Shloka 24

The Narrative of the Five Pretas

Eligibility for rites and jīvac-chrāddha procedure

Devanagari script

निरग्रिमथ वा भूमिं यमं रुद्रञ्च संस्मरेत् / हुत्वा प्राधानिके स्थाने पश्चादावाहयेच्च तम्

Transliteration

niragrimatha vā bhūmiṃ yamaṃ rudrañca saṃsmaret / hutvā prādhānike sthāne paścādāvāhayecca tam

Translation

หากไม่มีไฟศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ให้ระลึกถึงแผ่นดิน ยมะ และรุทระ; ครั้นถวายบูชา ณ สถานที่หลักแล้ว จึงอัญเชิญพระองค์มาสถิต ณ ที่นั้นตามพิธี

Word by Word

• निरग्रिम्: without fire (fireless)
• निरग्रिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन; नञ्/निः-पूर्वक विशेषण (without fire)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तर/प्रस्ताव (then/now)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (or)

• भूमिम्: earth, ground
• भूमिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन

• यमम्: Yama
• यमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन

• रुद्रम्: Rudra
• रुद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• संस्मरेत्: should remember/meditate upon
• संस्मरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• हुत्वा: having offered
• हुत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु) → हुत्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (क्त्वा), पूर्वकाल

• प्राधानिके: principal, primary
• प्राधानिके: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राधानिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Case 7), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying स्थाने)

• स्थाने: in the place
• स्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Case 7), एकवचन

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (afterwards)

• आवाहयेत्: should invoke/call
• आवाहयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + वह् (धातु) + णिच् → आवाहय (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: When agni is unavailable during death-rite adjunct

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual adaptability: when a primary instrument (fire) is absent, dharma permits a meditative substitution while preserving intention, locus, and invocation.

Vedantic Theme: Antaryāmin-bhāva: sacred efficacy is not only external; recollection (smaraṇa) and saṅkalpa can sustain rite within constraints.

Application: When ideal resources are unavailable, preserve the essence—right intention, remembrance of governing principles, and correct sequencing—rather than abandoning duty.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual locus / āvāhana-sthāna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.8.22-23 (agni and homa); Garuda Purana 2.8.25-26 (offerings and mantras)

Characters & Entities

• Bhumi (Earth)
• Yama
• Rudra

FAQs

What is the importance of performing rites when there is no sacred fire (niragni) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse allows a valid alternative: when fire is unavailable, the practitioner substitutes meditative remembrance of sacred supports (Earth) and governing deities (Yama, Rudra), then performs the offering at the designated principal place and completes the rite through proper invocation.

How does this verse connect Yama and Rudra to post-death ritual practice?

Yama represents the moral-judicial order governing the departed, while Rudra signifies purification and transformative auspiciousness; remembering them aligns the rite with dharmic regulation and spiritual purification, especially in contexts related to the dead (preta-related observances).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If ideal ritual resources are unavailable, maintain correctness through intention and prescribed substitutions: choose a clean principal place, offer with discipline, and complete the act with focused invocation and remembrance rather than abandoning the duty.