Shloka 8

Nāndīmukha-śrāddha (Prosperity Rites), Preta-kriyā, Aśauca, Ekoddiṣṭa, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Framework

Devanagari script

प्रेतदेहं शुभैः स्नानैः स्नापितं स्रग्विभूषितम् दग्ध्वा ग्रामाद् बहिः स्नात्वा सचैलाः सलिलाशये

Transliteration

pretadehaṃ śubhaiḥ snānaiḥ snāpitaṃ sragvibhūṣitam dagdhvā grāmād bahiḥ snātvā sacailāḥ salilāśaye

Translation

เมื่อชำระร่างผู้ตายด้วยการอาบน้ำอันเป็นมงคลและประดับพวงมาลัยแล้ว ครั้นเผาศพเสร็จให้ไปนอกหมู่บ้าน แล้วอาบน้ำในแหล่งน้ำโดยยังสวมผ้าอยู่

Word by Word

• प्रेतदेहम्: the corpse (body of the departed)
• प्रेतदेहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत-देह (प्रातिपदिक; प्रेत + देह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object of dagdhvā/‘having burned’)

• शुभैः: with auspicious
• शुभैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण (instrumental)

• स्नानैः: baths/ablutions
• स्नानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण (instrumental)

• स्नापितम्: having been bathed/washed
• स्नापितम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying pretadeham)

• स्रग्विभूषितम्: adorned with a garland
• स्रग्विभूषितम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्रज्-वि-भूषित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; स्रज् ‘garland’ + विभूषित ‘adorned’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying pretadeham)

• दग्ध्वा: having burned (cremated)
• दग्ध्वा: Kriya (Gerund/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• ग्रामात्: from the village
• ग्रामात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान (ablative: from)

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Kriya (Gerund/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• सचैलाः: wearing clothes (not naked)
• सचैलाः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-चैल (प्रातिपदिक; स ‘with’ + चैल ‘clothes’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying implied agents, e.g., bāndhavāḥ)

• सलिलाशये: in a water-reservoir (pond/river)
• सलिलाशये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलिल-आशय (प्रातिपदिक; सलिल + आशय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण (location)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Practical sequence of pretakarma: bathing/adornment, cremation, post-cremation bathing outside the village

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The departed is honored with auspicious bathing and adornment, then cremated; survivors perform purification by bathing in water outside the village.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Hold grief with dignity—offer respectful care, keep communal hygiene and ritual closure, and use water/cleansing as a mindful reset after loss.

Vishishtadvaita: Even bodily rites are sacral: the body is treated with honor as a temple of the self, while purification practices restore the household to dharmic rhythm under divine order.

FAQs

What is the significance of bathing outside the village after cremation in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames post-cremation bathing outside the settlement as a śauca (purificatory) act, marking a ritual transition from contact with death back to social and religious purity.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the proper sequence of funeral actions here?

He presents a clear sequence—auspicious bathing and adorning of the body, cremation, then moving beyond the village boundary for a purificatory bath in a water source—showing dharma as orderly, step-by-step conduct.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Vishnu Purana treats dharma and purity as part of Vishnu’s sovereignty over cosmic and social order—ritual discipline becomes a lived expression of alignment with the Supreme sustainer.