Shloka 18

Ajāna Lineages, Divine Classes, Ṛṣi Catalogues, and the Merit of Śravaṇa-Smaraṇa

Devanagari script

आजानेभ्यस्तु पितरः सप्तभ्योन्ये शतावराः / तथाधिका हि पितर इति वेदविदां मतम्

Transliteration

ājānebhyastu pitaraḥ saptabhyonye śatāvarāḥ / tathādhikā hi pitara iti vedavidāṃ matam

Translation

Daripada Ājānas lahirlah para Pitṛ (roh leluhur). Daripada tujuh (kelompok) itu muncul pula Pitṛ yang lain, berbilang ratus. Sesungguhnya para Pitṛ lebih banyak lagi daripada itu—demikianlah pandangan para ahli Veda.

Word by Word

• आजानेभ्यः: from the Ājānas
• आजानेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आजान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), contrast/emphasis

• पितरः: the Pitṛs (manes)
• पितरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• सप्तभ्यः: from seven (of them)
• सप्तभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (Common gender by usage), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• शतावराः: a hundred times superior
• शतावराः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत + वर (प्रातिपदिक); शतावर (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); predicate adjective

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), ‘thus/likewise’

• अधिकाः: greater/superior
• अधिकाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); predicate adjective qualifying पितरः

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), reason/emphasis

• पितरः: the Pitṛs
• पितरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (उद्धरणबोधक अव्यय)

• वेदविदाम्: of the knowers of the Veda
• वेदविदाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + विद् (प्रातिपदिक); वेदविद् (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• मतम्: opinion
• मतम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; ‘is the opinion’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Amāvāsyā/Parva days (implied by Pitṛ focus; not explicitly stated)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Recognition of Pitṛs’ vast presence and the authority of Veda-vids regarding ancestral cosmology.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as continuity across generations; śraddhā in śāstric testimony about unseen realms and beings.

Application: Maintain ancestral reverence (pitṛ-smaraṇa, gratitude, ethical continuity); treat śrāddha and remembrance as sustaining social-spiritual continuity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Pretakalpa and Śrāddha sections repeatedly emphasize Pitṛs, their satisfaction, and consequences of neglect

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Veda
• Veda-vids (knowers of the Veda)

FAQs

What is the importance of the Pitṛs in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that the Pitṛs are vast in number and grounded in Vedic authority, supporting the Purana’s emphasis on honoring ancestors through śrāddha and related rites.

How does this verse relate to death rituals like śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna?

By presenting the Pitṛs as many and Veda-recognized, the verse implicitly validates offerings and remembrance rites as meaningful acts directed to a broad ancestral order.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain gratitude and responsibility toward lineage—perform ancestral remembrance (as per one’s tradition), live ethically, and support family duties, which the text frames as aligned with Vedic counsel.