Shloka 69

Āhnika-Dharma: Dawn Purification, Sandhyā-Upāsanā, Tarpana, Pañca-Mahāyajñas, and Aśauca Rules

Devanagari script

अप्रेते सशिरा वेतियजेत्वा पुष्पके हरिम् / देवयज्ञं पितृयज्ञं तथैव च / मानुषं ब्रह्मयज्ञं च पञ्च यज्ञान्समाचरेत्

Transliteration

aprete saśirā vetiyajetvā puṣpake harim / devayajñaṃ pitṛyajñaṃ tathaiva ca / mānuṣaṃ brahmayajñaṃ ca pañca yajñānsamācaret

Translation

Sebelum menjadi preta (roh gelisah), hendaklah seseorang menyembah Hari—dibayangkan bersemayam di atas Garuḍa—serta melaksanakan lima yajña agung dengan sempurna: deva-yajña, pitṛ-yajña (untuk leluhur), manuṣya-yajña (khidmat kepada manusia), dan brahma-yajña (svādhyāya/tilawah ilmu suci).

Word by Word

• अप्रेते: while alive (not deceased)
• अप्रेते: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; locative absolute sense: ‘when not dead/while alive’

• स-शिराः: with bowed head
• स-शिराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय-उपसर्गार्थ) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘शिरसा सहितः’ (with head—i.e., with bowed head)

• वेतिः: (particle; reading uncertain)
• वेतिः: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वेति (अव्यय)
• Form: पाठभेद/संदिग्धपद; सम्भाव्य: ‘इति’/‘वेति’ उद्धरण-निपात (quotative/particle)

• यजेत्: should worship/sacrifice
• यजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• पुष्पके: in/at the flower-offering (rite) / on a flower-seat (contextual)
• पुष्पके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular

• हरिम्: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• देव-यज्ञम्: deva-sacrifice
• देव-यज्ञम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘देवानां यज्ञः’

• पितृ-यज्ञम्: ancestor-sacrifice
• पितृ-यज्ञम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘पितॄणां यज्ञः’

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• मानुषम्: human (i.e., human-related)
• मानुषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; used elliptically for ‘मानुष्ययज्ञम्’

• ब्रह्म-यज्ञम्: Brahma/Veda-sacrifice (study/recitation)
• ब्रह्म-यज्ञम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘ब्रह्मणः/वेदस्य यज्ञः’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे विशेषणम् (qualifies यज्ञान्)

• यज्ञान्: sacrifices
• यज्ञान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• समाचरेत्: should perform/practise
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ√चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Before death as ongoing household duty; pitṛ-yajña as regular observance

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Before death and pretahood, one should worship Hari and practice pañca-mahāyajña—integrating devotion with social, ancestral, divine, and scriptural obligations.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga: duties performed as worship purify and support higher realization; remembrance of mortality intensifies dharmic living.

Application: Maintain a balanced dharmic routine: hospitality/service (manuṣya-yajña), study/recitation (brahma-yajña), offerings/thanks (deva-yajña), ancestor remembrance (pitṛ-yajña), and care for beings (bhūta-yajña—implied in pañca-mahāyajña lists).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: householder’s sphere (grihastha-ashrama) and worship space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.50.70 (ordering of yajñas and svadhyaya)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Garuḍa (implied by 'puṣpake')
• Devas
• Pitṛs
• Preta (state)

FAQs

What is the importance of the five yajñas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents the five yajñas as essential lifelong duties—worship of Devas, honoring ancestors, service to people, and sacred study—forming a dharmic foundation that supports a peaceful transition at death.

How does this verse relate to the preta (restless spirit) condition?

It implies that neglect of dharma and obligatory sacrifices can contribute to an unsettled post-death condition; therefore, one should worship Hari and maintain the five yajñas to avoid becoming a troubled preta.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Maintain regular worship, gratitude to ancestors (śrāddha/tarpaṇa as appropriate), charity and hospitality, and daily study/recitation of sacred texts—treating these as steady habits rather than last-moment rites.