Shloka 28

Preta-Mokṣa Upāya: Svapna-Lakṣaṇa, Pitṛ-Doṣa, and Prescribed Rites

Kṛṣṇa-bali & Nārāyaṇa-bali

Devanagari script

पितृमा तृसमं लोके नास्त्यन्यद्दैवतं परम् / तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन पूजयेत्पितरौ सदा

Transliteration

pitṛmā tṛsamaṃ loke nāstyanyaddaivataṃ param / tasmātsarvaprayatnena pūjayetpitarau sadā

Translation

ഈ ലോകത്തിൽ പിതൃസമന്മാരായ പിതാവും മാതാവും കവിഞ്ഞ് മറ്റൊരു പരമദൈവം ഇല്ല. അതിനാൽ സർവ്വശ്രമത്തോടെയും എപ്പോഴും മാതാപിതാക്കളെ പൂജിച്ച് ആദരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• पितृमातृसमम्: equal to father and mother
• पितृमातृसमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + मातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘दैवतं’ इति; समासः द्वन्द्वः (पितृ + मातृ) ततः कर्मधारय-भावः ‘समम्’ (equal to)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation particle)

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: अस्

• अन्यत्: other
• अन्यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘दैवतं’ (understood)

• दैवतम्: deity, divine being
• दैवतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• परम्: supreme, higher
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘दैवतम्’

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति तद्धित-निपातवत् प्रयोगः; अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = ‘therefore/from that’

• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: with all effort
• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (सर्वः प्रयत्नः)

• पूजयेत्: should worship/honor
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: पूज्

• पितरौ: the two parents (father and mother)
• पितरौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), द्विवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (कालवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Parents are the highest ‘daivata’ in lived experience; honoring them is a paramount dharmic obligation.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as the foundation for inner purification; recognition of immediate causes (parents) as worthy of reverence aligns with gratitude (kṛtajñatā) and humility.

Application: Serve, respect, and care for parents consistently—speech, conduct, material support, and ritual honor—treating it as daily worship.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana teachings on pitṛ-ṛṇa and śrāddha as repayment of ancestral debt; Adjacent verses (2.21.29–30) elaborating father as pratyakṣa-daivata and body-giver

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Parents (Mother and Father)

FAQs

What is the importance of Pitṛ worship in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that no divinity is higher than parents (equal to the Pitṛs), making their honor and worship a primary dharmic duty and a foundation for Pitṛ-related rites like śrāddha.

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

By elevating parents/Pitṛs as the highest object of reverence, the verse supports the ritual logic of śrāddha, tarpaṇa, and piṇḍa-dāna—acts performed to satisfy and uplift the ancestral line and ensure auspicious post-death outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Serve and respect one’s parents consistently—through care, gratitude, and ethical conduct—and, where appropriate, observe ancestral rites (such as tarpaṇa/śrāddha) as an extension of that responsibility.