Shloka 37

Śrāddha Vidhi: Kāla (Timing), Pātra (Recipient), and Karma (Procedure) for Pitṛ-tarpaṇa and Piṇḍa

Devanagari script

हविष्यान्नेन वै मासं पायसेन तु वत्सरम् / मात्स्यहारिणकौरभ्रशाकुनच्छागपार्षतैः

Transliteration

haviṣyānnena vai māsaṃ pāyasena tu vatsaram / mātsyahāriṇakaurabhraśākunacchāgapārṣataiḥ

Translation

हविष्यान्नप्रदानेन मासमात्रं पितरः तुष्यन्ति; पायसप्रदानेन तु संवत्सरं तृप्तिं यान्ति। तथा मत्स्य-हरिण-वराह-शकुन-छागादि-मांसप्रदानेन यथायोग्यं तेषां तृप्तिर्भवति।

Word by Word

• हविष्यान्नेन: with sacrificial food (haviṣya-rice)
• हविष्यान्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हविष्य-अन्न (प्रातिपदिक; हविष्यं च अन्नं च)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; करणसाधनम् (instrumental)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अर्थे—एव/खलु (emphasis)

• मासम्: a month
• मासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (accusative of duration)

• पायसेन: with rice-milk (pāyasa)
• पायसेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• तु: but/and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अर्थे—पुनः/विरोधे (contrast)

• वत्सरम्: a year
• वत्सरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (accusative of duration)

• मात्स्य: fish (related)
• मात्स्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मात्स्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे बहुवचन-तृतीया-समासाङ्ग (in compound; ‘of fish’)

• हारिणक: deer
• हारिणक: Visheshya (Head-noun in compound/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हारिणक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे बहुवचन-तृतीया-समासाङ्ग (in compound; ‘deer’)

• औरभ्र: sheep/ram
• औरभ्र: Visheshya (Head-noun in compound/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औरभ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे बहुवचन-तृतीया-समासाङ्ग (in compound; ‘sheep/ram’)

• शाकुन: bird
• शाकुन: Visheshya (Head-noun in compound/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाकुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे बहुवचन-तृतीया-समासाङ्ग (in compound; ‘bird’)

• छाग: goat
• छाग: Visheshya (Head-noun in compound/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे बहुवचन-तृतीया-समासाङ्ग (in compound; ‘goat’)

• पार्षतैः: with pāṛṣata-meat (a specific kind)
• पार्षतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; ‘पार्षत’ = (विशेषमांस/पशुविशेष)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: General śrāddha context; efficacy measured by duration of pitṛ-tṛpti.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Anna-dāna and specific dravya/āhāra offerings yield graded pitṛ-tṛpti (duration of satisfaction).

Vedantic Theme: Ṛṇa-traya and pitṛ-ṛṇa: dharmic reciprocity sustaining cosmic order (ṛta/dharma).

Application: In śrāddha, choose prescribed foods (haviṣyānna, pāyasa, and permitted meats where applicable) with correct intention and purity to honor ancestors.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-space (gṛha/śrāddha-vedi)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-khaṇḍa passages listing śrāddha-dravya and their pitṛ-tṛpti durations (adjacent verses 1.99.36-45 context)

Characters & Entities

• Lord Vishnu
• Garuda
• Pitris (ancestors)

FAQs

What is the importance of haviṣyānna and pāyasa in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse states a graded fruit: haviṣyānna pleases the Pitris for a month, while pāyasa grants satisfaction for a full year, highlighting the ritual potency of specific śrāddha foods.

How does this verse explain the benefit of offerings to ancestors (Pitris)?

It links particular offerings to a measurable duration of ancestral gratification, presenting śrāddha as a precise karmic-ritual mechanism rather than a vague sentiment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing śrāddha or tarpaṇa, prioritize sattvic, traditionally sanctioned offerings (such as haviṣyānna and pāyasa) with faith and proper procedure, focusing on intention, purity, and dharmic conduct.