Shloka 2

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

श्रुतिस्मृती तु विज्ञाय श्रौतं कर्म समाचरेत् / श्रौतं कर्म न चेदुक्तं तदा स्मार्तं समाचरेत्

Transliteration

śrutismṛtī tu vijñāya śrautaṃ karma samācaret / śrautaṃ karma na ceduktaṃ tadā smārtaṃ samācaret

Translation

శ్రుతి, స్మృతులను సమ్యగ్గా గ్రహించి శ్రౌత (వేదోక్త) కర్మను ఆచరించాలి. ఏ సందర్భంలో శ్రౌత విధి చెప్పబడకపోతే, అక్కడ స్మార్త (సాంప్రదాయ) కర్మను ఆచరించాలి.

Word by Word

• श्रुतिस्मृती: Śruti and Smṛti
• श्रुतिस्मृती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (श्रुतिः च स्मृतिः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः/विरोधार्थकः (but/indeed)

• विज्ञाय: having ascertained
• विज्ञाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); अव्ययभावः; ‘having known/ascertained’

• श्रौतं: Vedic/Śrauta
• श्रौतं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रौत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्म)

• कर्म: ritual act/duty
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समाचरेत्: should perform
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• श्रौतं: Śrauta
• श्रौतं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रौत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्म)

• कर्म: ritual act
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Condition marker (शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थकः (conditional ‘if’)

• उक्तं: is stated/prescribed
• उक्तं: Predicate qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘said/prescribed’ (कर्मणि)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adverbial (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• स्मार्तं: Smārta (based on Smṛti)
• स्मार्तं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मार्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्म)

• समाचरेत्: should perform
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, as per the Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hierarchy of pramāṇa and procedure: follow Śrauta injunctions; where absent, follow Smārta rites.

Vedantic Theme: Śāstra-prāmāṇya (scripture as valid means of knowledge) guiding pravṛtti-dharma.

Application: When planning rites, consult Vedic injunctions first; if no explicit Śrauta rule applies, adopt Smṛti/Smārta procedure consistent with one’s tradition and capacity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Dharma-kāṇḍa) discussions on sadācāra and śāstra-pramāṇa around 1.213; General Garuda Purana guidance on śrāddha being smārta when not śrauta-specified

Characters & Entities

• Śruti
• Smṛti
• Śrauta
• Smārta

FAQs

What is the importance of Śruti and Smṛti authority in the Garuda Purana?

This verse sets the decision-rule for dharma: prioritize Śrauta (Śruti-based) rites, and when a Śrauta injunction is unavailable, follow Smārta (Smṛti-based) procedure.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana rituals, including death rites?

It provides a hierarchy for choosing ritual authority—use Vedic (Śrauta) methods where specified, otherwise rely on Smārta prescriptions, which commonly govern many saṃskāras and post-death observances in practice.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing any religious rite, follow Vedic injunctions if clearly applicable; otherwise follow established Smārta guidelines as taught by competent tradition/ācāryas, ensuring consistency and scriptural grounding.