Shloka 21

The Narrative of the Five Pretas

Eligibility for rites and jīvac-chrāddha procedure

Devanagari script

ततः कामं कुलेशानीं शिवं नारायणं स्मरेत् / चतुर्दश्यां ततो गच्छेद्यथाप्राप्तां सरिद्वराम्

Transliteration

tataḥ kāmaṃ kuleśānīṃ śivaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ smaret / caturdaśyāṃ tato gacchedyathāprāptāṃ saridvarām

Translation

จากนั้นตามปรารถนา พึงระลึกถึงกุเลศานี พระศิวะ และพระนารายณ์. แล้วในวันจตุรทศี พึงไปยังแม่น้ำอันประเสริฐที่มีอยู่ใกล้และไปถึงได้

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण

• कामम्: as desired/at will
• कामम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कामम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (optionally/at will)

• कुलेशानीम्: Kuleśānī (family-goddess)
• कुलेशानीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल + ईशानी (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कुलस्य ईशानी’ (lady/lord of the family; a form of Devī)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्मरेत्: should remember
• स्मरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• चतुर्दश्याम्: on the fourteenth lunar day
• चतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तिथि-विशेष (lunar day)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• यथाप्राप्ताम्: as available/according to what is obtained
• यथाप्राप्ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + प्राप्त (कृदन्त) (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव: ‘यथाप्राप्त’ = as obtained/available; विशेषण

• सरिद्वराम्: to an excellent river
• सरिद्वराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् + वर (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘वरा सरित्’ (excellent river)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Narayana) instructing Garuda (Vinata-putra), in the Preta Kanda teaching on rites for the departed

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After completion of śrāddha sequence; on caturdaśī proceed for river-related observance (snāna/tarpaṇa implied by context).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Smaraṇa of chosen deities according to inclination, culminating in purificatory movement to a river on an auspicious lunar day.

Vedantic Theme: Īṣṭa-devatā-niṣṭhā within broader theistic frame; external tīrtha supports internal purification and steadiness of mind.

Application: Choose a consistent devotional focus (even within a broad pantheon) and pair it with periodic acts of purification/retreat (river/sea/quiet nature) on meaningful calendar days.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: river

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.8 (post-rite remembrance and subsequent observance on caturdaśī; movement to river)

Characters & Entities

• Kuleshani
• Shiva
• Narayana

FAQs

What is the importance of Chaturdashi (the 14th lunar day) in Garuda Purana rites?

This verse places Chaturdashi as a key ritual time, directing the practitioner to undertake a river-related observance on the fourteenth tithi as part of post-death/ancestral ceremonial duties.

Why does the verse mention remembering Kuleśānī, Śiva, and Nārāyaṇa together?

The instruction emphasizes devotional remembrance (smaraṇa) of protective and liberating deities—family-protecting Śakti (Kuleśānī), Śiva, and Nārāyaṇa—so that the rite is grounded in dharma and auspicious intention, not merely external action.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When doing śrāddha/antyeṣṭi-related observances, include focused remembrance of the chosen deities and perform purification/ritual steps at a clean, accessible river (or an appropriate water body if a river is not feasible), aligning devotion with disciplined practice.