Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

सर्वदानानि देयानि ह्यन्न दानादृते खग / संगृहीतः सुतः कुर्यादेकोद्दिष्टं न पार्वणम्

Transliteration

sarvadānāni deyāni hyanna dānādṛte khaga / saṃgṛhītaḥ sutaḥ kuryādekoddiṣṭaṃ na pārvaṇam

Translation

ഹേ ഖഗ (ഗരുഡാ)! എല്ലാ ദാനങ്ങളും നൽകേണ്ടതുതന്നെ; എന്നാൽ അന്നദാനത്തിന് തുല്യം ഒന്നുമില്ല. ‘സംഗൃഹീത’ (ദത്തെടുത്ത) പുത്രൻ ഏകോദ്ദിഷ്ടം ചെയ്യണം; പാർവണ ചെയ്യരുത്.

Word by Word

• सर्वदानानि: all gifts
• सर्वदानानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + दान (प्रातिपदिक); कर्मधारयसमासः (sarva-dāna)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• देयानि: are to be given
• देयानि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: विधेयार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive/यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम्

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये-अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• अन्नदानात्: from food-giving
• अन्नदानात्: Apadana (Exception base/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न + दान (प्रातिपदिक); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः (anna-dāna)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• ऋते: except
• ऋते: Sambandha (Exception marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋते (अव्यय)
• Form: अपवादार्थक-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable: except/without)

• खग: O bird (Garuda)
• खग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• संगृहीतः: adopted/accepted
• संगृहीतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-ग्रह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• एकोद्दिष्टम्: ekoddiṣṭa rite
• एकोद्दिष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + उद्दिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक); कर्मधारयसमासः (eka-uddiṣṭa)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• पार्वणम्: pārvaṇa rite
• पार्वणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instructing Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Not specified; ekoddiṣṭa context implied for a specific departed

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Among gifts, anna-dāna is foremost; adopted sons have a defined ritual duty—perform ekoddiṣṭa, not pārvaṇa.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as ordered obligation (maryādā) and compassion through sustenance; right action depends on relationship/adhikāra.

Application: Prioritize feeding (guests, needy, ritual recipients) as a core virtue; in adoption/guardianship contexts, follow prescribed ritual roles rather than improvising.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: household/ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana śrāddha rules on adopted sons and distinctions of rites (general); Garuda Purana praise of dāna, especially anna-dāna (general)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Pitris
• Shraddha
• Ekoḍḍiṣṭa

FAQs

What is the importance of anna-dāna (food charity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse elevates anna-dāna as the most essential form of giving in the context of death rites, emphasizing nourishment/support as a prime dharmic offering connected with śrāddha and care for the departed.

What does this verse say about ekoddiṣṭa and pārvaṇa śrāddha?

It distinguishes the two: ekoddiṣṭa is a focused rite for one deceased person, while pārvaṇa is the broader ancestral rite for the pitṛ-line; the verse assigns only ekoddiṣṭa to an adopted son, not pārvaṇa.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize food donation and feeding others as a meaningful charity, and follow tradition-specific guidance for śrāddha roles—especially in complex family situations like adoption—by consulting learned priests and family dharma practices.