Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

मृतानामपि जन्तूनां श्राद्धमाप्यायनं यदि / निर्वाणस्य प्रदीपस्य तैलं संवर्धयेच्छिखाम्

Transliteration

mṛtānāmapi jantūnāṃ śrāddhamāpyāyanaṃ yadi / nirvāṇasya pradīpasya tailaṃ saṃvardhayecchikhām

Translation

หากศราทธะเป็นการหล่อเลี้ยงและเสริมกำลังแก่สัตว์ผู้ล่วงลับจริง ก็เปรียบดังน้ำมันของประทีปที่ใกล้ดับ ซึ่งช่วยให้เปลวไฟกลับลุกสว่างขึ้นอีกครั้ง

Word by Word

• मृतानाम्: of the dead
• मृतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (प्रातिपदिक; √मृ + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; क्तान्त-प्रातिपदिक (dead ones)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle): even/also

• जन्तूनाम्: of beings/creatures
• जन्तूनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha offering
• श्राद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• आप्यायनम्: nourishment, increase
• आप्यायनम्: Karma (Object/complement/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप्यायन (प्रातिपदिक; √प्यै/प्या + णिच्? भाव/कर्म-नाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भाववाचक (nourishment/increase)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• निर्वाणस्य: extinguished
• निर्वाणस्य: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying प्रदीपस्य)

• प्रदीपस्य: of a lamp
• प्रदीपस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• तैलम्: oil
• तैलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• संवर्धयेत्: would increase, would make grow
• संवर्धयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√वृध् (धातु) + णिच्
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative): would increase

• शिखाम्: flame
• शिखाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha functions as āpyāyana (nourishing/strengthening) for the departed, like oil sustaining and raising a lamp’s flame.

Vedantic Theme: Efficacy of karma-kāṇḍa through subtle linkage; compassion (dayā) expressed as dharma toward pitṛs; continuity of prāṇa/tejas imagery.

Application: Perform śrāddha as an act of care; treat memorial giving as sustaining support, not mere formality.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated analogies of nourishment to pretas/pitṛs; emphasis that offerings ‘strengthen’ the departed and relieve distress.

Characters & Entities

• Pitris (ancestors)
• Pretas (departed beings)

FAQs

What is the importance of Śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Śrāddha as āpyāyana—real nourishment/strengthening for the departed—comparable to oil sustaining and increasing a lamp’s flame.

How does this verse explain the condition of the departed soul?

It implies the departed can be in a weakened, “fading” state, and that ritual support (Śrāddha offerings) functions like fuel that restores steadiness and strength.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform Śrāddha with faith and correctness (as a duty to ancestors), treating it as meaningful support rather than a mere formality, and cultivate gratitude toward one’s lineage.