Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

अभिरण्यतां प्रबूयाद् ब्रुयुस्तेभिरताः स्म ह / गन्धो दकतिलैर्मिश्रं कुर्यात्पात्रचतुष्टयम्

Transliteration

abhiraṇyatāṃ prabūyād bruyustebhiratāḥ sma ha / gandho dakatilairmiśraṃ kuryātpātracatuṣṭayam

Translation

‘అభిరణ్యతాం’ (సువర్ణసహితం) అని ప్రకటించాలి; కర్మలో నిమగ్నులైనవారూ అలాగే పలకాలి। తరువాత నీరు–నువ్వులతో కలిపిన సుగంధ ద్రవ్యాన్ని సిద్ధం చేసి నాలుగు పాత్రలలో అమర్చాలి।

Word by Word

• अभिरण्यताम्: (the formula) ‘abhiraṇyatā’
• अभिरण्यताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिरण्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्मरूपेण (उच्चारणीय-वाक्यांश)

• प्रबूयात्: should utter/recite
• प्रबूयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्रुयुः: they should say
• ब्रुयुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• तेभिः: by them
• तेभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• रताः: engaged/intent
• रताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• स्म: indeed/just
• स्म: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), स्मरण/अनुवादक

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• गन्धः: fragrance/perfume
• गन्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• उदक: water
• उदक: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, समासाङ्ग (उदक-), एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (समासपूर्वपद)

• तिलैः: with sesame seeds
• तिलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• मिश्रम्: mixed
• मिश्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मिश्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गन्धम्/द्रव्यम्)

• कुर्यात्: should make/prepare
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पात्रचतुष्टयम्: a set of four vessels
• पात्रचतुष्टयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र-चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक; पात्र + चतुष्टय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पात्राणां चतुष्टयम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: during upacāra preparation before arghya/tilodaka distribution

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual efficacy depends on correct saṅkalpa/announcement and properly prepared upacāras (fragrant water-sesame) arranged in prescribed vessels.

Vedantic Theme: Karma’s subtlety: intention (saṅkalpa) and exact means (sādhana) shape the fruit (phala) of action.

Application: When performing śrāddha or memorial offerings, keep materials clean, fragrant, and correctly portioned; ensure participants verbally align on the rite’s specification.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual precinct (kriyā-sthāna)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.99: vessel arrangement and material prescriptions for ekoddiṣṭa/sapiṇḍīkaraṇa

FAQs

What is the importance of water mixed with sesame (tilodaka) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats sesame-water as a required ritual medium—prepared as a fragrant mixture and placed in designated vessels—indicating its role in properly forming and conveying Śrāddha offerings.

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes correct performance of post-death rites (Śrāddha-style preparations). In the Garuda Purana framework, such rites support the departed’s onward journey by ensuring offerings are ritually valid and properly presented.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing ancestral rites, follow the prescribed materials and structure—especially sesame-water preparations and correct vessel arrangement—rather than treating the ritual as informal or improvised.