Shloka 7
Śrāddha-bheda-nirūpaṇa: Nitya, Vṛddhi, Nāndīmukha, and Ekoḍḍiṣṭa Procedures
एकोद्दिष्टं पुरो ऽवश्यं तद्विशेषं वदे शृणु / प्रथमं निमन्त्रणं पादप्रक्षालनम् आसनम् / अद्य अमुकगोत्रस्य मत्पितुरमुकदेवशर्मणः प्रतिसांवत्सरिकमेकोद्दिष्टश्राद्धं सिद्धान्नेन युष्मास्वहं करिष्ये / श्राद्धकरणानुज्ञापनम् आसनं गन्धादिदानम् अन्नानुकल्पनम् / जप्यं निवीती / उत्तराभिमुखीभूयातिथिश्राद्धं कुर्यात्
ekoddiṣṭaṃ puro 'vaśyaṃ tadviśeṣaṃ vade śṛṇu / prathamaṃ nimantraṇaṃ pādaprakṣālanam āsanam / adya amukagotrasya matpituramukadevaśarmaṇaḥ pratisāṃvatsarikamekoddiṣṭaśrāddhaṃ siddhānnena yuṣmāsvahaṃ kariṣye / śrāddhakaraṇānujñāpanam āsanaṃ gandhādidānam annānukalpanam / japyaṃ nivītī / uttarābhimukhībhūyātithiśrāddhaṃ kuryāt
ഏകോട്ഡിഷ്ട ശ്രാദ്ധം നിർബന്ധമായി ചെയ്യേണ്ടതാണ്; അതിന്റെ പ്രത്യേക ക്രമം കേൾക്കുക. ആദ്യം ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരെ ക്ഷണിക്കൽ, തുടർന്ന് പാദപ്രക്ഷാലനം, ആസനദാനം. ഇങ്ങനെ സംकल्पിക്കണം— “ഇന്ന് അമുക ഗോത്രത്തിലെ എന്റെ പിതാവ് അമുക ദേവശർമനുവേണ്ടി വാർഷിക ഏകോട്ഡിഷ്ട ശ്രാദ്ധം ഞാൻ സിദ്ധാന്നംകൊണ്ട് നിങ്ങളെ ലക്ഷ്യമാക്കി നടത്തും.” തുടർന്ന് ശ്രാദ്ധകർമ്മത്തിന് അനുമതി അപേക്ഷിച്ച്, ആസനം, ഗന്ധാദിദാനം, അന്നക്രമീകരണം ചെയ്യണം. നിർദ്ദേശിച്ച ജപം ‘നിവീതി’ ധാരണയോടെ ചെയ്യണം; ഉത്തരമുഖനായി അതിഥി-ശ്രാദ്ധം നിർവഹിക്കണം.
Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)
Ritual Type: Ekoddishta
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: Annual (prati-sāṃvatsarika) observance for the father; performed with prepared food and guest-rite component
Concept: Ekoḍḍiṣṭa is a mandatory, specific śrāddha for a single departed (here, the father), requiring orderly steps: invitation, pāda-prakṣālana, āsana, saṅkalpa, and japa.
Vedantic Theme: Nitya/naimittika karma: time-bound duty performed without negligence supports inner steadiness and gratitude toward one’s sources of life.
Application: Follow the sequence without skipping: invite brāhmaṇas, wash feet, seat them; state the annual intention naming gotra and father; perform prescribed japa with correct thread-position; observe north-facing protocol for atithi-śrāddha.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: domestic ritual setting
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.219.8 (south-facing vāmopavīta and water-line offering); Garuda Purana 1.219.5-1.219.6 (permissions, āvāhana, gandha, saṅkalpa patterns); Garuda Purana 1.220.1 (later transition to sapiṇḍīkaraṇa after one year)
FAQs
This verse frames Ekoḍḍiṣṭa as a mandatory, specifically targeted śrāddha for a particular departed person, emphasizing correct sequence (invitation, washing feet, seating, declaration, offerings) to ensure the rite is properly established.
Indirectly: it teaches the correct pitṛ-karman (ancestral rite) performed by the living, which the Garuda Purana presents as supportive dharmic action for the departed’s welfare and remembrance, even though this specific verse focuses on ritual steps rather than afterlife geography.
Perform ancestral rites with clarity and respect: invite qualified participants, maintain cleanliness, state the intention (ancestor identity and annual observance), and follow an orderly, reverent sequence rather than treating śrāddha as a casual meal.