Shloka 14

Devanagari script

पूजा श्राद्धं पिण्डदानं सर्वं भवति चाक्षयम् / शालग्रामं सर्वदं स्यात्तीर्थं पशुपतेः परम्

Transliteration

pūjā śrāddhaṃ piṇḍadānaṃ sarvaṃ bhavati cākṣayam / śālagrāmaṃ sarvadaṃ syāttīrthaṃ paśupateḥ param

Translation

പൂജ, ശ്രാദ്ധം, പിണ്ഡദാനം—ഇവയെല്ലാം അക്ഷയമാകുന്നു. ശാലഗ്രാമം സർവദായകമെന്ന് പ്രസിദ്ധം; അത് പശുപതിയുടെ പരമ തീർത്ഥം.

Word by Word

• पूजा: worship
• पूजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• पिण्डदानम्: offering of piṇḍas (funeral oblations)
• पिण्डदानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्डदान (प्रातिपदिक; पिण्ड + दान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all (of this)
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• भवति: becomes/is
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• अक्षयम्: imperishable, inexhaustible
• अक्षयम्: Visheshana (Predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक; a- + क्षय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective to सर्वम्)

• शालग्रामम्: Śālagrāma (sacred place/stone)
• शालग्रामम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शालग्राम (प्रातिपदिक; शाल + ग्राम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• सर्वदम्: bestowing all (boons)
• सर्वदम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वद (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + द)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying शालग्रामम्/तीर्थम्)

• स्यात्: would be/is said to be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तीर्थम्: tīrtha (holy place)
• तीर्थम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• पशुपतेः: of Paśupati (Śiva)
• पशुपतेः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशुपति (प्रातिपदिक; पशु + पति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying तीर्थम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Śrāddha occasions generally (e.g., tithi-based; also applicable to Mahālaya context though not specified here)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhagavat-sambandha (connection to Viṣṇu via Śālagrāma) renders worship and śrāddha akṣaya; devotion sanctifies ritual efficacy.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-prasāda as the stabilizing factor behind karma-phala; sacred symbol as ālambana for bhakti.

Application: If one keeps/serves Śālagrāma with purity, perform daily pūjā; during śrāddha, offer piṇḍa with Viṣṇu-smaraṇa; prioritize sincerity and ethical living alongside ritual.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha/kshetra and sacred stone locus

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Pretakalpa and Dharma sections frequently extol śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna as beneficial to pitṛs; 1.81 here links them to akṣaya-phala)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shalagrama
• Pitris
• Pashupati

FAQs

What is the importance of Śālagrāma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Śālagrāma as “sarvada” (giver of all) and a supreme tīrtha, indicating that worship connected with Śālagrāma amplifies and stabilizes the merit of rites like pūjā, śrāddha, and piṇḍa-dāna into akṣaya (imperishable) spiritual benefit.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals like śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna?

It links core post-death observances—śrāddha and piṇḍa offerings—to the idea of akṣaya merit, emphasizing that properly performed ancestral rites generate lasting spiritual fruit rather than temporary results.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If performing śrāddha or memorial rites, prioritize sincerity, correct procedure, and devotional worship (pūjā); the verse highlights that such acts—especially when done with sacred focus (e.g., Śālagrāma-centered devotion)—are intended to create enduring merit and support ancestral remembrance.