Shloka 141

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

Devanagari script

मृते पितर्यब्दमध्ये यः श्राद्धं कारयेत् सुतः / सप्तजन्मकृता धर्मात् हीयते नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

mṛte pitaryabdamadhye yaḥ śrāddhaṃ kārayet sutaḥ / saptajanmakṛtā dharmāt hīyate nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

เมื่อบิดาล่วงลับแล้ว หากบุตรจัดให้มีพิธีศราทธะภายในปีแรก เขาย่อมไม่เสื่อมจากบุญธรรมที่สั่งสมมาถึงเจ็ดชาติ—ข้อนี้ปราศจากข้อสงสัย

Word by Word

• मृते: when (he) is dead
• मृते: अधिकरण (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त) used locative absolute; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘when (the father) has died’

• पितरि: in/with regard to the father
• पितरि: अधिकरण (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular

• अब्दमध्ये: within the year
• अब्दमध्ये: अधिकरण (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अब्दस्य मध्ये); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; relative pronoun

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

• कारयेत्: should have performed
• कारयेत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: णिजन्त (causative) धातु; विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should cause to be done/should perform (through priests)’

• सुतः: the son
• सुतः: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to ‘यः’

• सप्तजन्मकृताः: done over seven births
• सप्तजन्मकृताः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त + जन्म + कृत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तजन्मसु कृताः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; adjective to an implied ‘धर्माः/पुण्यानि’

• धर्मात्: from dharma/merit
• धर्मात्: अपादान (Source/Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; Ablative singular

• हीयते: is diminished
• हीयते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘diminishes/is deprived’

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

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Within the first year after the father’s death (abda-madhye).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Timely performance of śrāddha for the deceased father safeguards the son’s dharmic merit across many births.

Vedantic Theme: Karma continuity across births; pitṛ-ṛṇa discharge as a stabilizer of one’s dharmic trajectory.

Application: After a parent’s death, prioritize prescribed memorial rites within the first year according to family tradition; if distant, arrange through trusted relatives/priests.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: gṛhastha-home/śrāddha-site

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana śrāddha-kalpa on ekoddiṣṭa and annual śrāddha sequence within the first year; Nearby verse 2.34.142 on preta distress when rites lapse

Characters & Entities

• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of performing śrāddha within the first year in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that arranging śrāddha within the first year after the father’s death safeguards the son’s accumulated dharmic merit, preventing its decline.

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

By emphasizing timely śrāddha for the departed father, it implies that post-death rites support the departed’s onward journey and also preserve the living descendant’s spiritual merit connected with pitṛ-obligations.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Fulfil pitṛ-kārya responsibly—arrange the prescribed śrāddha/annual rites within the appropriate period, and treat ancestral duties as part of daily dharma and ethical living.