Shloka 34

Akalamṛtyu-kāraṇa and Bāla Antyeṣṭi: Age-graded Funeral Rites, Śrāddha Types, and Sonship Duties

Devanagari script

पौत्त्रस्य दर्शनाज्जन्तुर्मुच्यते चः ऋणत्रयात् / लोकानन्त्यं दिवः प्राप्तिः पुत्त्रपौत्त्र प्रपौत्त्रकैः

Transliteration

pauttrasya darśanājjanturmucyate caḥ ṛṇatrayāt / lokānantyaṃ divaḥ prāptiḥ puttrapauttra prapauttrakaiḥ

Translation

เพียงได้เห็นหลาน ชนย่อมพ้นจากหนี้สามประการ ด้วยบุตร หลาน และเหลน ย่อมได้ความรุ่งเรืองมั่นคงในโลกทั้งหลาย และบรรลุสวรรค์

Word by Word

• पौत्त्रस्य: of the grandson
• पौत्त्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौत्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• दर्शनात्: from seeing
• दर्शनात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादानार्थे (ablative of cause/source)

• जन्तुः: a being
• जन्तुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ऋणत्रयात्: from the three debts
• ऋणत्रयात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋण + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः (ṛṇa-traya)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• लोकानन्त्यम्: endlessness of worlds
• लोकानन्त्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + अनन्त्य (प्रातिपदिक); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः (loka-anantya)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• दिवः: of heaven
• दिवः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• प्राप्तिः: attainment
• प्राप्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• पुत्रपौत्त्रप्रपौत्त्रकैः: by sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons
• पुत्रपौत्त्रप्रपौत्त्रकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र + पौत्त्र + प्रपौत्त्र (प्रातिपदिक); द्वन्द्वसमासः (enumerative)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करणार्थे (instrumental)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Progeny (son–grandson–great-grandson) functions as a means to discharge the threefold debt (ṛṇa-traya) and secure auspicious post-mortem destiny.

Vedantic Theme: Kartavya-karma and pitṛ-yajña as purifying duties supporting orderly saṃsāra; worldly/heavenly fruits (svarga) contrasted implicitly with ultimate mokṣa.

Application: Honor family responsibilities: support elders, maintain lineage duties, and ensure proper rites/ethical upbringing so pitṛ-ṛṇa is not neglected.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-khaṇḍa passages on pitṛ-ṛṇa and putra-dharma (general)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Devas
• Rishis

FAQs

What is the importance of the threefold debt (ṛṇa-traya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links family lineage to dharmic discharge of the three debts—toward Devas, Rishis, and Pitris—stating that the presence of descendants symbolizes fulfillment of these obligations.

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

It implies that dharmic continuity through descendants supports auspicious post-death destiny—well-being across realms and attainment of heaven—by aligning one’s life with ancestral and cosmic duties.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Honor duties to ancestors (e.g., śrāddha/tarpaṇa where appropriate), live responsibly to sustain family and community, and uphold dharma so one’s lineage and obligations are carried forward.