Shloka 65

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

Devanagari script

विपन्नास्ते तु विकिरसंमार्जनजलाशिनः / भुक्त्वा चाचमनं यच्च जलं यच्चाह्नि सेवितम्

Transliteration

vipannāste tu vikirasaṃmārjanajalāśinaḥ / bhuktvā cācamanaṃ yacca jalaṃ yaccāhni sevitam

Translation

వారు దుర్దశకు చేరుతారు—చెత్తను ఊడ్చి శుభ్రం చేసిన తరువాత మిగిలిన నీటిని, ఉచ్చిష్టం కడిగిన నీటిని త్రాగుతూ; భోజనానంతర ఆచమన జలమును, పగటిపూట సేవించిన నీటినే ఆధారంగా జీవిస్తారు।

Word by Word

• विपन्नाः: fallen into distress / unfortunate
• विपन्नाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+पद् (धातु) → विपन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; भूतकृदन्तः (क्त) ‘विपन्न’ = आपन्न/दुर्गतिप्राप्त

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (pronoun)

• तु: but / however
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थे

• विकिर: scattering / spillage
• विकिर: Sambandha (Qualifier within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिकम्; समासपूर्वपदम् (in compound)

• संमार्जन: sweeping / cleaning
• संमार्जन: Sambandha (Qualifier within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्+मृज् (धातु) → संमार्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिकम्; समासपूर्वपदम्

• जल: water
• जल: Sambandha (Qualifier within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिकम्; समासपूर्वपदम्

• आशिनः: eaters (who eat)
• आशिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः: विकिर-संमार्जन-जल-आशिनः (तत्पुरुषः) = तानि आश्नन्ति ये

• भुक्त्वा: having eaten
• भुक्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to main action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भुज् (धातु) → भुक्त्वा (क्त्वान्त-अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्तम् अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• आचमनम्: sipping (ritual rinsing)
• आचमनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ+चम् (धातु) → आचमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धसूचकं (relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धसूचकं

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• अह्नि: in the day / during daytime
• अह्नि: Adhikarana (Location/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्

• सेवितम्: used / consumed
• सेवितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव् (धातु) → सेवित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; भूतकृदन्तः (क्त)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Neglect and impurity in offerings/ritual conduct lead to degraded modes of existence sustained by impure remnants.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala and saṃskāra: actions and ritual negligence condition embodied experience; purity supports sattva, impurity reinforces tamas.

Application: Maintain cleanliness and reverence around food, water, and ritual remnants; avoid careless disposal that symbolically/ritually harms dependent beings (preta/pitṛ-related recipients).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.10.66-69 (continuation on satisfaction of beings through offerings and śrāddha discipline)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of describing impure ‘water-food’ in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights the degraded state of certain pretas whose karma leads them to subsist on filthy wash-water and leftover rinsings, stressing the moral-ritual consequences of impurity and neglect.

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

It portrays a preta-like condition where the departed experiences scarcity and humiliation, suggesting that post-death experience reflects one’s accumulated actions and adherence to dharma and purity.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain cleanliness and ethical restraint, respect food and water as sacred, and perform purificatory practices and śrāddha-related duties with care to uphold dharma.