Shloka 23

Śravaṇa-Mahātmya: The Śravaṇas, Cosmic Testimony, and the Paths of the Puruṣārthas

Devanagari script

संभोज्य ब्राह्मणान् भक्त्या त्वेकादश शुभाञ्छुचीन् / द्वादशं सकलत्रं च मम प्रीत्यै प्रपूजयेत्

Transliteration

saṃbhojya brāhmaṇān bhaktyā tvekādaśa śubhāñchucīn / dvādaśaṃ sakalatraṃ ca mama prītyai prapūjayet

Translation

പതിനൊന്ന് ശുഭവും ശുചിയുമായ ബ്രാഹ്മണരെ ഭക്തിയോടെ ആദരിച്ച് ഭോജനമരുളി, പന്ത്രണ്ടാമത്തെ ബ്രാഹ്മണനെ കുടുംബസഹിതം എന്റെ പ്രീതിക്കായി യഥാവിധി പൂജിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• संभोज्य: having fed (after feeding)
• संभोज्य: Kriya (पूर्वकर्म/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (prior action), समासर्गः सम्-; अर्थः ‘भोजयित्वा/भुक्त्वा’

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• एकादश: eleven
• एकादश: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकादश (संख्याशब्द)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण, द्विगुसमास (एक + दश), द्वितीया बहुवचनस्य विशेषणम् (qualifies ब्राह्मणान्)

• शुभान्: auspicious/virtuous
• शुभान्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ब्राह्मणान् इति विशेषणम्

• शुचीन्: pure
• शुचीन्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ब्राह्मणान् इति विशेषणम्

• द्वादशम्: twelve (as the twelfth)
• द्वादशम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्याशब्द)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण, द्विगुसमास (द्वि + दश), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (सकलत्रम् इति विशेषणम्)

• सकलत्रम्: together with (his) wife
• सकलत्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-कलत्र (प्रातिपदिक; कलत्र = पत्नी/पत्नीसमेतः)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (सह + कलत्र), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (ब्राह्मणम्/ब्राह्मणं—अध्याहृतम्) इति विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मम: of me/my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रीत्यै: for (my) pleasure
• प्रीत्यै: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)

• प्रपूजयेत्: should worship/honor
• प्रपूजयेत्: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; उपसर्गः प्र-

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Brāhmaṇa-bhojana and honoring guests as a devotional act that pleases the Lord.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-prītyarthaṃ karma (action offered for the Lord’s pleasure) purifies the doer.

Application: Perform charitable feeding with purity, devotion, and proper honor; include support for the recipient’s household to make the gift complete.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: household/ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.17 (श्रवण-माहात्म्य and ritual merit context); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa sections on śrāddha/दान as merit-generators (general)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmanas
• Lord Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of feeding Brāhmaṇas in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse presents brāhmaṇa-bhojana as a key śrāddha-related act: feeding qualified, pure Brāhmaṇas with devotion is treated as a meritorious offering that pleases Lord Vishnu and supports the rite’s spiritual efficacy.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta-kāṇḍa context, such prescribed rites (including honoring Brāhmaṇas) are part of the post-death observances meant to generate punya and ritual support for the departed, aligning the family’s actions with dharma and divine approval.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Perform remembrance rites with sincerity: offer food or charity to genuinely learned and ethical recipients (or support dharmic service) with devotion, keeping purity of intent and respectful conduct central rather than mere formality.