Shloka 12

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

Devanagari script

नामगोत्रं पितॄणां वै प्रापकं हव्यकव्ययोः / श्राद्धस्य मन्त्रास्तद्वत्तु प्रापकाश्चैव भक्तितः

Transliteration

nāmagotraṃ pitṝṇāṃ vai prāpakaṃ havyakavyayoḥ / śrāddhasya mantrāstadvattu prāpakāścaiva bhaktitaḥ

Translation

นามและโคตรของปิตฤทั้งหลายเป็นสิ่งที่นำพาเครื่องบูชา ‘หัวยะ’ และ ‘กัวยะ’ ไปถึงท่าน; เช่นเดียวกัน มนต์แห่งศราทธะก็เป็นสื่ออันมีฤทธิ์ โดยเฉพาะเมื่อประกอบด้วยภักติ

Word by Word

• नामगोत्रम्: name and lineage
• नामगोत्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् + गोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (नाम च गोत्रं च)

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• प्रापकम्: that which conveys/causes to reach
• प्रापकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रापक (प्रातिपदिक; from √आप् with प्र-; कृदन्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (that which causes to reach)

• हव्यकव्ययोः: of oblations to gods and ancestors (havis & kavya)
• हव्यकव्ययोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हव्य + कव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (हव्यं च कव्यं च)

• श्राद्धस्य: of the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• मन्त्राः: mantras
• मन्त्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तद्वत्: likewise
• तद्वत्: Prakaraṇa (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत् (अव्यय/तद्धितान्त)
• Form: तद्वत्-शब्दः अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; उपमानार्थ (likewise)

• तु: and/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषबोधक अव्यय (particle)

• प्रापकाः: conveying/effecting (reach)
• प्रापकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रापक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic: just/indeed)

• भक्तितः: through/from devotion
• भक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/कारणार्थ (from devotion/by devotion)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: On prescribed śrāddha tithi (e.g., amāvāsyā/parva days) or annual death-tithi; as per family tradition and śāstra.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nāma-gotra and śrāddha-mantras function as the means by which offerings (havya/kavya) reach the Pitṛs; devotion intensifies efficacy.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda as subtle carrier; dharma upheld through mantra and intention (bhāva/bhakti) aligning act with unseen result (adr̥ṣṭa).

Application: Perform ancestral rites with correct sankalpa (names/gotra), proper mantras, and sincere devotion rather than mere formality.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: loka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: śrāddha sections detailing sankalpa, nāma-gotra, mantra, and pitṛ-prāpti (contextual parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of name and gotra in Garuda Purana śrāddha rites?

This verse states that specifying the Pitṛs’ name and gotra is the key factor that ‘delivers’ the offerings to the correct ancestors, ensuring the rite is properly directed.

How does this verse explain the effectiveness of śrāddha mantras?

It teaches that śrāddha mantras function as conveyors of the offering, and their effectiveness is strengthened when the ritual is done with sincere devotion (bhakti).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing śrāddha or tarpaṇa, carefully state the correct names/gotra in the saṅkalpa and recite the mantras with focused faith, treating devotion as an essential part of ritual accuracy.