Shloka 33

Preta-Mokṣa Upāya: Svapna-Lakṣaṇa, Pitṛ-Doṣa, and Prescribed Rites

Kṛṣṇa-bali & Nārāyaṇa-bali

Devanagari script

अपमृत्युमृतौ स्यातां पितरौ कस्यचित्खग / व्रततीर्थाविवाहादिश्राद्धं संवत्सरं त्यजेत्

Transliteration

apamṛtyumṛtau syātāṃ pitarau kasyacitkhaga / vratatīrthāvivāhādiśrāddhaṃ saṃvatsaraṃ tyajet

Translation

Wahai Burung (Garuḍa), jika ibu bapa seseorang meninggal secara mati mengejut atau tidak wajar, maka selama setahun hendaklah dia menahan diri daripada melakukan upacara Śrāddha yang berkaitan dengan nazar (vrata), ziarah tirtha, perkahwinan dan seumpamanya.

Word by Word

• apamṛtyu-mṛtau: in (cases of) untimely death and death
• apamṛtyu-mṛtau: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apamṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक) + mṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), द्विवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (अपमृत्युः + मृतिः)

• syātām: may be/should be
• syātām: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• pitarau: (both) parents/father and mother (lit. two fathers/parents)
• pitarau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), द्विवचन

• kasyacit: of someone
• kasyacit: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (of someone)

• khaga: O Khaga (Garuda)
• khaga: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• vrata-tīrtha-avivāha-ādi-śrāddham: the śrāddha connected with vows/pilgrimage/non-marriage etc.
• vrata-tīrtha-avivāha-ādi-śrāddham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक) + avivāha (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (आदि-समास/समाहार) ‘व्रत-तीर्थ-अविवाह-आदि’ इत्यादि-निमित्तकं श्राद्धम्

• saṃvatsaram: for a year
• saṃvatsaram: Karma (Extent/अवधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃvatsara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण

• tyajet: should give up/omit
• tyajet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instruction to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: For one year following apamṛtyu/unnatural death of parents; refrain from occasion-linked śrāddhas (vow, tīrtha, marriage, etc.).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual eligibility and timing: after apamṛtyu (unnatural death), certain occasion-based śrāddhas are deferred for a year.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra operate through niyama; dharma includes restraint and correct timing, not only performance.

Application: Observe mourning/impurity regulations; consult tradition/priests for which śrāddhas are postponed; avoid mixing celebratory rites with unresolved death-impurity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana sections on aśauca, śrāddha timings, and special cases of death (apamṛtyu) in Pretakalpa/ācāra portions

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Pitris
• Parents (mother and father)

FAQs

What is the importance of apamṛtyu (unnatural death) in Garuda Purana ritual rules?

This verse states that when parents die by apamṛtyu, certain occasion-based Śrāddhas (linked to vows, pilgrimages, marriage, etc.) should be avoided for one year, indicating special ritual caution after such a death.

Does this verse describe the soul’s journey after death?

Not directly; it gives a dharmic rule about the timing and eligibility of Śrāddha rites following an untimely/unnatural death, which is part of the broader Preta Kanda framework for post-death observances.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If a family faces an untimely/unnatural death, consult a qualified priest/tradition and observe the prescribed one-year restraint regarding occasion-based Śrāddha, emphasizing careful adherence to ritual timing and family dharma.