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Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

दुग्धं तस्य प्रदेयं स्याद्बालानां भोजनं शुभम् / पञ्चवर्षाधिके प्रेते स्वजातिविहितानि च

Transliteration

dugdhaṃ tasya pradeyaṃ syādbālānāṃ bhojanaṃ śubham / pañcavarṣādhike prete svajātivihitāni ca

Translation

พึงถวาย/จัดน้ำนมให้แก่เขา; สำหรับเด็ก การถวายอาหารเป็นสิริมงคล. แต่หากผู้ตายมีอายุมากกว่าห้าปี ก็พึงประกอบกรรมและเครื่องบูชาที่กำหนดไว้ตามชาติ/วรรณะของตนด้วย

Word by Word
दुग्धम्milk
दुग्धम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootदुग्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
तस्यfor him/for that (child)
तस्य:
Sambandha (For whom)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive singular)
प्रदेयम्should be given
प्रदेयम्:
Karma (Predicative obligation)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + दा (धातु) + यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
Formयत्-कृदन्त (gerundive: to be given), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
स्यात्should be
स्यात्:
Kriya (Auxiliary/Main)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
बालानाम्of/for children
बालानाम्:
Sambandha (Of/for children)
TypeNoun
Rootबाल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन
भोजनम्food; feeding
भोजनम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootभोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
शुभम्auspicious; good
शुभम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'भोजनम्' इति विशेषण
पञ्चवर्षाधिकेin (the case of) one older than five years
पञ्चवर्षाधिके:
Adhikarana (Time/Condition)
TypeAdjective
Rootपञ्चवर्ष (द्विगु-प्रातिपदिक) + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष (पञ्चवर्षात् अधिकः/अधिके), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'प्रेते' इति विशेष्य (locative absolute sense: when (one) beyond five years)
प्रेतेwhen (one) has died
प्रेते:
Adhikarana (Temporal locus)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + इ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
Formक्त-कृदन्त (past participle: departed/dead), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (when dead)
स्वजातिविहितानिthose prescribed for one’s own community
स्वजातिविहितानि:
Karma (Implied objects/rites)
TypeAdjective
Rootस्व (प्रातिपदिक) + जाति (प्रातिपदिक) + विहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष (स्वजात्या विहितानि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; (things) prescribed for one’s own caste/community
चand
च:
Sambandha (Conjunction)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)
Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Milk/food offerings for a departed child are auspicious; beyond five years, perform rites prescribed for one’s jāti (social/legal tradition).

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as layered: universal compassion plus contextual social-ritual codes; karma is shaped by correct performance of duties.

Application: For deaths beyond early childhood, follow one’s tradition’s full antyeṣṭi/śrāddha framework; maintain simple auspicious offerings for children.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household/ritual-ground

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.24.36–38 (age-based impurity and cremation rules leading to this conclusion)

Characters & Entities
P
Pretas

FAQs

This verse states that for a departed child, milk is the proper and auspicious offering, indicating a simplified, age-appropriate rite compared to adult śrāddha procedures.

It sets a practical threshold: for children, milk/child-appropriate food offerings are emphasized; once the deceased is older than five years, customary jāti-prescribed rites are to be performed as well.

When performing post-death observances, follow age-sensitive and tradition-specific guidance: keep offerings simple for very young children, and consult family/śāstra-based practice for rites applicable beyond five years.

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