Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 30

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

कार्यन्तु षोडशी षड्भिः पिण्डैर्दशभिरैव च / प्रथमा मलिना ह्येतैरादशाहं मृतेर्भवेत्

Transliteration

kāryantu ṣoḍaśī ṣaḍbhiḥ piṇḍairdaśabhiraiva ca / prathamā malinā hyetairādaśāhaṃ mṛterbhavet

Translation

ਸ਼ੋਡਸ਼ੀ (ਸੋਲ੍ਹਵੇਂ ਦਿਨ ਦੀ) ਕ੍ਰਿਆ ਛੇ ਪਿੰਡਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਕਰਨੀ ਚਾਹੀਦੀ ਹੈ, ਅਤੇ ਇਸੇ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਸ ਪਿੰਡਾਂ ਦਾ ਕ੍ਰਮ ਵੀ। ਇਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨਿਰਧਾਰਿਤ ਪਿੰਡਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਪਹਿਲੀ ਅਸ਼ੌਚਤਾ ਦੂਰ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ; ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਮੌਤ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਦਾ ਆਦਸ਼ਾਹ (ਦਸ ਦਿਨ) ਪੂਰਾ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• कार्या: should be done
• कार्या: Kriya-visheshya (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (कृदन्त; कृ धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय—‘कर्तव्या’

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (particle: but/indeed)

• षोडशी: the ṣoḍaśī (sixteenfold rite)
• षोडशी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षोडश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संख्यावाची/कर्मकाण्ड-विशेषः (the ‘ṣoḍaśī’ rite)

• षड्भिः: with six
• षड्भिः: Sahakari (Instrument/Means/साधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• पिण्डैः: piṇḍa-balls
• पिण्डैः: Sahakari (Instrument/Means/साधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: Sahakari (Instrument/Means/साधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• प्रथमा: the first (rite/day)
• प्रथमा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘प्रथमा (क्रिया/विधिः)’

• मलिना: impure/defiled
• मलिना: Kriya-visheshya (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मलिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक (particle: for/indeed)

• एतैः: by these
• एतैः: Sahakari (Instrument/Means/साधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• आदशाहम्: the ten-day period
• आदशाहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ + दश + अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्यापूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (दश अहानि = ten days)

• मृतेः: of death/of the deceased’s death
• मृतेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would be/should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Ṣoḍaśī (16th day) and the ten-day (ādaśāha/daśāha) completion framework

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prescribed piṇḍa counts for ṣoḍaśī and ten-day rites; ritual removes mala (impurity) and completes ādaśāha.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as orderly discipline leading to citta-śuddhi; recognition of death’s transition managed through saṃskāra.

Application: Perform ṣoḍaśī with six piṇḍas as stated; observe the ten-day sequence with the prescribed piṇḍa pattern to conclude aśauca properly.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household śrāddha space / ritual ground

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa 2.5: daśāha and ṣoḍaśī procedural verses around 2.5.30; Garuda Purana: sapiṇḍīkaraṇa and ekoddiṣṭa/parvaṇa transitions in later ritual sections (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Pretas
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of piṇḍa-dāna and the ṣoḍaśī rite in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links specific counts of piṇḍa offerings (six for the ṣoḍaśī and a ten-fold sequence) with completing the post-death observances and addressing ritual impurity, framing piṇḍa-dāna as a structured duty for the deceased’s transition.

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

By emphasizing the ten-day (ādaśāha) framework and prescribed offerings, the verse implies that orderly rites support the preta’s post-death passage and the family’s ritual restoration, aligning the transition with dharmic procedure.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow one’s family śrāddha tradition under a qualified priest, focusing on sincerity, cleanliness, and prescribed timing—using the rites as a disciplined way to honor the departed and maintain dharmic responsibility.