Shloka 128

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

व्रजेत्तु सोदकं भुक्त्वा पिण्डं वै सप्तमासिकम् / व्रजन्नेवं विलपते परिघाहतिपीडितः

Transliteration

vrajettu sodakaṃ bhuktvā piṇḍaṃ vai saptamāsikam / vrajannevaṃ vilapate parighāhatipīḍitaḥ

Translation

ഏഴാം മാസത്തിലെ പിണ്ഡം ജലത്തോടുകൂടെ ഭുജിച്ച് അവൻ മുന്നോട്ട് പോകുന്നു; പോകുമ്പോൾ ഗദാഘാതങ്ങളാൽ പീഡിതനായി ഇങ്ങനെ വിലപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• व्रजेत्: would go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• स-उदकम्: with water
• स-उदकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव: 'उदकेन सह' = with water; विशेषण (of पिण्डम्/भोजनम्)

• भुक्त्वा: having eaten
• भुक्त्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• पिण्डम्: funeral rice-ball offering
• पिण्डम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• सप्तमासिकम्: (piṇḍa) of the seventh month
• सप्तमासिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (प्रातिपदिक) + मासिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: सप्तमे मासि भवम् (pertaining to the seventh month); विशेषण (of पिण्डम्)

• व्रजन्: going
• व्रजन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु) → व्रजत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• विलपते: laments
• विलपते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+लप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• परिघ-आहत-पीडितः: afflicted, struck by an iron bar
• परिघ-आहत-पीडितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिघ (प्रातिपदिक) + आहत (आ+हन् धातु, क्त) + पीडित (पीड् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (श्रृङ्खला): परिघेण आहतः (struck by a bar) तेन पीडितः (afflicted)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Seventh-month (saptamāsika) offering

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Piṇḍa and udaka offerings sustain the departed; without dharmic support, the soul’s passage is harsh and compelled.

Vedantic Theme: Interdependence of karma and saṃskāra: embodied actions and prescribed rites shape post-mortem experience within saṃsāra.

Application: Perform monthly śrāddha offerings as prescribed; maintain compassion and responsibility toward ancestors; remember impermanence to motivate dharma.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: road/path of the preta escorted by Yama’s agents

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: piṇḍa-udaka as preta’s food; Yama-dūtas striking/dragging the soul; month-wise piṇḍa sequence

Characters & Entities

• Preta
• Yama's attendants (implied)

FAQs

What is the importance of the seventh-month piṇḍa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats the seventh-month piṇḍa (saptamāsika) as sustenance for the preta’s onward journey, indicating that periodic offerings are believed to support the departed during the transitional after-death passage.

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

It depicts the preta moving forward after receiving ritual nourishment, yet still suffering and lamenting—suggesting the journey is arduous and governed by forces associated with Yama’s realm (implied enforcers and their punishments).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha/piṇḍa-dāna with care (including water offerings) and cultivate ethical living, since the text links post-death experience with both ritual support and the consequences of one’s karmic condition.