Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

तेषां विभिन्नाहाराणां श्राद्धं वै तृप्तिदं कथम् / यदप्यन्यैर्द्विजैर्भुक्तं हूयते यदि वानले

Transliteration

teṣāṃ vibhinnāhārāṇāṃ śrāddhaṃ vai tṛptidaṃ katham / yadapyanyairdvijairbhuktaṃ hūyate yadi vānale

Translation

เมื่ออาหารของเขาทั้งหลายแตกต่างกัน ศราทธจะทำให้เขาอิ่มเอมได้อย่างไร? และอาหารที่พราหมณ์ผู้อื่นได้ฉันแล้ว หากนำไปบูชาโยนลงในไฟ จะนับเป็นการถวายได้อย่างไร?

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• विभिन्नाहाराणाम्: of those with different diets
• विभिन्नाहाराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभिन्न-आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (विभिन्नः आहारः येषाम्); पुंलिङ्ग (आहार), षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha offering/rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक

• तृप्तिदम्: giving satisfaction
• तृप्तिदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृप्ति-द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (तृप्तिं ददाति इति); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-कार (even/also)

• अन्यैः: by others
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• द्विजैः: by brāhmaṇas (twice-born)
• द्विजैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• भुक्तम्: eaten
• भुक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘यत्’ इति विशेषण

• हूयते: is offered (into fire)
• हूयते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense: ‘is offered’)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Avyaya (Conjunction/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional ‘if’)

• वा: or
• वा: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक

• अनले: in the fire
• अनले: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra) questioning Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During śrāddha with brāhmaṇa-bhojana and/or agni-homa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Questioning the transmission of offerings to beings with diverse ‘foods’ and the role of brāhmaṇa-bhojana and agni in śrāddha efficacy.

Vedantic Theme: Sūkṣma-bhoga and adhiṣṭhāna: subtle appropriation beyond gross matter; faith aligned with śāstra.

Application: Perform śrāddha according to injunctions without cynicism; understand that ritual acts operate through prescribed channels (mantra, sankalpa, devatā/agnī) rather than gross mechanics alone.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual arena (śrāddha/homa context)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: forthcoming explanation ‘how śrāddha satisfies pretas’ (immediately answered in 2.10.4+); Garuda Purana: discussions of piṇḍa, tarpaṇa, and agni-homa as conveyance

Characters & Entities

• Dvijas (Brahmanas)
• Agni (fire)
• Pitris (implied)

FAQs

What is the importance of śrāddha in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames a key doubt: how śrāddha can satisfy departed beings with differing needs, setting up the Purana’s explanation of how ritual offerings are transmitted to the pitṛs through prescribed channels.

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

Indirectly, it highlights that the deceased are in a different state with distinct requirements; therefore, the text proceeds to explain the post-death mechanism by which offerings (via brāhmaṇas and/or Agni) are made effective for the preta/pitṛ.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha according to tradition with proper intention and correct procedure—understanding that the rite is not ordinary feeding, but a structured offering meant to benefit the departed through dharmic means.