Shloka 20

The Explanation of the Post-funeral Rites (Aurdhvadehika) and Related Matters

Devanagari script

गृहे हानिर्भवेत्तस्य ऋक्षेष्वेषु मृतश्च यः / अथवा ऋक्षमध्ये ऽपि दाहस्तस्य विधीयते

Transliteration

gṛhe hānirbhavettasya ṛkṣeṣveṣu mṛtaśca yaḥ / athavā ṛkṣamadhye 'pi dāhastasya vidhīyate

Translation

ഈ നക്ഷത്രങ്ങളിൽ മരിക്കുന്നവന്റെ വീട്ടിൽ നഷ്ടം സംഭവിക്കും; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ നക്ഷത്രകാലത്തിന്റെ മദ്ധ്യത്തിൽ മരണം സംഭവിച്ചാൽ, അതേ നക്ഷത്രകാലത്തിനുള്ളിൽ തന്നെ ദാഹക്രിയ നിർദേശിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हानिः: loss
• हानिः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हानि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would occur/should be
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ऋक्षेषु: in the nakṣatras
• ऋक्षेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; here 'in these nakṣatras'

• एषु: in these
• एषु: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषण

• मृतः: dead
• मृतः: विधेयविशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle): 'dead'

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Samuccaya)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• अथवा: or
• अथवा: सम्बन्ध (Alternative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक अव्यय (disjunctive): 'or/alternatively'

• ऋक्ष-मध्ये: in the middle of the nakṣatra period
• ऋक्ष-मध्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव; सप्तमी-अर्थे अव्यय: 'in the midst of the nakṣatra(s)'

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अप्यर्थक अव्यय (even/also)

• दाहः: cremation
• दाहः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विधीयते: is prescribed
• विधीयते: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive): 'is prescribed/ordained'

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Cremation to be performed within the same nakṣatra-period if death occurs mid-period; special caution for the specified ṛkṣas.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Death under certain nakṣatras is linked with gṛha-hāni; therefore cremation timing is regulated—if death occurs mid-nakṣatra, perform dāha within that same nakṣatra-period.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala is mediated through dharmic procedure; ritual order is used to contain disorder arising from death-events.

Application: Track nakṣatra transitions at death; if death occurs during the nakṣatra window, complete cremation within that window as prescribed by this rule (subject to local śākhā/ācārya guidance).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.35 (nakṣatra-based constraints on antyeṣṭi)

Characters & Entities

• Nakshatra (Ṛkṣa)
• Gṛha (household)

FAQs

What is the importance of nakshatra (ṛkṣa) timing in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse links the time of death under specific nakṣatras with consequences for the household and indicates that cremation should be carried out within the same nakṣatra-period when death occurs mid-period.

How does this verse explain what should be done after death?

It emphasizes a practical ritual directive: the dāha (cremation) is to be performed promptly with attention to the nakṣatra window, treating timing as part of proper antyeṣṭi observance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow established family/purohita guidance for timely funeral rites, focusing on prompt and respectful cremation and avoiding delays, while understanding that the text frames timing as ritually consequential.