Shloka 4

Determining Rites for Difficult/Inauspicious Deaths; Annual and Daily Śrāddha Rules

Devanagari script

यदा त्वन्यतरः साग्निः पुत्रो वाप्यथवा पिता / प्रत्यब्दं पार्वणं तत्र कुर्यातां क्षेत्रजौरसौ

Transliteration

yadā tvanyataraḥ sāgniḥ putro vāpyathavā pitā / pratyabdaṃ pārvaṇaṃ tatra kuryātāṃ kṣetrajaurasau

Translation

แต่เมื่อ ณ ที่นั้นมีบุตรผู้รักษาไฟศักดิ์สิทธิ์ (สาคนิ) หรือมีบิดาอยู่แล้ว บุตรทั้งสอง—กเษตรชะและโอรส—พึงประกอบศราทธะ ‘ปารวณะ’ ทุกปี

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: सम्बन्ध/कालाधिकरण (kāla-adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb/conjunction): 'when'

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ (but/indeed)

• अन्यतरः: one (of the two)
• अन्यतरः: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्यतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (one of the two/one of them)

• साग्निः: one who maintains the sacred fire
• साग्निः: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: सः अग्निः यस्य (one who has sacred fire)

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle): 'or'

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle): 'also/even'

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: सम्बन्ध (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or else)

• पिता: father
• पिता: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रति-अब्दम्: every year
• प्रति-अब्दम्: कालाधिकरण (kāla-adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय) + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; अर्थः 'प्रत्येकं वर्षम्' (every year)

• पार्वणम्: the parva-śrāddha (fortnightly rite)
• पार्वणम्: कर्म (karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• तत्र: there/in that case
• तत्र: अधिकरण (adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb): 'there/in that case'

• कुर्याताम्: should perform (the two should do)
• कुर्याताम्: क्रिया (verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद; 'they two should do'

• क्षेत्रज-औरसौ: the kṣetraja and the aurasa (two sons)
• क्षेत्रज-औरसौ: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्रज (प्रातिपदिक) + औरस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; 'क्षेत्रजः च औरसः च' (two sons: kṣetraja and aurasa)

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Pratyabda (annual)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual authority and presence of qualified persons determine the correct śrāddha form; annual pārvaṇa is affirmed when sAgni son or father is present.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma upheld through qualified agency (adhikārin) and right context (deśa-kāla-pātra).

Application: If a qualified agni-maintainer or the father is available, coordinate family performance of annual pārvaṇa rather than improvising alternate forms.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: gṛhastha household with sacred fire / ritual enclosure

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.45.3 (restriction) and 2.45.6 (timing exceptions)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of Pārvaṇa śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats Pārvaṇa śrāddha as a required annual duty (pratyabda) for maintaining pitṛ-obligations, specifying eligible performers so the rite is not neglected.

How does this verse clarify who should perform the annual rites for ancestors?

It states that if either an agni-maintaining son or the father is present, then the two sons—kṣetraja and aurasa—are to carry out the yearly Pārvaṇa śrāddha, emphasizing continuity of lineage-duty.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Ensure annual ancestral observances are responsibly arranged within the family—identifying who will perform śrāddha and maintaining regularity—so that pitṛ-dharma is upheld without dispute or omission.