Shloka 76

Pitṛ-Stuti, Tarpaṇa, and the Ritual Power of Recitation in Śrāddha

Devanagari script

अश्रद्धया वा पुरुषैर्दम्भमाश्रित्य यत्कृतम् / अस्माकं तृप्तये श्राद्धन्तथाप्येतदुदीरणात्

Transliteration

aśraddhayā vā puruṣairdambhamāśritya yatkṛtam / asmākaṃ tṛptaye śrāddhantathāpyetadudīraṇāt

Translation

แม้มนุษย์จะทำศราทธะโดยไร้ศรัทธา หรืออาศัยความเสแสร้ง แต่ด้วยการเปล่งถ้อยคำ/มนตร์ตามพิธี ศราทธะนั้นก็ยังเป็นไปเพื่อความอิ่มเอิบของเรา (เหล่าบรรพชน) ได้।

Word by Word

• aśraddhayā: with lack of faith
• aśraddhayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; हेतु/करण (Instr sg; with/through lack of faith)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• puruṣaiḥ: by men/persons
• puruṣaiḥ: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Masc Instr pl)

• dambham: hypocrisy/ostentation
• dambham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dambha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masc Acc sg)

• āśritya: having resorted to
• āśritya: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√śri (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव (having resorted to)

• yat: which/whatever
• yat: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• kṛtam: done/performed
• kṛtam: Kriya (Predicate-participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त; √kṛ (धातु))
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (done)

• asmākam: of us
• asmākam: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (Gen pl; of us)

• tṛptaye: for satisfaction
• tṛptaye: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (Dat sg; for satisfaction)

• śrāddham: śrāddha rite
• śrāddham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter Nom/Acc sg)

• tathā: even so
• tathā: Sambandha (Concession/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (thus/nevertheless)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Concession/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-प्रयोगः (concessive particle)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter Nom/Acc sg)

• udīraṇāt: from the recitation (of this)
• udīraṇāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udīraṇa (प्रातिपदिक; √īr (धातु) + उद्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; अपादान (Abl sg; from recitation/utterance)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mantra-udīraṇa and ritual form can still generate effect, though performed with aśraddhā/dambha; śabda has operative potency.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda-prāmāṇya and the efficacy of Vedic speech; yet inner purity remains a higher dharmic ideal.

Application: Do not rely on hypocrisy; cultivate śraddhā, but also preserve correct recitation and prescribed words in rites.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-space during śrāddha recitation

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana passages praising stotra/recitation efficacy in śrāddha context (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that śrāddha is meant for the satisfaction of the Pitṛs, and that the rite retains efficacy through correct utterance of the prescribed words—even when the performer’s faith is deficient.

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

Indirectly, it highlights the post-death support system of rites: offerings and mantras addressed to the Pitṛs are treated as effective, reinforcing the Garuda Purana’s broader framework where proper rites aid the departed and uphold ancestral continuity.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha with sincerity whenever possible, but also prioritize correctness—proper intention plus accurate recitation and procedure—while avoiding showmanship and treating ancestral rites as a duty rather than a display.