Shloka 20

Devanagari script

कृत्वा श्राद्धादिकं पिण्डं मध्ये वै यूपकूपयोः / गोप्रचारसमीपस्था आब्रह्म ब्रह्मकल्पिताः

Transliteration

kṛtvā śrāddhādikaṃ piṇḍaṃ madhye vai yūpakūpayoḥ / gopracārasamīpasthā ābrahma brahmakalpitāḥ

Translation

ശ്രാദ്ധാദി കർമ്മങ്ങൾ ചെയ്തു യൂപവും കൂപവും തമ്മിൽ പിണ്ഡം അർപ്പിക്കണം. അത് ഗോചരഭൂമിയുടെ സമീപത്ത് സ്ഥാപിക്കണം; ഇത് ബ്രഹ്മനാൽ നിശ്ചയിക്കപ്പെട്ട, ‘ആബ്രഹ്മ’ പവിത്രക്രമമായി കരുതപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वक्रिया

• श्राद्धादिकम्: śrāddha and related rites
• श्राद्धादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (श्राद्धम् आदि यस्य/श्राद्धादि = śrāddha etc.)

• पिण्डम्: rice-ball offering (piṇḍa)
• पिण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात/अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• यूपकूपयोः: between the post and the well
• यूपकूपयोः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूप (प्रातिपदिक) + कूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी, द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वसमास (यूप + कूप)

• गोप्रचारसमीपस्थाः: situated near the grazing-ground of cows
• गोप्रचारसमीपस्थाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रचार (प्रातिपदिक) + समीप (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (गोप्रचारस्य समीपे स्थाः)

• आब्रह्म: up to Brahmā; as far as Brahma
• आब्रह्म: Avadhi (Limit/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास/अव्यय (सीमावाचक: up to Brahmā/Brahman)

• ब्रह्मकल्पिताः: ordained/arranged by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मकल्पिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + कल्पित (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त (PPP) ‘कल्पित’; तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणा कल्पिताः/ब्रह्मसम्बन्धेन कल्पिताः)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinātā-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During the Brahmatīrtha rite sequence after completing śrāddha-related acts.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual efficacy depends on correct placement and sanctifying associations (yūpa-kūpa locus; proximity to cows).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as cosmic order (ṛta/dharma) expressed through prescribed acts and sacred symbols; supportive karma for spiritual ascent.

Application: When doing śrāddha, choose a clean, sattvic environment; honor cows/ethical care for living beings as part of ritual culture.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha micro-sites: yūpa-kūpa interval and nearby pasture-land

Cross References

Related Themes: Sequence of Brahmatīrtha śrāddha and placement rules in 1.84.18–22; emphasis on piṇḍa placement repeated.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Gauḥ (cow, as sacred presence)

FAQs

What is the importance of piṇḍa-dāna placement in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that piṇḍa offerings are not only to be made, but to be made in ritually sanctioned locations—between the yūpa and the well and near cow-grazing land—indicating correctness of procedure (vidhi) in śrāddha.

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

Indirectly: by prescribing śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna with proper ritual placement, it supports the post-death framework where offerings aid the departed and satisfy the pitṛs, aligning the family’s rites with dharma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha/piṇḍa-dāna under guidance of competent priests and follow traditional rules of place and purity; the takeaway is disciplined, respectful observance of ancestral rites rather than casual or improvised practice.