Shloka 38

Āyuḥ-kṣaya by Vikarma; Impermanence of the Body; Aśauca and Child Śrāddha Procedures; Dāna as Remedy

Devanagari script

दुग्धं भोज्यं ताशक्ति बालानां च प्रदीयते / आ चूडात्पञ्चवर्षे तु देहदाहो विधीयते

Transliteration

dugdhaṃ bhojyaṃ tāśakti bālānāṃ ca pradīyate / ā cūḍātpañcavarṣe tu dehadāho vidhīyate

Translation

สำหรับเด็กเล็ก พึงถวาย/จัดให้มีน้ำนมและอาหารอันเหมาะสมตามกำลัง; และตั้งแต่พิธีจูฑากรรมจนถึงอายุห้าปี บัญญัติให้ประกอบการเผากาย (ฌาปนกิจ) ไว้

Word by Word

• दुग्धम्: milk
• दुग्धम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुग्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भोज्यम्: food; edible (things)
• भोज्यम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: यत्-कृदन्त (fit to be eaten/food), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ताशक्ति: according to ability
• ताशक्ति: Kriya-viseshana (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (यथाशक्ति), अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• बालानाम्: of/for children
• बालानाम्: Sambandha (For whom/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (genitive plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• प्रदीयते: is given
• प्रदीयते: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (is given)

• आ: up to
• आ: Sambandha (Limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधि-निर्देशक-अव्यय (up to)

• चूडात्: from/until the tonsure (cūḍā)
• चूडात्: Apadana (Limit-from/Until)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चूडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (ablative singular)

• पञ्चवर्षे: at five years (of age)
• पञ्चवर्षे: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (पञ्च वर्षाणि यस्य/परिमाणम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (locative singular)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Contrast)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• देहदाहः: burning/cremation of the body
• देहदाहः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक) + दाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देहस्य दाहः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विधीयते: is prescribed
• विधीयते: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (is prescribed/ordained)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: For young children, offer milk/food according to capacity; from cūḍākaraṇa up to five years, cremation is prescribed.

Vedantic Theme: Compassionate dharma: proportionality (yathā-śakti) and age-appropriate saṃskāra duties; body as perishable, rites as orderly closure.

Application: Perform child-related offerings with gentleness and means; follow age-based funeral method (cremation) where enjoined.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cremation-ground

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.24.39 (continuation: offerings and class-based rites beyond five years)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Children
• Cūḍā-karma (tonsure rite)

FAQs

What is the importance of age-based funeral rules in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links appropriate offerings (milk/food) for children with a specific injunction about cremation up to age five, showing that rites vary by age and life-stage samskāras.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals (antyeṣṭi)?

It provides a practical rule within the Preta-kāṇḍa’s ritual framework: what to offer for children and when deha-dāha (cremation) is prescribed, anchored to the cūḍā (tonsure) milestone and the five-year limit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing last rites, follow tradition with sensitivity: make offerings within one’s means and consult a qualified priest/family tradition for age-specific procedures, especially in cases of child death.