Shloka 34

Śrāddha Vidhi (Pārvaṇa-Śrāddha): Invitations, Arghya, Protective Rites, Piṇḍa Offering, Dakṣiṇā, and Visarjana

Devanagari script

अक्षया स्यात्पितॄणाञ्च स्वर्गप्राप्तिर्ध्रुवा तथा / इत्युक्तं पार्वणं श्राद्धं पितॄणां ब्रह्मलोकदम्

Transliteration

akṣayā syātpitṝṇāñca svargaprāptirdhruvā tathā / ityuktaṃ pārvaṇaṃ śrāddhaṃ pitṝṇāṃ brahmalokadam

Translation

Bagi para Pitṛ (roh leluhur), pahala itu menjadi tidak habis-habis, dan pencapaian ke syurga juga pasti. Maka dikatakan: upacara Pārvaṇa-Śrāddha (śrāddha pada hari-hari parvan) menganugerahkan para Pitṛ jalan masuk bahkan ke Brahmaloka.

Word by Word

• अक्षया: imperishable, inexhaustible
• अक्षया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (fem. nom. sg.)

• स्यात्: may be / should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन (gen. pl.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• स्वर्गप्राप्तिः: attainment of heaven
• स्वर्गप्राप्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग + प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वर्गस्य प्राप्तिः)

• ध्रुवा: certain, assured
• ध्रुवा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with प्राप्तिः)

• तथा: likewise; so
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (adverb: likewise/so)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• उक्तम्: said, stated
• उक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पार्वणम्: parva-related (periodic)
• पार्वणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्वण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of the parvan/new-moon/full-moon rite)

• श्राद्धम्: Śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मलोकदम्: granting Brahmaloka
• ब्रह्मलोकदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मलोक + द (दा/दम्-प्रातिपदिक) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मलोकं ददाति इति)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Parvan days (tithi junctions/auspicious parvan observances as per śrāddha calendar)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha performed on parvan days yields akṣaya-phala for Pitṛs and guarantees their heavenly ascent, even Brahmaloka.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa efficacy within saṃsāra; higher lokas remain within conditioned attainment (not final mokṣa).

Application: Observe prescribed pārvaṇa-śrāddha on parvan days with correct procedure and intent, dedicating merit explicitly to Pitṛs.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: loka (cosmic realm)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha sections describing pārvaṇa, parvan-tithi observances, and akṣaya-phala claims; Adjacent chapters on śrāddha varieties and fruits (nitya, naimittika, kāmya)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Svarga
• Brahmaloka
• Shraddha

FAQs

What is the importance of pārvaṇa śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that performing pārvaṇa śrāddha yields inexhaustible benefit for the Pitṛs and makes their heavenly attainment certain, even extending to Brahmaloka.

How does this verse explain the after-death support given to ancestors?

It presents śrāddha as a ritual channel through which descendants generate akṣaya (non-decaying) merit that directly aids the Pitṛs’ posthumous well-being and higher lokas.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Observe śrāddha and tarpaṇa on appropriate parvan/tithi with sincerity and purity of intent, treating it as a dharmic duty that supports ancestors and cultivates gratitude and responsibility.