Shloka 4

Śrāddha as Trans-realm Nourishment; Pitṛ-Conveyance; Piṇḍa-born Body and the ātivāhika; Bhakti-based Release

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच / प्रेतानां शृणु पक्षीन्द्र यथा श्राद्धन्तु तृप्तिदम् / देवो यदपि जातो ऽयं मनुष्यः कर्मयोगतः

Transliteration

śrībhagavānuvāca / pretānāṃ śṛṇu pakṣīndra yathā śrāddhantu tṛptidam / devo yadapi jāto 'yaṃ manuṣyaḥ karmayogataḥ

Translation

శ్రీభగవానుడు పలికెను—హే పక్షీంద్ర, వినుము; ప్రేతులకు శ్రాద్ధం ఎలా తృప్తిదాయకమో. ఈ జీవుడు దేవుడిగా జన్మించినా, కర్మయోగముచే (మళ్లీ) మనుష్యుడగును.

Word by Word

• श्रीभगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• श्रीभगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (श्रीमान् भगवान्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• प्रेतानाम्: of pretas
• प्रेतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पक्षीन्द्र: O lord of birds
• पक्षीन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षि-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पक्षिणाम् इन्द्रः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• यथा: how, in what way
• यथा: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha
• श्राद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषार्थक

• तृप्तिदम्: satisfaction-giving
• तृप्तिदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृप्ति-द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (तृप्तिं ददाति); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• देवः: a god
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यत्: although/that (relative)
• यत्: Avyaya (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपि: even, although
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-कार (even/although)

• जातः: born
• जातः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘देवः/मनुष्यः’ इति विशेषण

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मनुष्यः: a human
• मनुष्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कर्मयोगतः: due to connection with karma, by karmic association
• कर्मयोगतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म-योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (कर्मणः योगः/कर्मयोगः); पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (cause: ‘due to’)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Śrī Bhagavān)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: General śrāddha context (mechanism to be explained in subsequent verses)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha can satisfy pretas through divinely explained subtle mechanisms; karma-yoga/karma-bandha links births—deva status does not sever karmic continuity leading to human embodiment.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as causal continuity; īśvara-śāsana (divine ordinance) governing subtle fruition; ritual as part of dharma sustaining cosmic order.

Application: Approach śrāddha with faith in śāstra and īśvara-vacana; understand that status (even ‘deva’) is not final without liberation—cultivate actions aimed beyond mere rebirth.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: teaching assembly (divine discourse)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: ensuing verses explaining preta-tṛpti mechanics; Garuda Purana: karma-yoga language used to connect action and rebirth

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Pretas
• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of śrāddha for pretas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames śrāddha as “tṛptidam”—a rite that brings satisfaction/appeasement to pretas, indicating it is meant to support and settle the departed condition after death.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul through karma?

It highlights karmic causation (karma-yogataḥ): even a being with deva-status can enter human birth due to karmic linkage, showing that rebirth follows karma rather than mere status.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha with sincerity as a duty toward the departed, and live ethically with awareness that karma governs future states—human or otherwise.