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Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

दात्रा बोक्त्रा च न ज्ञातं सूतकं मृतकं तथा / उभयोरपि तद्दोषं नारोपयति कर्हिचित्

Transliteration

dātrā boktrā ca na jñātaṃ sūtakaṃ mṛtakaṃ tathā / ubhayorapi taddoṣaṃ nāropayati karhicit

Translation

ദാതാവിനും ഭോക്താവിനും സൂതകമോ മൃതകമോ എന്ന അശൗചം അറിയാതിരുന്നാൽ, ആ ദോഷം ഇരുവരിലും ഒരിക്കലും ചുമത്തപ്പെടുകയില്ല।

Word by Word
दात्राby the giver
दात्रा:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootदातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण (by the giver)
भोक्त्राby the eater/recipient
भोक्त्रा:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootभोक्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण (by the eater/recipient)
चand
च:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (and)
नnot
न:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (not)
ज्ञातम्known
ज्ञातम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootज्ञात (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा (धातु) क्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त ‘known’ (predicate: not known)
सूतकम्birth-impurity (sūtaka)
सूतकम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसूतक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विषय (impurity due to birth)
मृतकम्death-impurity (mṛtaka)
मृतकम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमृतक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विषय (impurity due to death)
तथाlikewise
तथा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/प्रकार-अव्यय (also/likewise)
उभयोःof both (persons)
उभयोः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootउभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; ‘of both’
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअपि-अव्यय (even/also)
तत्-दोषम्that fault
तत्-दोषम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘तत् दोषः’ = that fault; कर्म (object)
नnot
न:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (not)
आरोपयतिattributes/imputes
आरोपयति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√रुप्/√रुह् (धातु) causative?; standard: √रुह् with उपसर्ग-आ + णिच् (causative)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त ‘causes to be placed/attributes’
कर्हिचित्ever/at any time
कर्हिचित्:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/temporal)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकर्हिचित् (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (at any time/ever)
Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Aśauca-doṣa is not assigned when both giver and eater are genuinely unaware of sūtaka/mṛtaka.

Vedantic Theme: Kartṛtva-bhoktṛtva bound by dharma; doṣa depends on saṅkalpa/jñāna rather than mere external contact.

Application: When hosting/accepting food, if neither party knows of birth/death impurity, proceed without fear; avoid retroactive blame once ignorance is established.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.45.23 (doṣa when one knows); Garuda Purana 2.45.25-26 (śrāddha procedure and purity disciplines)

Characters & Entities
V
Vishnu
G
Garuda
S
Sūtaka
M
Mṛtaka

FAQs

They define periods of ritual impurity after birth (sūtaka) and death (mṛtaka), guiding when certain exchanges (like eating or giving) may be restricted; this verse adds that unknown impurity does not create blame.

The Preta Kanda emphasizes correct rites and dharmic conduct around death; this verse clarifies accountability—fault depends on awareness—supporting orderly performance of rites without unjustly attributing sin.

If you unknowingly accept food or a gift during someone’s sūtaka/mṛtaka period, this teaching indicates you should not self-assign guilt; once known, follow appropriate dharmic precautions and community norms.

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