Shloka 29

The Narrative of the Five Pretas

Eligibility for rites and jīvac-chrāddha procedure

Devanagari script

वैवस्वताय कालाय सर्वप्राणहराय च / स्वधाकारनमस्कारप्रणवैः सह सप्तधा

Transliteration

vaivasvatāya kālāya sarvaprāṇaharāya ca / svadhākāranamaskārapraṇavaiḥ saha saptadhā

Translation

വൈവസ്വതൻ (യമൻ), കാലൻ, സർവ്വപ്രാണഹരൻ—ഇവർക്കു ‘സ്വധാ’ ഉച്ചാരണം, നമസ്കാരം, പ്രണവം (ഓം) എന്നിവയോടെ ഏഴുവിധമായി അർപ്പിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• वैवस्वताय: to Vaivasvata (Yama, son of Vivasvat)
• वैवस्वताय: Sampradana (recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैवस्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• कालाय: to Time
• कालाय: Sampradana (recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• सर्वप्राणहराय: to the taker of all lives
• सर्वप्राणहराय: Sampradana (recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + प्राण + हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां प्राणानां हरः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• स्वधाकारनमस्कारप्रणवैः: with utterances of ‘svadhā’, salutations, and the syllable ‘oṃ’
• स्वधाकारनमस्कारप्रणवैः: Karana (instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वधा-कार + नमस्कार + प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (स्वधाकाराः च नमस्काराः च प्रणवाः च)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहयोगार्थक अव्यय (preposition-like: with)

• सप्तधा: sevenfold
• सप्तधा: Kriya-vishesana (adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सप्तधा (अव्यय; सप्त + धा)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb of manner)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During jalāñjali/tarpaṇa segment; sevenfold with svadhā and praṇava

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Death as governed by Kāla and Dharmarāja; ritual speech (praṇava, svadhā) and namaskāra align the performer with cosmic law and aid the departed.

Vedantic Theme: Kāla as a manifestation of Īśvara’s power; nāda (Oṁ) as sacred principle supporting rite and recollection of the Absolute.

Application: Maintain correct mantra-utterance and reverence; contemplate time’s sovereignty to prioritize dharma and devotion in daily life.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual site

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.8.28 (seven jalāñjalis to Yama-forms); Garuda Purana 2.8.30–31 (tilodaka and piṇḍa offerings follow)

Characters & Entities

• Yama (Vaivasvata)
• Kāla (Time)
• Prāṇa (life-breath)
• Svadhā
• Praṇava (Oṁ)

FAQs

What is the importance of invoking Vaivasvata (Yama) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats Yama as the presiding authority over death and post-death order; invoking him with svadhā, namaskāra, and Oṁ aligns the rite with dharma and the cosmic administration of karma.

How does this verse connect Time (Kāla) with death in the Garuda Purana?

By addressing Kāla as “sarvaprāṇahara” (taker of all life-breaths), the verse frames death as an inevitable function of Time, not merely a personal event, reinforcing the Purāṇic view of cosmic law.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Whether performing śrāddha or simply remembering mortality, the verse encourages disciplined reverence—humility (namaskāra), sacred intention (Oṁ), and gratitude to ancestors (svadhā)—as a way to live ethically under the awareness of Kāla.