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Shloka 30

Explanation of the Sapiṇḍana Rite; Causes of Pretahood; Viṣṇu Worship and Preta-ghaṭa Dāna

Devanagari script

प्रेतत्वं सुस्थिरं तेन मम जातं नृपोत्तम / एकादशं त्रिपक्षं च षाण्मासिकमथाब्दिकम् / प्रतिमास्यानि चान्यानि एवं श्राद्धानि षोडश

Transliteration

pretatvaṃ susthiraṃ tena mama jātaṃ nṛpottama / ekādaśaṃ tripakṣaṃ ca ṣāṇmāsikamathābdikam / pratimāsyāni cānyāni evaṃ śrāddhāni ṣoḍaśa

Translation

നൃപോത്തമാ, അതുകൊണ്ടുതന്നെ എന്റെ പ്രേതത്വം ദൃഢമായി സ്ഥിരപ്പെട്ടു. അതിനാൽ ഏകാദശാഹം, ത്രിപക്ഷം, ഷാണ്മാസികം, ആബ്ദികം, പ്രതിമാസാദി—ഇങ്ങനെ പതിനാറ് ശ്രാദ്ധങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ട്।

Word by Word
प्रेतत्वम्the state of being a preta
प्रेतत्वम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रेतत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; ‘state of being a preta’
सुस्थिरम्very firm/lasting
सुस्थिरम्:
Karta (Subject complement)
TypeAdjective
Rootसु- + स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate adjective
तेनtherefore/by that
तेन:
Hetu/Karana (Cause/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘therefore/by that’
ममof me/my
मम:
Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
जातम्has become
जातम्:
Kriya (verbal predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootजन् (धातु) + त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘has become’
नृपोत्तमO best of kings
नृपोत्तम:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootनृप + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समास: नृप-उत्तम = ‘best of kings’
एकादशम्the eleventh (day rite)
एकादशम्:
Qualifier
TypeAdjective
Rootएकादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ordinal/measure ‘eleventh’ (as rite/period)
त्रिपक्षम्(the rite for) three fortnights
त्रिपक्षम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म) (as item in list)
TypeNoun
Rootत्रि + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: त्रि-पक्ष = three fortnights
चand
च:
Sambandha/Connector
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)
षाण्मासिकम्the six-month rite
षाण्मासिकम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म) (as item in list)
TypeNoun
Rootषाण्(षट्) + मासिक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासार्थ: षण्मासे भवम्/सम्बद्धम् = six-monthly rite
अथthen
अथ:
Discourse connector
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअनन्तर/प्रसङ्गबोधक अव्यय (then/next)
आब्दिकम्the annual rite
आब्दिकम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म) (as item in list)
TypeNoun
Rootआब्दिक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘annual (rite)’
प्रतिमास्यानिmonthly (rites)
प्रतिमास्यानि:
Karma (Object/कर्म) (as item in list)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रति + मास्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव: प्रति-मास्य = ‘monthly’; here plural ‘monthly ones (rites)’
चand
च:
Sambandha/Connector
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)
अन्यानिother
अन्यानि:
Qualifier
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘other’
एवम्thus
एवम्:
Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएवम् (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक अव्यय (thus/in this manner)
श्राद्धानिśrāddha rites
श्राद्धानि:
Karma (Object/कर्म) (as item in list)
TypeNoun
Rootश्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘śrāddha rites’
षोडशsixteen
षोडश:
Qualifier (number)
TypeAdjective
Rootषोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
Formसंख्यावाचक; प्रायः अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; अत्र ‘श्राद्धानि’ इत्यस्य संख्या (sixteen)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue, instructing Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: 11th day; after three fortnights; at six months; at one year; and monthly observances—total sixteen śrāddhas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Without timely śrāddhas, pretatva becomes fixed; prescribed sequence of sixteen śrāddhas supports the departed’s transition.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual duty (karma-kanda) governs post-mortem states within samsara; correct performance mitigates suffering and restores order (rita/dharma).

Application: Follow the prescribed schedule of post-death rites with competent guidance; treat timing as essential, not optional.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: ritual timeline markers (11th day, fortnight, etc.)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: detailed shraddha schedules and preta-release logic; Garuda Purana: descriptions of pretatva duration and relief through pindadana (general)

Characters & Entities
P
Preta
P
Pitris

FAQs

This verse frames the śrāddha sequence as a structured set of sixteen rites (including 11th-day, tripakṣa, six-month, annual, and monthly observances) meant to address the preta-condition and support the departed through prescribed stages.

It implies a staged post-death process where the deceased may remain in a preta-state; periodic śrāddhas are prescribed at specific intervals to ritually aid and stabilize the soul’s transition in the after-death journey.

Follow a consistent and respectful memorial/śrāddha schedule (as per one’s tradition and family priestly guidance), emphasizing intention, charity, and remembrance—treating ritual duty as an expression of dharma toward ancestors.

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