Shloka 23

Akalamṛtyu-kāraṇa and Bāla Antyeṣṭi: Age-graded Funeral Rites, Śrāddha Types, and Sonship Duties

Devanagari script

व्रतात्प्राङ्गेव देयं तु ततः पितृगणस्य च / स्वाहाकारेण वै कुर्यादेकोद्दिष्टानि षोडश

Transliteration

vratātprāṅgeva deyaṃ tu tataḥ pitṛgaṇasya ca / svāhākāreṇa vai kuryādekoddiṣṭāni ṣoḍaśa

Translation

വ്രതം സമാപിക്കുന്നതിന് തൊട്ടുമുമ്പ് ദാനം-ആഹുതി നൽകണം; തുടർന്ന് പിതൃഗണത്തിനും അർപ്പണം ചെയ്യണം. ‘സ്വാഹാ’ ഉച്ചരിച്ച് വിധിപൂർവ്വം പതിനാറു ഏകോദ്ദിഷ്ട കർമ്മങ്ങൾ നടത്തണം।

Word by Word

• व्रतात्: from/before the vow
• व्रतात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन

• प्राक्: before
• प्राक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• देयम्: should be given
• देयम्: Kriya (Predicate necessity/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → देय (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त विधेय (gerundive) = 'to be given'

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेष (particle: 'but/indeed')

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Sequence/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-अर्थे (ablatival adverb) = 'thereafter/from that'

• पितृगणस्य: of the group of ancestors
• पितृगणस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• स्वाहाकारेण: with the utterance/formula 'svāhā'
• स्वाहाकारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाहा + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करण

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एकोद्दिष्टानि: ekoddiṣṭa (single-intended) rites
• एकोद्दिष्टानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + उद्दिष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; 'एकस्य उद्दिष्टानि' इत्यर्थे (rites intended for one)

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; विशेषण (numeral qualifier)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: At/just before vrata completion (vrata-samāpti); followed by offering to pitṛ-gaṇa.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: At the completion phase of a vow, make the designated offering, then offer to the pitṛ host; perform sixteen ekoddiṣṭa with the svāhā utterance.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda (mantra) and niyama as vehicles of dharma; ordered ritual action aligns individual discipline (vrata) with ancestral continuity (pitṛ-yajña).

Application: Schedule offerings at vrata completion; perform ekoddiṣṭa set with correct sankalpa and mantra-utterance; follow with pitṛ-gaṇa offerings as prescribed by one’s tradition.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.25: ekoddiṣṭa count (ṣoḍaśa) and mantra usage; Garuda Purana: mantra/utterance distinctions (svāhā/svadhā) in śrāddha contexts as presented in the text

Characters & Entities

• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of ekoddiṣṭa offerings in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that ekoddiṣṭa rites—offerings directed to one specific departed ancestor—should be performed in an ordered, prescribed way, supporting ancestral satisfaction and proper ritual completion.

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

In the Preta Kanda context, correct offerings to the Pitṛs are presented as supportive rites for the departed, aligning the living’s duties (dharma) with the deceased’s transitional state and ancestral realm obligations.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If performing śrāddha or vow-related rites, follow a clear sequence: complete the intended offering at the proper time, include Pitṛ offerings, and maintain precise ritual recitation (like “svāhā”) under qualified guidance.