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Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

श्राद्धं तस्य कथं कार्यं विधिना केन तद्भवेत् / श्रीभगवानुवाच / मुखं दृष्ट्वा तु पुत्रस्य मुच्यते पैतृकादृणात्

Transliteration

śrāddhaṃ tasya kathaṃ kāryaṃ vidhinā kena tadbhavet / śrībhagavānuvāca / mukhaṃ dṛṣṭvā tu putrasya mucyate paitṛkādṛṇāt

Translation

അവന്റെ ശ്രാദ്ധം എങ്ങനെ ചെയ്യണം, ഏത് വിധിപ്രകാരം അത് സിദ്ധിക്കും? ശ്രീഭഗവാൻ അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു—പുത്രന്റെ മുഖം ദർശിക്കുന്നതുമാത്രം കൊണ്ടു മനുഷ്യൻ പിതൃഋണത്തിൽ നിന്ന് മോചിതനാകുന്നു।

Word by Word
श्राद्धम्śrāddha rite
श्राद्धम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootश्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
तस्यof him
तस्य:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
कथम्how
कथम्:
Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम् (अव्यय)
Formप्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)
कार्यम्should be done
कार्यम्:
Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त; यत्)
Formयत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘to be done’
विधिनाby what procedure
विधिना:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootविधि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
केनby which
केन:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootक (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक
तत्that (rite/result)
तत्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
भवेत्would occur/be
भवेत्:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√भू (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ्-लकार (potential/optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन
श्रीभगवान्the Blessed Lord
श्रीभगवान्:
Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootश्री (प्रातिपदिक) + भगवान् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (श्रीमान् भगवान्)
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (Speech/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√वच् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन
मुखम्face
मुखम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
दृष्ट्वाhaving seen
दृष्ट्वा:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Root√दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वा)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-कृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया ‘having seen’
तुindeed
तु:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (indeed/but)
पुत्रस्यof the son
पुत्रस्य:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
मुच्यतेis freed
मुच्यते:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√मुच् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)
पैतृकात्from the paternal
पैतृकात्:
Apadana (Source/अपादान)
TypeAdjective
Rootपैतृक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘paternal’ (ablative)
ऋणात्debt
ऋणात्:
Apadana (Source/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootऋण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Śrī Bhagavān)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pitṛ-ṛṇa (ancestral debt) is central; progeny—especially a son—functions as a dharmic means of release, even symbolically through darśana (beholding).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as preparatory purification (citta-śuddhi) within saṃsāra; relational duties as part of ṛṇa-traya (debts).

Application: Maintain family responsibilities and ensure rites are arranged; where literal son is absent, seek dharmic alternatives (adoption/appointed performer) per śāstra and tradition.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.25 (śrāddha and putra eligibility thread)

Characters & Entities
V
Vishnu
S
Son (Putra)
P
Pitris (implied via paitṛka-ṛṇa)

FAQs

This verse states that pitru-rina is a binding obligation connected with one’s lineage, and that the presence of a son is traditionally seen as a direct means of release from that debt.

It frames a question about the correct performance of śrāddha and then emphasizes a foundational idea behind such rites: continuity of lineage and duty to ancestors, symbolized here by the son.

Honor obligations to family and ancestors through remembrance, charity, and prescribed rites according to one’s tradition—while understanding the teaching as a call to responsibility and lineage-duty (dharma).

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