Shloka 80

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

तृप्तिदं प्रेतशब्देन सपिण्डीकरणावधि / अब्दकृत्यं मयोक्तन्ते समासाद्विनतासुत

Transliteration

tṛptidaṃ pretaśabdena sapiṇḍīkaraṇāvadhi / abdakṛtyaṃ mayoktante samāsādvinatāsuta

Translation

ഹേ വിനതാസുതാ! ‘പ്രേതൻ’ എന്നു വിളിക്കപ്പെടുന്നവനു സാപിണ്ഡീകരണം വരെയുള്ള തൃപ്തിദായക വാർഷികകർമ്മങ്ങൾ (അബ്ദകൃത്യം) ഞാൻ സംക്ഷേപമായി നിനക്കു പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• तृप्ति-दम्: giving satisfaction
• तृप्ति-दम्: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (तृप्तिं ददाति इति); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• प्रेत-शब्देन: by the word “preta”
• प्रेत-शब्देन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रेतस्य शब्दः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• सपिण्डीकरण-अवधि: up to the sapindīkaraṇa rite
• सपिण्डीकरण-अवधि: Adhikarana (Limit/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सपिण्डीकरण (प्रातिपदिक) + अवधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (अवधि-पर्यन्तार्थे); अर्थः—सपिण्डीकरणपर्यन्तम् (up to the sapindīkaraṇa)

• अब्द-कृत्यम्: the annual rites/duties
• अब्द-कृत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अब्दस्य कृत्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• उक्तम्: said / stated
• उक्तम्: Karma (Object complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: उक्त (क्त) कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भूतकाले—‘said’

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6th/4th), एकवचन; संबोधनार्थे—‘to you/for you’ (contextually dative)

• समासात्: briefly / in summary
• समासात्: Hetu/Apadana (Source/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतौ/क्रमे—‘in brief/from summary’

• विनता-सुत: O son of Vinatā (Garuḍa)
• विनता-सुत: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनता (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विनतायाः सुतः); पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Sapindana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Annual (abda-kṛtya) sequence up to sapiṇḍīkaraṇa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Abda-kṛtya (annual śrāddha duties) are tṛpti-da (satisfaction-giving) for the preta until sapiṇḍīkaraṇa completes the transition.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as sustaining order across generations; saṃskāra as a bridge between gross and subtle domains.

Application: Follow the prescribed annual rite sequence without omission up to sapiṇḍīkaraṇa; treat it as a complete ‘package’ for preta-tṛpti.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: abda-kṛtya list and sequence in this chapter; Garuda Purana: Garuḍa–Viṣṇu dialogue framing (broader text)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Preta
• Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa

FAQs

What is the importance of abda-kṛtya (annual rites) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the yearly śrāddha-related observances are ‘tṛptidam’—they are meant to bring satisfaction to the departed and are part of the prescribed post-death ritual sequence.

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

It marks the ritual phase where the departed is referred to as ‘preta’ and indicates a progression up to sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, the rite after which the departed is integrated with the pitṛ-lineage in ritual terms.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain timely śrāddha/annual remembrance with sincerity and responsibility, treating ancestral duties as a disciplined practice of gratitude, continuity, and dharma.