satisfaction and generate prosperity-creating forces (bhūti-sṛj).

Vedantic Theme: Order (ṛta/dharma) as a harmonizing principle; correct intention and sequence align the micro-rite with cosmic governance.

Application: Follow prescribed sequence and purity in rites; begin with deva-oriented acts (as per one’s tradition) before pitṛ offerings; cultivate gratitude toward all sustaining powers.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual sequence (devapūrvaka kavya)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana śrāddha passages on devapūrvaka offerings and kavya distribution (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Pitṛs (implied via kavya)

FAQs

What is the importance of kavya (ancestral offering) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats kavya as a sanctified śrāddha-offering that, when properly presented (including being offered ‘Deva-first’), brings satisfaction to the invoked beings and supports prosperity and welfare.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana context?

Indirectly: it emphasizes correct post-death rites (śrāddha/tarpaṇa) as a duty that helps maintain harmony with Devas and Pitṛs—an important support system for the departed and the family’s dharmic order.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform ancestral rites with cleanliness, sincerity, and correct procedure—seeing them as acts of gratitude and responsibility—while offering prayers for the satisfaction of Devas and Pitṛs.