Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

यदाहारा भवन्त्येते पितरो यत्र योनिषु / तासुतासु तदाहारः श्राद्धा अवतिष्ठति

Transliteration

yadāhārā bhavantyete pitaro yatra yoniṣu / tāsutāsu tadāhāraḥ śrāddhā avatiṣṭhati

Translation

ปิตฤทั้งหลายดำรงอยู่ด้วยอาหารชนิดใดในกำเนิดหรือภาวะใดก็ตาม ด้วยการถวายศราทธะ อาหารชนิดนั้นเองย่อมไปถึงและคงอยู่กับท่านในภาวะนั้น ๆ

Word by Word

• यदाहाराः: whose food/diet is (such)
• यदाहाराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम) + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (यः आहारः येषाम्)

• भवन्ति: they become/are
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• पितरः: ancestors
• पितरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक सम्बन्ध (relative locative adverb)

• योनिषु: in wombs/births
• योनिषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तासु: in those
• तासु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तासु: in those (very)
• तासु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

• तदाहारः: that food
• तदाहारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (तस्य आहारः)

• श्राद्धात्: from the śrāddha offering
• श्राद्धात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अपादान (source)

• अवतिष्ठति: remains/abides
• अवतिष्ठति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Applicable to recurring śrāddhas (monthly/annual/parva contexts) as well as preta-support rites, emphasizing ongoing nourishment

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha offerings reach pitṛs in whatever yoni they inhabit, manifesting as the specific food appropriate to that state; ritual merit is context-sensitive in its fruition.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala operates through subtle transformation (pariṇāma) from gross offering to suitable subtle nourishment; continuity of jīva across embodiments allows relational support via dharmic acts.

Application: Perform śrāddha without anxiety about the departed’s current state; offer with faith and correctness, trusting the śāstric mechanism that adapts the nourishment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: any yoni/embodied condition across realms

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.10.15–17 (delivery mechanism and piṇḍa efficacy); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: accounts of preta hunger and satisfaction through offerings

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Shraddha
• Yoni (birth/state of existence)

FAQs

What is the importance of Śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that Śrāddha functions as a direct channel of nourishment to the Pitṛs, reaching them according to whatever mode of sustenance applies to their present state of existence.

How does this verse explain what happens to ancestors after death?

It implies that ancestors may be situated in varied conditions (yoniṣu—different births or embodied states), yet the merit and offering of Śrāddha can still ‘establish’ the appropriate nourishment for them wherever they are.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Perform Śrāddha, tarpaṇa, and related rites with faith and correctness, understanding them as meaningful support for ancestors rather than merely symbolic tradition.