Shloka 23

Śrāddha Vidhi: Kāla (Timing), Pātra (Recipient), and Karma (Procedure) for Pitṛ-tarpaṇa and Piṇḍa

Devanagari script

उच्छिष्टसन्निधौ पिण्डान्प्रदद्यात्पितृयज्ञवत् / मातामहानामप्यवं दद्यादाचमनं ततः

Transliteration

ucchiṣṭasannidhau piṇḍānpradadyātpitṛyajñavat / mātāmahānāmapyavaṃ dadyādācamanaṃ tataḥ

Translation

ഉച്ചിഷ്ടത്തിന്റെ സന്നിധിയിൽ പിതൃയജ്ഞവിധിപ്രകാരം പിണ്ഡങ്ങൾ അർപ്പിക്കണം. മാതാമഹന്മാർക്കും ‘അവ’ അർപ്പിച്ച്, തുടർന്ന് ആചമനം ചെയ്യണം.

Word by Word

• ucchiṣṭa-sannidhau: in the presence of remnants (leftovers)
• ucchiṣṭa-sannidhau: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ucchiṣṭa + sannidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (ucchiṣṭasya sannidhau)

• piṇḍān: rice-balls (piṇḍas)
• piṇḍān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• pradadyāt: should offer/give forth
• pradadyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√dā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• pitṛ-yajña-vat: as in the pitṛ-yajña rite
• pitṛ-yajña-vat: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pitṛ + yajña + vat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वत्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (manner-adverb); ‘pitṛyajña’ तत्पुरुषः

• mātāmahānām: of the maternal grandfathers
• mātāmahānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-भावबोधक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• avam: an offering/portion (ava)
• avam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (ritual offering/portion)

• dadyāt: should give
• dadyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ācamanaṃ: sipping (ritual water)
• ācamanaṃ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ācamana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालबोधक-अव्यय (adverb: thereafter/from that)

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Mid-śrāddha, after preliminary anna/udaka steps and before concluding invocations

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Piṇḍa-dāna should follow Pitṛ-yajña procedure; obligations include paternal and maternal ancestral lines; ācamana restores ritual purity after offerings.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as harmonizing social-cosmic order; honoring both lineages reduces saṃskāra burdens and steadies the mind for higher aims.

Application: Offer piṇḍas exactly as in Pitṛ-yajña; remember maternal grandfathers with the ava offering; conclude with ācamana to re-establish śauca.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: domestic ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.99.22–26: sequential śrāddha steps (anna/udaka → piṇḍa → svasti/akṣayya-udaka → svadhā → viśvedevas)

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Mātāmahas (maternal grandfathers)

FAQs

What is the importance of Piṇḍa-dāna in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse frames piṇḍa offerings as a formal Pitṛ-yajña act—an obligatory ancestral rite—emphasizing correct procedure and ritual purification (ācamana).

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

Indirectly: by stressing Pitṛ-yajña-style offerings to ancestors (including maternal lineage), it reflects the Purāṇic view that proper śrāddha supports the departed and maintains ancestral well-being in post-death states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing śrāddha or ancestral rites, include maternal ancestors appropriately, follow prescribed offering order, and conclude with ācamana as a marker of ritual cleanliness and closure.