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Shloka 58

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

चतुरो निर्वपेत्पिण्डान्पूर्वन्तेषु समापयेत् / ततः प्रभृति वै प्रेतः पितृसामान्यमश्नुते

Transliteration

caturo nirvapetpiṇḍānpūrvanteṣu samāpayet / tataḥ prabhṛti vai pretaḥ pitṛsāmānyamaśnute

Translation

พึงถวายปิณฑะสี่ก้อน และทำพิธีให้จบลงตามจุดปิดพิธีที่กำหนดไว้ก่อนแล้ว นับแต่นั้นเปรตย่อมได้สถานะร่วมเช่นเดียวกับปิตฤทั้งหลาย

Word by Word
चतुरःfour
चतुरः:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootचतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण
निर्वपेत्should offer/place (as offering)
निर्वपेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootनिर्वप् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
पिण्डान्rice-balls (piṇḍas)
पिण्डान्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन
पूर्वान्तेषुat the earlier ends/places (i.e., earlier positions)
पूर्वान्तेषु:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootपूर्व + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (पूर्वेषु अन्तेषु/पूर्वान्तेषु)
समापयेत्should complete/finish
समापयेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + आप् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense ‘to complete/finish’
ततःthen; thereafter
ततः:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; तस्मात्-प्रभृति/क्रमवाचक (then/from that)
प्रभृतिfrom then onward
प्रभृति:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रभृति (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; आरम्भवाचक (from that time onward)
वैindeed
वै:
Discourse particle (Nipata/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)
प्रेतःthe preta (departed spirit)
प्रेतः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन
पितृसामान्यम्common status with the Pitṛs
पितृसामान्यम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ + सामान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पितॄणां सामान्यं)
अश्नुतेattains/enjoys
अश्नुते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअश् (धातु)
Formलट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Sapindana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: At sapīṇḍīkaraṇa completion point (as per tradition’s prescribed day/sequence).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sapīṇḍīkaraṇa logic: offering the prescribed number of piṇḍas culminates in the preta’s admission into the pitṛ collective.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra as dharmic instrument shaping subtle destiny; continuity of lineage duties (pitṛ-ṛṇa) supports social and spiritual order.

Application: Offer four piṇḍas in the prescribed sequence and conclude at the correct ritual ‘stopping points’ (nyāsa/udvāsana-style closures as taught by one’s tradition), understanding this marks the shift to pitṛ status.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: ritual altar space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa 2.5.57-61 (vessels, piṇḍas, and status transition)

Characters & Entities
P
Pitris
P
Pretas

FAQs

This verse states that offering four prescribed piṇḍas and completing the rite properly helps the departed (preta) move toward ancestral integration, culminating in pitṛ-sāmānya—being accepted among the Pitṛs.

It distinguishes the preta phase from the Pitṛ phase: the departed remains a preta until the prescribed piṇḍa rites are completed, after which the being attains the shared condition/status of the Pitṛs.

Follow śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna with accuracy and sincerity (ideally with learned guidance), treating the rites as acts of duty and remembrance that support orderly transition and family dharma.

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