Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

अष्टमे दिवसे प्राप्ते जङ्घे च भवतो ऽण्डज / पादौ च नवमे ज्ञेयौ दशमे बलवत्क्षुधा

Transliteration

aṣṭame divase prāpte jaṅghe ca bhavato 'ṇḍaja / pādau ca navame jñeyau daśame balavatkṣudhā

Translation

ഹേ അണ്ഡജ (ഗരുഡാ)! എട്ടാം ദിവസം ജംഘകൾ (കാൽതാഴ്ഭാഗം) രൂപപ്പെടുന്നു. ഒമ്പതാം ദിവസം പാദങ്ങൾ; പത്താം ദിവസം ശക്തമായ ക്ഷുധ ഉദ്ഭവിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• aṣṭame: on the eighth
• aṣṭame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ordinal adjective with 'divase'

• divase: day
• divase: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: divasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• prāpte: having arrived
• prāpte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-āp (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; agrees with 'divase' (locative absolute-like: 'when the day has arrived')

• jaṅghe: (two) shanks/legs
• jaṅghe: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṅghā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual

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

• bhavataḥ: come into being/are formed
• bhavataḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्), Present, Parasmaipada; 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Dual

• aṇḍaja: O egg-born (bird)
• aṇḍaja: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; संबोधन; compound meaning 'egg-born'

• pādau: (two) feet
• pādau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual

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

• navame: on the ninth
• navame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: navama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ordinal adjective (elliptic 'divase/ahani')

• jñeyau: to be known (as formed)
• jñeyau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñā (धातु) + ya (प्रत्यय)
• Form: Gerundive (भाव्य/कर्तव्य); Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual; agrees with 'pādau'

• daśame: on the tenth
• daśame: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ordinal adjective (elliptic 'divase/ahani')

• balavat: strong/intense
• balavat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective used adverbially with 'kṣudhā' = 'strong'

• kṣudhā: hunger
• kṣudhā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣudh (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Day 8–10 after death

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: As the preta-body completes, sensory and appetitive drives arise; offerings are remedial responses within karmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Tr̥ṣṇā/kṣudhā as marks of embodied saṃsāra; compassion expressed through prescribed action.

Application: Ensure offerings/feeding (anna-dāna) are not delayed; treat hunger imagery as a call to timely charity and rite.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.34.48–52 (day-wise formation culminating in hunger)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Aṇḍaja/Vainateya)

FAQs

What is the importance of the tenth day hunger in the Garuda Purana?

This verse marks the stage where the departed being experiences strong hunger, supporting the ritual logic for offerings (such as pinda and related rites) meant to provide relief and sustenance to the preta.

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

It describes a sequential, day-by-day formation of bodily parts in the post-death state, implying a gradual embodiment that enables the departed to experience needs like hunger during the preta journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages timely performance of prescribed after-death rites and charitable feeding in memory of the departed, while reminding the living to practice dharma and compassion.