Shloka 113

Dharma–Adharma Marks; Daśāha, Piṇḍa Formation, Śrāddha Calendar, Śayyā-dāna, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Rules

Devanagari script

अस्थिपोक्षे गयाश्राद्धं श्राद्धञ्चापरपक्षिकम् / अब्दमध्ये न कुर्वीत सपिण्डीकरणं विना

Transliteration

asthipokṣe gayāśrāddhaṃ śrāddhañcāparapakṣikam / abdamadhye na kurvīta sapiṇḍīkaraṇaṃ vinā

Translation

ในช่วงเก็บรวบรวม/ลอยอัฐิหลังฌาปนกิจ หากยังมิได้ประกอบพิธีสปิณฑีกรณ (sapiṇḍīkaraṇa) ก่อน ก็ไม่พึงทำคยา-ศราทธะและศราทธะแห่งปิตฤปักษะภายในปีนั้น

Word by Word

• अस्थि-पोक्षे: in the bone-collection period
• अस्थि-पोक्षे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + पोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अस्थ्नः पोक्षः) — Locative of time/occasion

• गया-श्राद्धम्: the Gayā śrāddha
• गया-श्राद्धम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — object

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपर-पक्षिकम्: belonging to the latter fortnight
• अपर-पक्षिकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्षिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः — qualifying ‘श्राद्धम्’

• अब्द-मध्ये: in the middle of the year
• अब्द-मध्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — locative

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• कुर्वीत: should do
• कुर्वीत: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd/प्रथम), एकवचन

• सपिण्डीकरणम्: the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa rite
• सपिण्डीकरणम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सपिण्डीकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• विना: without
• विना: अपादान/वियोग (Separation/अपादान-वियोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपपद-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable) — governs तृतीया/पञ्चमी sense; here ‘without’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Sapindana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Within the first year after death; do not perform Gayā-śrāddha or pitṛ-pakṣa śrāddha during asthi-related period unless sapiṇḍīkaraṇa is completed.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual acts must follow proper sequence (kāla-krama) and eligibility (adhikāra); śrāddha without completing the required transitional rite is improper.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as niyata (rule-governed) action: right performance purifies; disorderly action binds and confuses saṃskāra.

Application: Complete sapiṇḍīkaraṇa before undertaking Gayā-śrāddha or annual pitṛ-pakṣa śrāddha during the first year; consult a qualified purohita for timing around asthi-visarjana.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-kalpa sections on sapiṇḍīkaraṇa and annual śrāddha eligibility; Garuda Purana passages describing asthi-sañcayana/visarjana and the first-year mourning observances

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Pitris

FAQs

Why is sapiṇḍīkaraṇa required before performing Gayā-śrāddha or pitṛ-pakṣa śrāddha?

This verse states that, within the year, major śrāddhas like Gayā-śrāddha and pitṛ-pakṣa rites should not be done unless sapiṇḍīkaraṇa has been completed, indicating the need to ritually integrate the departed into the ancestral (pitṛ) lineage first.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s post-death journey described in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda framework, the departed is treated as a preta until proper rites are completed; sapiṇḍīkaraṇa marks a transition toward pitṛ-status, so performing certain śrāddhas is linked to the deceased’s ritual and metaphysical progression.

What is a practical takeaway from this verse for families observing death rites today?

Follow an orderly sequence of rites: complete the essential post-cremation and preta-related ceremonies (including sapiṇḍīkaraṇa as prescribed by one’s tradition) before scheduling major annual or pilgrimage śrāddhas such as those at Gayā or during pitṛ-pakṣa.