Shloka 65

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

Devanagari script

क्षत्त्रियो द्वादशाहे तु वैश्यः पञ्चदशे तथा / शुद्धिः शूद्रस्य मासेन मृतके जातसूतके

Transliteration

kṣattriyo dvādaśāhe tu vaiśyaḥ pañcadaśe tathā / śuddhiḥ śūdrasya māsena mṛtake jātasūtake

Translation

క్షత్రియునికి ద్వాదశ దినమున శుద్ధి, వైశ్యునికి పంచదశ దినమున శుద్ధి. శూద్రునికి ఒక మాసమున శుద్ధి—మృతకసూతకమైనా జాతసూతకమైనా।

Word by Word

• क्षत्रियः: a Kshatriya
• क्षत्रियः: कर्ता/सम्बन्ध (Topic/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

• द्वादशाहे: on the twelfth day / after twelve days
• द्वादशाहे: कालाधिकरण (Temporal locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश-अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगुसमास, पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; locative 'on/after twelve days'

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: 'but/indeed')

• वैश्यः: a Vaishya
• वैश्यः: कर्ता/सम्बन्ध (Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पञ्चदशे: on the fifteenth (day)
• पञ्चदशे: कालाधिकरण (Temporal locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगुसमास (fifteen-day implied), सप्तमी, एकवचन; locative 'on the fifteenth (day)'

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: सम्बन्ध/अव्यय (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक/तुल्यतार्थक

• शुद्धिः: purification
• शुद्धिः: कर्ता (Kartā; subject implied 'भवति')
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

• शूद्रस्य: of a Shudra
• शूद्रस्य: सम्बन्ध (Ṣaṣṭhī relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; genitive singular

• मासेन: in/after a month
• मासेन: करण/कालपरिमाण (Instrument/Measure of time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; instrumental 'by/within a month'

• मृतके: in (a case of) death
• मृतके: विषयाधिकरण (Context locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; locative 'in case of a death'

• जातसूतके: in (a case of) birth-impurity
• जातसूतके: विषयाधिकरण (Context locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जात-सूतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव: 'birth-impurity'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; locative

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Purification periods: Kṣatriya 12 days; Vaiśya 15 days; Śūdra 1 month (for mṛtaka and jātasūtaka).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Different varṇas have different sūtaka durations; śūdra purification is one month for death- or birth-impurity.

Vedantic Theme: Relative dharma (vyavahāra) governing embodied society; ritual purity as a functional, not ultimate, category.

Application: Observe the prescribed duration before resuming rituals/social rites; distinguish mṛtaka-sūtaka and jāta-sūtaka but apply stated durations.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: social-legal context

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.34.63-64 (sūtaka start; ekādaśāha purification); Garuda Purana 2.34.66 (later-stage impurity reductions)

Characters & Entities

• Kshatriya
• Vaishya
• Shudra
• Jatasutaka

FAQs

What is the importance of ashaucha (ritual impurity) periods in the Garuda Purana?

This verse fixes specific purification timelines after death-impurity (mṛtaka) and birth-impurity (jātasūtaka), guiding when a family may resume Vedic/ritual duties in accordance with dharma.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana narrative?

While focused on household observance, it supports the broader Preta Kanda framework: timely rites and regulated purity are treated as dharmic supports to the post-death transition and the family’s ritual responsibilities.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow a tradition-consistent mourning and purification period after a death or birth in the family, and consult a qualified priest/community custom to align rites and daily worship with dharmic timing.