Shloka 55

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

Devanagari script

शवहस्ते च यच्छ्राद्धं मृतिस्थाने द्विजासने / तदेव प्रथमं श्राद्धं तत् स्यादेकादशे ऽहनि

Transliteration

śavahaste ca yacchrāddhaṃ mṛtisthāne dvijāsane / tadeva prathamaṃ śrāddhaṃ tat syādekādaśe 'hani

Translation

ศราทธ์ที่ประกอบเมื่อยังมีศพอยู่ ณ สถานที่มรณกรรม และมีทวิชะ (พราหมณ์) นั่งบนอาสนะรับพิธี นั่นแลเป็นศราทธ์แรก และพึงทำในวันที่สิบเอ็ด

Word by Word

• शव-हस्ते: at the corpse-hand (ritual context)
• शव-हस्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शव (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शवस्य हस्तः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'in/at the hand of the corpse' (ritual context)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• यत्: which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative)

• श्राद्धम्: Śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मृति-स्थाने: at the place of death
• मृति-स्थाने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मृतेः स्थानम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• द्विज-आसने: on the seat of a Brahmin
• द्विज-आसने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्विजस्य आसनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देशक

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; श्राद्धम् इति विशेषणम्

• श्राद्धम्: Śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुनर्निर्देश

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• एकादशे: on the eleventh
• एकादशे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन; अहनि इति विशेषणम्

• अहनि: on the day
• अहनि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Ekādaśāha (11th day) identified as the first śrāddha when performed with the body present at the death-place.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The first śrāddha is the one performed with the body present at the death-place, with a brāhmaṇa seated; it is done on the eleventh day.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra and pitṛ-kārya as dharmic duty that steadies the mind and honors relational bonds without clinging.

Application: Arrange the ekādaśāha śrāddha as the primary ‘first’ rite: invite a qualified brāhmaṇa, prepare offerings, and perform at/connected to the death-place tradition as applicable.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: household/death-site

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.34.53-54 (counting and tithi basis); 2.34.56 (exceptions).

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (Brahmana)

FAQs

What is the importance of the “first śrāddha” in the Garuda Purana?

This verse defines the first śrāddha as the rite connected with the body and performed at the death-place with a duly seated brāhmaṇa, establishing the formal beginning of post-death śrāddha observances.

Why does the verse specify the eleventh day (ekādaśa) for this śrāddha?

The verse states the timing directly: the rite recognized as the first śrāddha is to be performed on the eleventh day, aligning the śrāddha schedule with the Purāṇic post-death ritual sequence.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If following Garuda Purana–based practice, families can ensure rites are done with proper ritual seating of a qualified brāhmaṇa and observe the eleventh-day śrāddha as a key milestone in the post-death duties.