Shloka 75

Santaptaka’s Encounter with Five Pretas and Their Liberation through Viṣṇu’s Presence

Devanagari script

अदत्तां पितरौ च्छन्नं किञ्चित्किञ्चित्तु तस्य च / तस्मै पितृभ्यां यद्दत्तमाप्तेभ्यस्तन्मया श्रुतम्

Transliteration

adattāṃ pitarau cchannaṃ kiñcitkiñcittu tasya ca / tasmai pitṛbhyāṃ yaddattamāptebhyastanmayā śrutam

Translation

తల్లిదండ్రుల పట్ల అతనికి ఇవ్వబడని కర్తవ్యం కొంత దాచబడి, కొంత అపూర్ణంగా మిగిలిందని నేను విన్నాను; అతని నిమిత్తం తల్లిదండ్రులు గాని సన్నిహిత బంధువులు గాని ఇచ్చే దానం నిజంగా అతనికి చేరుతుందని కూడా విన్నాను।

Word by Word

• अदत्ताम्: not given (to them)
• अदत्ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-datta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √dā (धातु) + क्त, नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नञ्-समासार्थ (not given)

• पितरौ: the two parents (father and mother)
• पितरौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन

• छन्नम्: hidden/secretly
• छन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: channa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √chad (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• किञ्चित्: a little
• किञ्चित्: Viśeṣaṇa (Quantifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kiṃcit (सर्वनाम/अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय (परिमाणवाचक/indefinite particle)

• किञ्चित्: some (again)
• किञ्चित्: Viśeṣaṇa (Quantifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kiṃcit (सर्वनाम/अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय (पुनरुक्ति—वितरणार्थ/distributive repetition)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विरोध/अन्वयबोधक particle)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक/conjunction)

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• पितृभ्याम्: by the two parents
• पितृभ्याम्: Karana/Agent (Instrumental—by the two parents/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन (also Ablative possible; here instrumental)

• यत्: what/that which
• यत्: Karma (Object—what/that which/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक relative pronoun

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: datta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √dā (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (given)

• आप्तेभ्यः: from trustworthy persons
• आप्तेभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āpta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √āp (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative) बहुवचन (also Dative plural possible; here ablative: from reliable persons)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• श्रुतम्: was heard
• श्रुतम्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śruta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √śru (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त; भूतकर्मणि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोग (was heard)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: As prescribed on shraddha tithis; also when acting on behalf of an absent/incapable person with sankalpa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Unperformed obligations to parents bind; yet gifts/offerings made by parents or close kin can benefit the intended recipient.

Vedantic Theme: Interdependence within dharma; subtle efficacy (adrishta) of ritual action and intention.

Application: Perform duties to parents while alive; if someone is unable/absent/deceased, relatives should offer on their behalf with clear sankalpa.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Shraddha-khanda: sankalpa-based transfer of benefit to preta/pitrs; Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: relief of preta through offerings by relatives

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Parents (pitarau)
• Āptas (close relatives)

FAQs

What is the importance of offerings by family in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that what is offered on behalf of the departed—especially by parents and close relatives—reaches the person, supporting the efficacy of śrāddha and related rites.

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

It implies that unresolved obligations and the lack of proper offerings can leave the condition of the departed “covered” or incomplete, while correctly made gifts by family can aid and reach the departed during the preta state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha/pinda-dāna with sincerity, and if the deceased could not complete duties or rites, responsible relatives can do them on the person’s behalf as a dharmic support.