Shloka 58

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

Devanagari script

नवम्याञ्च मृतो यश्च रिक्ता तस्य चतुर्दशी / एता रिक्ताश्च विज्ञेया अन्त्येष्टौ कुशलेन च

Transliteration

navamyāñca mṛto yaśca riktā tasya caturdaśī / etā riktāśca vijñeyā antyeṣṭau kuśalena ca

Translation

നവമി തിഥിയിൽ മരിച്ചവന് ചതുര്ദശി തിഥി ‘രിക്ത’ (അശുഭ) ആയി കണക്കാക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. അന്ത്യേഷ്ടികർമ്മത്തിൽ നിപുണൻ ഈ രിക്ത തിഥികൾ അറിഞ്ഞ് അതനുസരിച്ച് ആചരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• navamyām: on the ninth (tithi)
• navamyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: navamī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Saptamī vibhakti (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (sg.); locative of time

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

• mṛtaḥ: dead (has died)
• mṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत्) → mṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Prathamā vibhakti (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; past passive participle (क्त) used adjectivally

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; relative pronoun

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

• riktā: void/inauspicious (empty)
• riktā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rikta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate adjective agreeing with caturdaśī

• tasya: of him/for him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka, Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana; genitive

• caturdaśī: the fourteenth (tithi)
• caturdaśī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caturdaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tithi-name

• etāḥ: these
• etāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana (pl.); demonstrative pronoun

• riktāḥ: void/inauspicious
• riktāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rikta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; predicate adjective

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

• vijñeyāḥ: should be known
• vijñeyāḥ: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-√jñā (धातु) + ya (कृत्) → vijñeya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; gerundive (तव्यत्/य) = ‘to be known’

• antyeṣṭau: in the funeral rites
• antyeṣṭau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antya-iṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti, Ekavacana; locative; compound: antyā (अन्त्या) + iṣṭiḥ (इष्टिः) ‘final rite’

• kuśalena: by a skilled (person)
• kuśalena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (3rd/तृतीया), Ekavacana; instrumental of agent/means

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

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Tithi-based guidance: navamī death linked with caturdaśī as rikta for rites; adjust antyeṣṭi planning accordingly.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kāla-dharma: correct timing (tithi) and discernment of ‘rikta’ days in funeral rites.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual order (niyati/ṛta) supports dharma; skill (kauśala) in rites reduces disturbance for the departed and the living.

Application: Consult pañcāṅga; avoid/adjust rites on rikta tithis (navamī/caturdaśī linkage as stated); engage a competent officiant for antyeṣṭi scheduling.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Preta-khaṇḍa/Śrāddha-prakaraṇa: discussions of tithi-doṣa, ekādaśāha, sapīṇḍīkaraṇa timing (adjacent verses 2.34.59-62)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Antyeṣṭi (funeral rites)
• Tithi (lunar day)

FAQs

What is the importance of ‘rikta tithi’ in the Garuda Purana’s death-ritual guidance?

This verse states that certain lunar dates are treated as ‘rikta’ (ritually unsuitable) in the context of antyeṣṭi, so a competent officiant should recognize and avoid them when planning rites.

How does this verse explain the handling of funeral rites when death occurs on Navamī?

It links a death on Navamī with Caturdaśī being considered ‘rikta’ for that case, indicating that timing decisions for rites must account for such tithi-based constraints.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When arranging cremation or related rites, consult a knowledgeable priest/panchāṅga expert to avoid ritually unsuitable tithis and to perform the rites in a way consistent with traditional guidance.