Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

शूद्रादीनां कथं कुर्यात्संशयो मौञ्जिवर्जनात् / गर्भाच्च नवमं हित्वा शिशुरामासषोडशम्

Transliteration

śūdrādīnāṃ kathaṃ kuryātsaṃśayo mauñjivarjanāt / garbhācca navamaṃ hitvā śiśurāmāsaṣoḍaśam

Translation

ശൂദ്രാദികളുടെ കാര്യത്തിൽ ഈ കർമ്മം എങ്ങനെ ചെയ്യണം? മൗഞ്ജീധാരണം ഇല്ലാത്തതിനാൽ സംശയം ഉളവാകുന്നു. ഗർഭത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ഒൻപതാം മാസം ഒഴിവാക്കി, ശിശുവിന് പതിനാറ് മാസം വരെ കണക്കാക്കണം।

Word by Word

• शूद्रादीनाम्: of the Śūdras and others
• शूद्रादीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; शूद्र-आदि-शब्दानां (genitive plural)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prakaraṇa (Adverbial/प्रकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मौञ्जिवर्जनात्: because of omission of the muñja (sacred girdle)
• मौञ्जिवर्जनात्: Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौञ्जि + वर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी-अपादान), एकवचन; कारणार्थे (ablative of cause)

• गर्भात्: from conception / from the womb
• गर्भात्: Apadana (Point of origin/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; आरम्भ-निर्देशे (from the womb)

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

• नवमम्: the ninth (year)
• नवमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal adjective)

• हित्वा: having left (aside)
• हित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपद; ‘having left/omitted’

• शिशुः: a child
• शिशुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• आमासषोडशम्: (up to) sixteen months
• आमासषोडशम्: Karma/Avadhi (Extent/अवधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आमास + षोडश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘आमास-षोडश’ = षोडश-आमासपर्यन्तम् (up to sixteen months)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Adhikāra (eligibility) and precise kāla/āyuḥ-gaṇanā for rites when upanayana markers are absent.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as niyati: orderly regulation of life-stages (āśrama/saṃskāra) supporting saṃskāra-purity and social-ritual coherence.

Application: When performing rites for Śūdra and others lacking mauñjī/upanayana, compute age from conception with the stated exclusion (leaving the ninth month) and apply the child-reckoning up to sixteen months as per this rule.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.25 (context: age-stages and śrāddha/daśapiṇḍa rules for minors)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Śūdra
• mauñjī

FAQs

What is the importance of the mauñjī (sacred girdle) mentioned in this Garuda Purana verse?

This verse treats mauñjī as a key marker used in determining ritual eligibility or procedure; when it is absent (as for Śūdras and some others), uncertainty arises about how to apply certain rites.

Does this verse describe the soul’s journey after death?

Not directly; it focuses on dharmic procedure and timing/eligibility for rites, which in the Garuda Purana framework supports correct observance connected with post-death rituals and related duties.

What is a practical takeaway from this verse for ritual observance today?

Follow tradition-specific guidance on eligibility and timing rather than assuming a single uniform rule for everyone; when a standard marker (like a samskara) is not present, consult the appropriate dharma-śāstra or lineage practice.