Shloka 8

Pitṛ-Stuti, Tarpaṇa, and the Ritual Power of Recitation in Śrāddha

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच / प्रजापतिस्त्वं भविता स्रष्टव्या भवता प्रजाः / सृष्ट्वा प्रजाः सुतान्विप्र समुत्पाद्य क्रियास्तथा

Transliteration

brahmovāca / prajāpatistvaṃ bhavitā sraṣṭavyā bhavatā prajāḥ / sṛṣṭvā prajāḥ sutānvipra samutpādya kriyāstathā

Translation

Brahmā bersabda: “Engkau akan menjadi Prajāpati; olehmu makhluk-makhluk harus dicipta. Setelah mencipta segala prajā dan melahirkan putera-putera, wahai vipra, engkau juga hendaklah menegakkan dengan sempurna segala upacara dan kewajipan yang ditetapkan.”

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वक्ता (speaker)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रजापतिः: lord of creatures (Prajāpati)
• प्रजापतिः: Predicate (Vidheyā/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रजानां पतिः)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भविता: will become
• भविता: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्रष्टव्या: to be created
• स्रष्टव्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √सृज् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; प्रजाः इति विशेष्यं; कर्मणि-भावः (to be created)

• भवता: by you
• भवता: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक/भवन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; कर्तृकरणे (agent in instrumental: by you)

• प्रजाः: creatures/subjects
• प्रजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; स्रष्टव्या इति विशेष्यं

• सृष्ट्वा: having created
• सृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √सृज् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive): ‘having created’

• प्रजाः: creatures
• प्रजाः: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सुतान्: sons/offspring
• सुतान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• विप्र: O sage/brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• समुत्पाद्य: having generated
• समुत्पाद्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-उत्-√पद्/√पाद् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त/अव्यय)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive): ‘having produced/brought forth’

• क्रियाः: rites/acts (duties)
• क्रियाः: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• तथा: thus/also
• तथा: Discourse (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (thus/also)

Speaker

Brahmā

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Creation is inseparable from kriyā (prescribed rites) and duty; progeny and ritual order sustain the world.

Vedantic Theme: Loka-saṅgraha (maintenance of world-order) through ordained action; dharma as expression of ṛta/order within manifestation.

Application: Treat leadership/parenthood/creative work as stewardship: build structures (rituals, routines, ethics) that sustain community and continuity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: divine assembly/boon-setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dharma-kanda themes where rites (kriya) and progeny duties are emphasized; later śrāddha sections connect progeny with pitṛ satisfaction

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Prajāpati
• Prajā (creatures)

FAQs

What is the importance of Prajāpati in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Prajāpati as the appointed agent of creation—responsible not only for generating beings but also for establishing the system of prescribed rites (kriyā) that sustains dharma.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it links cosmic order to ritual order: beings are created along with the framework of duties and rites, which later govern merit (puṇya) and conduct—foundational themes behind post-death consequences described elsewhere in the Garuda Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat family responsibilities and ethical duties as inseparable from spiritual practice—supporting life (progeny, care) while maintaining disciplined, dharmic action (kriyā).