Shloka 7

Tarpaṇa-vidhi (Rite of Water-libations) for Devas and Pitṛs

Devanagari script

प्रपितामहस्याञ्जलिदानम् / ॐ नमो वः पितरो रसाय नमो वः पितरः शुष्माय नमो वः पितरो जीवाय नमो वः पितरः स्वधायै नमो वः पितरो घोराय नमो वः पितरो मन्यवे / नमो वः पितरो गृहान्न पितरो दत्तः / नमो वः पितरो दध्मे तद्वः पितरो वासः / मातामहानां त्रिरञ्जलिदृ / ततो मात्रादीनान्दृ

Transliteration

prapitāmahasyāñjalidānam / oṃ namo vaḥ pitaro rasāya namo vaḥ pitaraḥ śuṣmāya namo vaḥ pitaro jīvāya namo vaḥ pitaraḥ svadhāyai namo vaḥ pitaro ghorāya namo vaḥ pitaro manyave / namo vaḥ pitaro gṛhānna pitaro dattaḥ / namo vaḥ pitaro dadhme tadvaḥ pitaro vāsaḥ / mātāmahānāṃ trirañjalidṛ / tato mātrādīnāndṛ

Translation

പ്രപിതാമഹന്മാർക്ക് അഞ്ജലിയാൽ ജലാർപ്പണം ചെയ്ത് മന്ത്രം ജപിക്കണം— “ഓം പിതൃഗണങ്ങൾക്ക് നമസ്കാരം—രസത്തിനായി, ശുഷ്മ (ബലം) നായി, ജീവത്തിനായി, സ്വധയ്ക്കായി, ഘോരതത്ത്വത്തിനായി, മന്യു (ധർമ്മതേജസ്) നായി. ഹേ പിതൃഗണങ്ങളേ, ഞങ്ങളുടെ ഗൃഹത്തിലെ അന്നം ക്ഷയിക്കാതിരിക്കട്ടെ; ഞങ്ങൾ നൽകിയ ദാനം സ്വീകരിക്കണമേ. ഹേ പിതൃഗണങ്ങളേ, ഞങ്ങളെ ധരിച്ചു പോഷിപ്പിക്കണമേ; ഇതു നിങ്ങളുടെ വാസം/ആവരണം ആകട്ടെ.” മാതാമഹന്മാർക്ക് മൂന്ന് അഞ്ജലി ജലം; തുടർന്ന് മാതാവ് മുതലായ മാതൃപക്ഷബന്ധുക്കൾക്കും വിധിപ്രകാരം അർപ്പിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• prapitāmahasya: Of the great-grandfather
• prapitāmahasya: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prapitāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• añjalidānam: Offering of water with cupped hands
• añjalidānam: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: añjalidāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular

• om: Om
• om: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: om (अव्यय)
• Form: Sacred Syllable

• namaḥ: Salutation
• namaḥ: None
• Type: Noun
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular (used as indeclinable)

• vaḥ: To you
• vaḥ: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (4th), Plural

• pitaraḥ: O Ancestors/Fathers
• pitaraḥ: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (Sambodhana), Plural

• rasāya: For essence/sap/vital fluid
• rasāya: Sampradana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• śuṣmāya: For strength/vigor
• śuṣmāya: Sampradana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• jīvāya: For life
• jīvāya: Sampradana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• svadhāyai: For Svadha (ancestral offering)
• svadhāyai: Sampradana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svadhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Dative (4th), Singular

• ghorāya: For the terrible/awful
• ghorāya: Sampradana (Purpose)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• manyave: For anger/passion/spirit
• manyave: Sampradana (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• gṛhān: Houses/Homes
• gṛhān: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural

• naḥ: To us
• naḥ: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (4th), Plural

• datta: Give!
• datta: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Lot Lakara (Imperative), Madhyama Purusha, Plural

• dadhme: We place/offer
• dadhme: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhā (धातु)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), Uttama Purusha, Plural, Atmanepada

• tat: That
• tat: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular

• vāsaḥ: Clothing/Garment
• vāsaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular

• mātāmahānāṃ: Of maternal grandfathers
• mātāmahānāṃ: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Plural

• triḥ: Three times
• triḥ: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverb

• añjalīn: Handfuls (of water)
• añjalīn: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural

Speaker

Lord Vishnu instructing Garuda (Vinata-putra) on pitṛ-tarpaṇa/śrāddha procedure

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitamaha/Prapitāmaha (and maternal ancestors thereafter)

Timing: During śrāddha/tarpaṇa sequence; also applicable on amāvāsyā or pitṛ-kāla per gṛhya custom

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pitṛ-tarpaṇa as a sustaining duty that preserves lineage, household prosperity, and reciprocal obligation between living and ancestors.

Vedantic Theme: ṛṇa-traya (especially pitṛ-ṛṇa) and yajña as purifier/support of social-cosmic order; subtle continuity of saṃskāra across generations.

Application: Perform añjali-dāna/tarpaṇa with mantras; include paternal and maternal lines; frame offerings as both gratitude and protection of household welfare.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space (gṛhya) with water-offering locus

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-kalpa sections on tarpaṇa and pitṛ-invocation (adjacent adhyāyas 215–216 context)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Svadhā
• Maternal ancestors (mātāmahāḥ)

FAQs

What is the importance of pitṛ-tarpaṇa (añjali-dāna) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames tarpaṇa as a direct act of nourishment and honoring of the Pitṛs through svadhā-based salutations, linking ancestral satisfaction with the well-being of the household and the orderly continuation of dharma.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

While not describing the post-mortem journey directly, it shows the Garuda Purana’s ritual logic: offerings to Pitṛs support the departed’s ancestral integration and maintain auspicious conditions for descendants, which the text treats as part of the broader after-death framework of rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform tarpaṇa/śrāddha with mindful gratitude—include both paternal and maternal lineages, recite the pitṛ salutations with clarity, and treat charity/offerings as sacred duties that sustain family harmony and ethical continuity.