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Shloka 55

Dharma–Adharma Marks; Daśāha, Piṇḍa Formation, Śrāddha Calendar, Śayyā-dāna, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Rules

Devanagari script

शवहस्ते च यच्छ्राद्धं मृतिस्थाने द्विजासने / तदेव प्रथमं श्राद्धं तत् स्यादेकादशे ऽहनि

Transliteration

śavahaste ca yacchrāddhaṃ mṛtisthāne dvijāsane / tadeva prathamaṃ śrāddhaṃ tat syādekādaśe 'hani

Translation

శవము సమీపమున ఉండగా, మరణస్థలమున, ద్విజుడు (బ్రాహ్మణుడు) ఆసనమున కూర్చుండగా చేయబడే శ్రాద్ధమే మొదటి శ్రాద్ధముగా గణింపబడును; అది ఏకాదశ దినమున చేయవలెను।

Word by Word
शव-हस्तेat the corpse-hand (ritual context)
शव-हस्ते:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootशव (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शवस्य हस्तः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'in/at the hand of the corpse' (ritual context)
चand
च:
सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Sambandha)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय
यत्which
यत्:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative)
श्राद्धम्Śrāddha rite
श्राद्धम्:
कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootश्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
मृति-स्थानेat the place of death
मृति-स्थाने:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootमृति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मृतेः स्थानम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
द्विज-आसनेon the seat of a Brahmin
द्विज-आसने:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्विजस्य आसनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
तत्that
तत्:
कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देशक
एवindeed; only
एव:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formनिश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)
प्रथमम्first
प्रथमम्:
विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; श्राद्धम् इति विशेषणम्
श्राद्धम्Śrāddha rite
श्राद्धम्:
कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootश्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
तत्that
तत्:
कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुनर्निर्देश
स्यात्should be
स्यात्:
क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
एकादशेon the eleventh
एकादशे:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootएकादश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसप्तमी, एकवचन; अहनि इति विशेषणम्
अहनिon the day
अहनि:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootअहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Ekādaśāha (11th day) identified as the first śrāddha when performed with the body present at the death-place.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The first śrāddha is the one performed with the body present at the death-place, with a brāhmaṇa seated; it is done on the eleventh day.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra and pitṛ-kārya as dharmic duty that steadies the mind and honors relational bonds without clinging.

Application: Arrange the ekādaśāha śrāddha as the primary ‘first’ rite: invite a qualified brāhmaṇa, prepare offerings, and perform at/connected to the death-place tradition as applicable.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: household/death-site

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.34.53-54 (counting and tithi basis); 2.34.56 (exceptions).

Characters & Entities
D
Dvija (Brahmana)

FAQs

This verse defines the first śrāddha as the rite connected with the body and performed at the death-place with a duly seated brāhmaṇa, establishing the formal beginning of post-death śrāddha observances.

The verse states the timing directly: the rite recognized as the first śrāddha is to be performed on the eleventh day, aligning the śrāddha schedule with the Purāṇic post-death ritual sequence.

If following Garuda Purana–based practice, families can ensure rites are done with proper ritual seating of a qualified brāhmaṇa and observe the eleventh-day śrāddha as a key milestone in the post-death duties.

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