Shloka 74

Pitṛ-Stuti, Tarpaṇa, and the Ritual Power of Recitation in Śrāddha

Devanagari script

यद्यप्यश्रोत्रियं श्राद्धं यद्यप्युपहतं भवेत् / अन्यायोपात्तवित्तेन यदि वा कृतमन्यथा

Transliteration

yadyapyaśrotriyaṃ śrāddhaṃ yadyapyupahataṃ bhavet / anyāyopāttavittena yadi vā kṛtamanyathā

Translation

Kahit isagawa ang Śrāddha para sa taong hindi karapat-dapat tumanggap ayon sa Veda, kahit may kapintasan ang ritwal, o gawin gamit ang yaman na nakuha sa kawalang-katarungan—o maisagawa sa di-wastong paraan—ito’y nagiging kapintasan at nahahadlangan ang inaasahang bunga.

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तसूचक (conditional particle)

• api: even/although
• api: Sambandha (Concession/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-प्रयोगः (concessive/emphatic particle)

• aśrotriyam: (performed by) a non-śrotriya (non-Vedic scholar)
• aśrotriyam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-śrotriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Nom/Acc sg)

• śrāddham: śrāddha rite
• śrāddham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc sg)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तसूचक (conditional particle)

• api: even/although
• api: Sambandha (Concession/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-प्रयोगः (concessive/emphatic particle)

• upahatam: spoiled/defective
• upahatam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upahata (कृदन्त; √han (धातु) + उपसर्ग upa)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (PPP, Neuter Nom/Acc sg)

• bhavet: may be/become
• bhavet: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (may be)

• anyāya-upātta-vittena: with wealth acquired unjustly
• anyāya-upātta-vittena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anyāya (प्रातिपदिक) + upātta (कृदन्त; √dā (धातु) + उपसर्ग upa + आ) + vitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; साधन/हेतु-निर्देशः (Instrumental sg; by means of wealth obtained unjustly)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तसूचक (conditional particle)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

• kṛtam: done/performed
• kṛtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त; √kṛ (धातु))
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (done/made)

• anyathā: otherwise/improperly
• anyathā: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Adharma (unjust wealth, improper procedure, unqualified recipient) obstructs śrāddha-phala.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala depends on saṅkalpa, śuddhi (means), and vidhi; ethical causality governs ritual outcomes.

Application: Perform śrāddha with rightful earnings, proper recipients, and correct procedure; avoid shortcuts that compromise integrity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-space (griha/vedi implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha sections on śrāddha-doṣa and brāhmaṇa-viśeṣaṇa (contextual)

FAQs

What is the importance of qualified recipients (śrotriya) in Garuda Purana Shraddha?

This verse emphasizes that offering Śrāddha to an unqualified recipient (aśrotriya) is a defect that can obstruct the intended benefit of the rite.

How does this verse relate to karma and the results of death rituals?

It links ritual outcome to ethical causality: if the rite is tainted—by defects, wrong procedure, or unjustly earned wealth—the karmic efficacy is diminished or becomes blameworthy.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform ancestral rites with integrity: follow proper procedure, choose competent officiants/recipients, and fund the ritual through honest means.