Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

पञ्चत्वञ्च गते शूद्रे यः काष्ठं नयते चिताम् / अनुव्रजेद्यदा विप्रस्त्रिरात्रमशुचिर्भवेत्

Transliteration

pañcatvañca gate śūdre yaḥ kāṣṭhaṃ nayate citām / anuvrajedyadā viprastrirātramaśucirbhavet

Translation

ശൂദ്രൻ പഞ്ചത്വം പ്രാപിച്ചാൽ ചിതയ്ക്കായി വിറകു കൊണ്ടുപോകുന്നവനും, ശവയാത്രയെ അനുഗമിക്കുന്ന ബ്രാഹ്മണനും മൂന്നു രാത്രികൾ അശൗചിയാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• pañcatvam: state of being five elements; death
• pañcatvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañcatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• gate: when (he) has gone / after (he) has died
• gate: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (गम् धातु) + gata (कृत्)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन), Neuter/Masculine agreement with implied event/state; used as locative absolute sense with śūdre

• śūdre: in the case of a Śūdra
• śūdre: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• kāṣṭham: wood
• kāṣṭham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• nayate: leads/carries
• nayate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nī (नी धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• citām: funeral pyre
• citām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• anuvrajet: should follow
• anuvrajet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu + vraj (व्रज् धातु)
• Form: Optative/benedictive sense (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• yadā: when
• yadā: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• vipraḥ: a Brahmin
• vipraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• trirātram: for three nights
• trirātram: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri + rātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvigu compound (द्विगु-समास) meaning a measure of time; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• aśuciḥ: impure
• aśuciḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective

• bhavet: would be/should become
• bhavet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Immediately following death/funeral participation; aśauca for three nights

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Aśauca (ritual impurity) accrues through specific funeral acts (carrying pyre-wood, joining the procession) and lasts three nights.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra as regulators of social-religious order; recognition of bodily dissolution into pañcamahābhūtas.

Application: Observe three-night impurity after specified funeral participation; suspend purity-dependent rites until purification is completed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: cremation-ground/funeral-pyre context (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: aśauca/antyeṣṭi and preta-related injunction clusters around 2.34 (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of ashauca (ritual impurity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows that ashauca is a dharmic safeguard around death-related rites: participation in cremation-related acts (like carrying wood or joining the procession) triggers a defined impurity period, here specified as three nights.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

By regulating conduct immediately after death and cremation, the text frames death as a liminal transition; correct observance of śauca/aśauca supports orderly rites that the Garuda Purana connects with the departed being properly assisted through post-death stages.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If you participate in cremation or closely accompany funeral rites, observe a short period of restraint and purification practices (as per your tradition/family achara), treating death rites with seriousness, cleanliness, and disciplined conduct.