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Shloka 27

Ruci and the Pitṛs: On Marriage, Debts (Ṛṇa), and Desireless Karma

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा पितरस्तस्य पश्यतो मुनिसत्तम / बभूवुः सहसादृश्या दीपा वातहता इव

Transliteration

ityuktvā pitarastasya paśyato munisattama / babhūvuḥ sahasādṛśyā dīpā vātahatā iva

Translation

Setelah berkata demikian, wahai resi termulia, para Pitṛ (leluhur suci) lenyap seketika di hadapannya, bagaikan pelita dipadamkan angin.

Word by Word
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)
उक्त्वाhaving said
उक्त्वा:
Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having said)
पितरःthe fathers/ancestors
पितरः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन
तस्यof him
तस्य:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन
पश्यतःwhile (he) was watching
पश्यतः:
Sambandha (Genitive absolute-like: 'while he watched')
TypeVerb
Rootपश् (धातु) → पश्यत् (शतृ-प्रत्यय, वर्तमान कृदन्त)
Formशतृ-प्रत्ययकृदन्त (present active participle); षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग (of one who is seeing)
मुनिसत्तमO best of sages
मुनिसत्तम:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootमुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: मुनिनां सत्तमः); पुंलिङ्ग; संबोधन (Vocative); एकवचन
बभूवुःbecame / were
बभूवुः:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); बहुवचन; परस्मैपद
सहसाsuddenly
सहसा:
Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसहसा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)
अदृश्याःinvisible
अदृश्याः:
Karta-anvaya (Qualifier of subject/कर्तृविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअदृश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन; विशेषण (पितरः इति)
दीपाःlamps
दीपाः:
Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
TypeNoun
Rootदीप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन
वातहताःextinguished by wind
वातहताः:
Upamana-anvaya (Qualifier of upamana/उपमानविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootवात (प्रातिपदिक) + हत (हन् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
Formसमासः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष: वातेन हताः); क्त-प्रत्ययकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन; विशेषण (दीपाः इति)
इवlike
इव:
Upama (Simile marker/उपमा)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; उपमा-सूचक (comparative particle)
Speaker

Narrator (within the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue frame)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Impermanence of apparitions and the conditional visibility of Pitṛs; their presence is momentary and dependent on karmic/ritual conditions.

Vedantic Theme: Anityatā and māyā-like evanescence of phenomena; the seer’s experience points to the unreliability of sensory grasping.

Application: Do not delay śrāddha/ancestral duties; treat encounters and opportunities for dharma as fleeting, like a lamp-flame in wind.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Pretakalpa/Pitṛ-kathā sections around 1.88–1.89 (Pitṛ-saṃvāda context)

Characters & Entities
P
Pitris

FAQs

This verse highlights that Pitṛs can appear, instruct, and then depart suddenly—implying their presence is subtle and linked to dharma and śrāddha-related obligations rather than permanent worldly contact.

By depicting the Pitṛs as appearing and vanishing instantly, it reflects the Garuda Purana’s theme that post-death realities operate in subtle realms; encounters are transient, and the journey proceeds beyond visible perception.

Treat ancestral rites (such as śrāddha, tarpaṇa, and pinda-dāna where applicable) with sincerity, and remember the impermanence of all appearances—using it to strengthen ethical living and duty toward family and lineage.

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