Shloka 3

Śrāddha as Trans-realm Nourishment; Pitṛ-Conveyance; Piṇḍa-born Body and the ātivāhika; Bhakti-based Release

Devanagari script

शुभाशुभात्मकैः प्रेतस्तद्दत्तं भुज्यते कथम् / श्राद्धस्यावश्यकत्वन्तु आमावास्यादिषु श्रुतम्

Transliteration

śubhāśubhātmakaiḥ pretastaddattaṃ bhujyate katham / śrāddhasyāvaśyakatvantu āmāvāsyādiṣu śrutam

Translation

Bagaimanakah preta—yang keadaannya terbentuk oleh pahala dan dosa—dapat menikmati apa yang dipersembahkan? Namun keperluan śrāddha telah didengar dalam śāstra, khususnya pada hari amāvāsyā (bulan baharu) dan upacara seumpamanya.

Word by Word

• शुभाशुभात्मकैः: by those of auspicious and inauspicious nature
• शुभाशुभात्मकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ-अशुभ-आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: द्वन्द्व (शुभ + अशुभ) + आत्मक (having the nature of); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• प्रेतः: the preta (departed spirit)
• प्रेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘दत्तम्’ इति विशेषण

• दत्तम्: given (offering)
• दत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘(अन्नम्/दानम्)’ इति अध्याहार्य

• भुज्यते: is eaten/enjoyed
• भुज्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive: ‘is eaten/enjoyed’)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• श्राद्धस्य: of śrāddha
• श्राद्धस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• आवश्यकत्वम्: necessity
• आवश्यकत्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आवश्यक-त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: but, however
• तु: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• आमावास्यादिषु: on new-moon day etc.
• आमावास्यादिषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आमावास्या-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (आमावास्या + आदि); स्त्रीलिङ्ग (आमावास्या), सप्तमी (Locative), बहुवचन

• श्रुतम्: is heard/has been stated
• श्रुतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘(अस्ति)’ इति लुप्त

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra) questioning Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Amāvāsyā and similar pitṛ-occasions (naimittika times)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even if the preta’s condition is karma-mixed (śubha-aśubha), śrāddha remains obligatory per śruti/smṛti, notably on amāvāsyā and related occasions.

Vedantic Theme: Pramāṇa (śruti) guides action where perception fails; karma’s complexity does not cancel nitya/naimittika duties.

Application: Observe amāvāsyā śrāddha/ancestor remembrance consistently; accept that subtle results operate beyond direct sensory verification.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual calendar time-marker

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: amāvāsyā and pitṛ-kāla prescriptions in śrāddha sections; Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: karma-miśra states of pretas and their dependence on offerings

Characters & Entities

• Pretas
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights a key doubt—how the departed can ‘enjoy’ offerings—while affirming that śrāddha is still scripturally mandatory, especially on amāvāsyā and other prescribed occasions.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It places the departed in the ‘preta’ condition, influenced by both good and bad karma, and frames śrāddha as a dharmic support for the departed’s post-death state, prompting the doctrinal explanation that follows.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha or remembrance rites on traditional days like amāvāsyā with faith and ethical living, recognizing that post-death welfare is linked to both karmic conduct and prescribed dharmic observances.