Shloka 52

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

मासादौ प्रतिमासञ्च शुद्धं मृततिथौ खग / एकेनाह्ना त्रिभिर्वापि हीनेषु विनतासुत

Transliteration

māsādau pratimāsañca śuddhaṃ mṛtatithau khaga / ekenāhnā tribhirvāpi hīneṣu vinatāsuta

Translation

ഹേ ഖഗ (ഗരുഡാ)! മാസാരംഭത്തിലും പിന്നെ പ്രതിമാസവും, മരിച്ചവന്റെ തിഥിദിനത്തിൽ ശുദ്ധിയോടെ ശ്രാദ്ധകർമ്മം ചെയ്യണം. ഹേ വിനതാസുതാ! വിധിയിൽ കുറവുണ്ടെങ്കിൽ അത് ഒരു ദിവസത്തിൽ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ പരമാവധി മൂന്ന് ദിവസത്തിൽ പൂർത്തിയാക്കാം.

Word by Word

• मासादौ: at the beginning of the month
• मासादौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—मास-आदौ (मासस्य आदौ) = Locative Tatpurusha

• प्रतिमासम्: every month
• प्रतिमासम्: Adverbial (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial)

• च: and
• च: Connector (Samuccaya/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शुद्धम्: purified; pure
• शुद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with implied कर्म)

• मृततिथौ: on the death-tithi (death anniversary lunar day)
• मृततिथौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—मृत-तिथौ (मृतस्य तिथौ) = Locative Tatpurusha

• खग: O bird (Garuda)
• खग: Address (Sambodhana/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• एकेन: by one
• एकेन: Instrument/Measure (Karana/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• अह्ना: day (as a measure)
• अह्ना: Instrument/Measure (Karana/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (वैकल्पिक रूप: अह्ना)

• त्रिभिः: by three
• त्रिभिः: Instrument/Measure (Karana/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• वा: or
• वा: Connector (Vikalpa/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Particle (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• हीनेषु: in deficient (cases)
• हीनेषु: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; विशेषण (in deficient/short cases)

• विनतासुत: O son of Vinatā (Garuda)
• विनतासुत: Address (Sambodhana/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनता (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः—विनता-सुत (विनतायाः सुतः) = Genitive Tatpurusha

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Monthly (pratimāsa) and at month-beginning; specifically on the death-anniversary tithi; if deficient, completion within 1 day up to 3 days.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha must be performed with purity on the death-tithi; if circumstances are deficient, dharma allows a limited completion window (up to three days).

Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra as purificatory duties sustaining ṛṇa (ancestral debt) while accommodating human limitation through śāstric flexibility.

Application: Maintain a monthly remembrance/rite on the death-tithi; if travel/impurity/constraints intervene, complete within 1–3 days rather than abandoning the duty.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.5.53-56 (sequence on periodic śrāddha and sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa sections on śrāddha timing and śauca (general)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Vinata-suta)

FAQs

What is the importance of performing rites on the mṛta-tithi in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that observances tied to the departed should be done on the exact death-anniversary lunar day (mṛta-tithi) and in ritual purity, indicating correct timing and śuddhi are central to the rite’s efficacy.

How does this verse guide śrāddha performance when ideal conditions are not available?

It allows a practical completion window—within one day, or up to three days—when prescribed requirements are deficient, preserving continuity of the rite while acknowledging real-world constraints.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Plan remembrance and śrāddha around the death tithi with cleanliness and discipline; if unavoidable obstacles arise, complete the observance promptly within a short, defined period rather than abandoning it.