Shloka 136

Dharma–Adharma Marks; Daśāha, Piṇḍa Formation, Śrāddha Calendar, Śayyā-dāna, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Rules

Devanagari script

यमके च गजच्छायामन्वादिषु युगादिषु / पितृपिण्डो न दातव्यः सपिण्डीकरणं विना

Transliteration

yamake ca gajacchāyāmanvādiṣu yugādiṣu / pitṛpiṇḍo na dātavyaḥ sapiṇḍīkaraṇaṃ vinā

Translation

യമകദിനത്തിലും ഗജച്ചായാകാലത്തും അന്വാദി, യുഗാദി തുടങ്ങിയ അനുഷ്ഠാനങ്ങളിലും സപിണ്ഡീകരണം കൂടാതെ പിതൃപിണ്ഡം നല്കരുത്.

Word by Word

• यमके: at the yamaka (a specific occasion/period)
• यमके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• गजच्छायाम्: at gaja-chāyā (elephant-shadow time/period)
• गजच्छायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (गजस्य छाया)

• अन्वादिषु: in the anvādi (occasions)
• अन्वादिषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्वादि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural

• युगादिषु: in yugādi (beginnings of yugas etc.)
• युगादिषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural; तत्पुरुषः (युगस्य आदिः)

• पितृपिण्डः: the piṇḍa offering for the ancestors
• पितृपिण्डः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (पितॄणां पिण्डः)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• दातव्यः: should be given
• दातव्यः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; predicative 'is to be given'

• सपिण्डीकरणम्: the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa rite
• सपिण्डीकरणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सपिण्डीकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: Prepositional indeclinable (उपपद-अव्यय) governing Accusative (द्वितीया)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Sapindana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Before performing pitṛ-piṇḍa on Yamaka, Gajacchāyā, Anvādi, Yugādi observances.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual sequencing: pitṛ-piṇḍa offerings on special days are not to be given unless sapiṇḍīkaraṇa has been performed; preta and pitṛ categories must not be conflated.

Vedantic Theme: Niyama and saṃskāra as ordering principles; correct classification (preta vs pitṛ) mirrors the need for discernment (viveka) in action.

Application: Before offering pitṛ-piṇḍa on calendrical śrāddha days, confirm sapiṇḍīkaraṇa is complete; otherwise perform only the rites appropriate to the preta-stage as guided.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: household śrāddha space; calendrical observance days (Yamaka, Gajacchāyā, Anvādi, Yugādi)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana distinctions between ekoddiṣṭa (preta) and parvaṇa (pitṛ) śrāddha; sapiṇḍīkaraṇa as transition rite

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Preta
• Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the importance of sapiṇḍīkaraṇa in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse states that pitṛ-oriented piṇḍa offerings are not appropriate until sapiṇḍīkaraṇa is done, because that rite formally connects the departed to the Pitṛ lineage for ancestral śrāddha.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It implies a transitional status: before sapiṇḍīkaraṇa the departed is treated as a preta in ritual terms, and only after the rite is the person ritually eligible to receive offerings as a Pitṛ.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing śrāddha or piṇḍa-dāna, follow the correct sequence—complete the prescribed post-death rites (including sapiṇḍīkaraṇa) before doing pitṛ-specific offerings on special observance days.