Shloka 1

Determining Rites for Difficult/Inauspicious Deaths; Annual and Daily Śrāddha Rules

Devanagari script

दुर्मरणे कार्याकार्यक्रियादिनिरूपणं नाम चतुश्चत्वारिंशो ऽध्यायः श्रीविष्णुरुवाच / प्रत्यब्दं श्राद्धमेवं ते कथयामि खगेश्वर / प्रत्यब्दं पार्वणेनैव कुर्यातां क्षेत्रजोरसौ

Transliteration

durmaraṇe kāryākāryakriyādinirūpaṇaṃ nāma catuścatvāriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīviṣṇuruvāca / pratyabdaṃ śrāddhamevaṃ te kathayāmi khageśvara / pratyabdaṃ pārvaṇenaiva kuryātāṃ kṣetrajorasau

Translation

ദുർമരണത്തിൽ ചെയ്യേണ്ടതും ചെയ്യരുതാത്തതുമായ ക്രിയകളുടെ നിർണ്ണയം എന്ന പേരിലുള്ള നാൽപ്പത്തിയഞ്ചാം അധ്യായം. ശ്രീവിഷ്ണു അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു—ഹേ ഖഗേശ്വരാ! ഞാൻ നിനക്കു വാർഷിക ശ്രാദ്ധം പറയുന്നു. ഓരോ വർഷവും ക്ഷേത്രജ്ഞനും രസയുക്ത ദേഹിയും—ഈ ഇരുവരുടെയും ശ്രാദ്ധം പാർവണവിധിയാൽ തന്നെ നടത്തണം.

Word by Word

• दुर्मरणे: in/with regard to bad (untimely) death
• दुर्मरणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विषय/अधिकरण (locative)

• कार्याकार्यक्रियादिनिरूपणम्: the exposition of what should/should not be done, rites, etc.
• कार्याकार्यक्रियादिनिरूपणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य-अकार्य-क्रिया-आदि-निरूपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शीर्षपद ‘निरूपणम्’ (exposition) with dvandva inside (कार्य+अकार्य) and tatpurusha links

• नाम: named
• नाम: Vākyārtha-marker (वाक्यार्थ-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक/इति-अर्थे (called/namely)

• चतुःचत्वारिंशः: forty-fourth
• चतुःचत्वारिंशः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुःचत्वारिंशत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ordinal sense ‘forty-fourth’ qualifying ‘अध्यायः’

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रीविष्णुः: Śrī Viṣṇu
• श्रीविष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; honorific ‘श्री’ as qualifier

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रत्यब्दम्: every year
• प्रत्यब्दम्: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति-अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (accusative used adverbially) = ‘every year’

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार (thus)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; pronoun (to you/your)

• कथयामि: I tell
• कथयामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• खगेश्वर: O lord of birds (Garuḍa)
• खगेश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन-प्रथमा (vocative), एकवचन

• प्रत्यब्दम्: every year
• प्रत्यब्दम्: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति-अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय = ‘every year’

• पार्वणेन: by the pārvaṇa (type of śrāddha)
• पार्वणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (only/indeed)

• कुर्याताम्: the two should perform
• कुर्याताम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; आत्मनेपद

• क्षेत्रजौ: the two sons born of the field (kṣetraja)
• क्षेत्रजौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• रसौ: the two (named) Rasas / the pair ‘Rasa’
• रसौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; here used as a paired designation with ‘क्षेत्रजौ’ (two persons)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Pratyabda (annual) śrāddha; chapter introduces rules especially for durmaraṇa contexts

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even in cases of durmaraṇa (inauspicious/difficult death), annual śrāddha is to be regulated; pārvana method is prescribed as the standard yearly observance.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as śāstra-pravartaka: divine instruction orders human duty; dharma sustains cosmic and familial continuity.

Application: Observe annual śrāddha consistently; when death circumstances are complex, follow the chapter’s determinations and the pārvana framework under qualified guidance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: scriptural discourse space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Book 2, ch.45 (Durmaraṇa-kāryākārya): subsequent verses detailing exceptions, prohibitions, and prescriptions; Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: annual śrāddha (pratyabda) and pārvana/ekoddiṣṭa distinctions in ritual chapters

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of annual (pratyabda) śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces the rule that śrāddha is to be performed every year, establishing it as a recurring duty that sustains ancestral rites and dharmic continuity after death-related observances.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in context?

By framing the chapter around difficult/inauspicious death and then prescribing annual śrāddha, it links post-death welfare and the subtle journey with prescribed rites, implying that ritual support continues beyond immediate funeral ceremonies.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a consistent yearly śrāddha/ancestor-offering practice (as per one’s tradition and guidance of qualified priests), treating it as an ongoing dharmic responsibility rather than a one-time ritual.