Home›Garuda Purana›Preta Kalpa›Adhyaya 5›Shloka 49
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Shloka 49

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

सपिण्डीकरणं चैव तृतीया षोडशी मता / द्वादशाहे त्रिपक्षे च षण्मासे मासिके ऽब्दिके

Transliteration

sapiṇḍīkaraṇaṃ caiva tṛtīyā ṣoḍaśī matā / dvādaśāhe tripakṣe ca ṣaṇmāse māsike 'bdike

Translation

พิธีศราทธ์สปิณฑีกรณะก็ทรงกำหนดให้ทำได้ในวันที่สามหรือวันที่สิบหก; อีกทั้งอาจทำในวันที่สิบสอง หลังครบปักษ์ ที่หกเดือน ในพิธีรายเดือน หรือในพิธีรายปีได้ด้วย।

Word by Word
सपिण्डीकरणम्the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa rite
सपिण्डीकरणम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootस+पिण्डीकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (स + पिण्डीकरण) = ‘making into one piṇḍa/association with piṇḍas’
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ (and)
एवindeed
एव:
Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारणार्थ (indeed/only)
तृतीयाthe third (rite/day)
तृतीया:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
षोडशीthe sixteenth (rite/day)
षोडशी:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootषोडशी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
मताis considered
मता:
Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
TypeVerb
Rootमन् (धातु) → मत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formक्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘considered/held to be’
द्वादशाहेon the twelfth day / in the twelve-day period
द्वादशाहे:
Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootद्वादश+अह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/locative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास ‘twelve-day (period)’
त्रिपक्षेin the three-fortnight period
त्रिपक्षे:
Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootत्रि+पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास ‘three fortnights’
चand
च:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ (and)
षण्मासेat six months
षण्मासे:
Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootषट्+मास (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास ‘six months’
मासिकेat the monthly (rite)
मासिके:
Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootमासिक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘monthly (rite)’
अब्दिकेat the annual (rite)
अब्दिके:
Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootअब्दिक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘annual (rite)’
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instructing Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Sapindana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: On the 3rd or 16th day; alternatively on the 12th day, after a fortnight, at six months, at the monthly observance, or at the annual ceremony.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa may be performed at multiple sanctioned times; dharma accommodates calendrical contingencies while preserving intent.

Vedantic Theme: Niyata-karma with deśa-kāla adaptability: the spirit of duty (saṅkalpa) upheld even when timing varies.

Application: If the third or sixteenth day is not feasible, perform sapiṇḍīkaraṇa at another authorized interval (12th day, after a fortnight, at six months, monthly, or annual śrāddha), maintaining proper procedure and intention.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa 2.5 (sapiṇḍīkaraṇa definitions and timing options)

Characters & Entities
P
Pitris
P
Preta

FAQs

This verse highlights sapiṇḍīkaraṇa as the key ritual that links the departed with the Pitṛs through piṇḍa-offerings, marking a formal transition in ancestral rites.

By listing permissible times for sapiṇḍīkaraṇa and related observances (twelfth day, fortnight, monthly, yearly), the verse frames the post-death journey as supported by staged rites that accompany the preta’s onward integration with the ancestral realm.

It advises families to follow an authorized schedule for post-death śrāddha and sapiṇḍīkaraṇa (as guided by tradition and priests), emphasizing timely, consistent remembrance and ritual duty toward ancestors.

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