Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 118

Dharma–Adharma Marks; Daśāha, Piṇḍa Formation, Śrāddha Calendar, Śayyā-dāna, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Rules

Devanagari script

विप्रेणैव यदा शूद्रा परिणीता प्रमादतः / एकोद्दिष्टन्तु तच्छ्राद्ध सा तु तेनैव युज्यते

Transliteration

vipreṇaiva yadā śūdrā pariṇītā pramādataḥ / ekoddiṣṭantu tacchrāddha sā tu tenaiva yujyate

Translation

Kung dahil sa kapabayaan ay napangasawa ng isang brāhmaṇa ang isang babaeng Śūdra, kung gayon ang ekoddiṣṭa (iisang layon) na śrāddha para sa kanya ay dapat isagawa; at ang mismong brāhmaṇa ring iyon lamang ang dapat magsagawa ng ritwal na pag-uugnay.

Word by Word

• विप्रेण: by a brahmin
• विप्रेण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• यदा: when
• यदा: कालाधिकरण (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• शूद्रा: a śūdra woman
• शूद्रा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• परिणीता: married (taken in marriage)
• परिणीता: कर्तृसम्बन्ध (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-नी (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः ‘विवाहिता/परिणीता’

• प्रमादतः: through negligence
• प्रमादतः: हेतु (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause)

• एकोद्दिष्टम्: the ekoddiṣṭa (single-offering)
• एकोद्दिष्टम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक-उद्दिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (एकं उद्दिष्टं यस्मिन्/एकस्य उद्देशः)

• तु: but
• तु: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Contrast)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (adversative/contrast), अव्यय

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (demonstrative)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध/निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात, अव्यय

• तेन: by him/with him
• तेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: only
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात, अव्यय

• युज्यते: is joined/assigned
• युज्यते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Patni (wife) as preta/pitṛ-to-be

Timing: After death during preta-śrāddha sequence (implied)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual responsibility follows the agent who created the marital/ritual linkage; ekoddiṣṭa is prescribed to regularize the deceased’s status.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-niyati and dharma as order (ṛta) expressed through prescribed rites; social acts entail continuing ritual obligations.

Application: When an irregular marriage occurs, the responsible husband alone performs the woman’s ekoddiṣṭa-śrāddha to ensure proper preta-to-pitṛ transition and avoid ritual confusion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: gṛha/śrāddha-sthāna (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-khaṇḍa: ekoddiṣṭa-vidhi and sapiṇḍīkaraṇa-vidhi (adjacent verses 2.34.119-122)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmana
• Shudra
• Eka-uddista Shraddha

FAQs

What is the importance of ekoddiṣṭa śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats ekoddiṣṭa śrāddha as a specific, single-intent rite offered for an individual departed person, with clear instruction about who must undertake it in a given circumstance.

How does this verse explain responsibility for performing śrāddha?

It assigns ritual responsibility to the same person who established the marital bond—here, stating that the brāhmaṇa who married her should perform (or ensure) her ekoddiṣṭa śrāddha, emphasizing continuity of ritual obligation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It underscores carefulness in dharmic duties and clarity of responsibility in family death rites—ensuring that prescribed śrāddha is not neglected and is carried out by the appropriate responsible party.