Shloka 37

Varṇāśrama-ācāra, Aśauca (Sūtaka) Regulations, and Prāyaścitta with Funeral-Rite Notes

Devanagari script

असौ स्वर्गाय लोकाय स्वाहेत्याज्याहुतिः सकृत् / हंससारसक्रौञ्चानां चक्रवाकं च कुक्रुटम्

Transliteration

asau svargāya lokāya svāhetyājyāhutiḥ sakṛt / haṃsasārasakrauñcānāṃ cakravākaṃ ca kukruṭam

Translation

‘سْواہا’ کہہ کر گھی کی ایک ہی آہوتی دینے سے سْورگ لوک کی پرابتھی ہوتی ہے؛ اور پُنّیہ پھل کے طور پر ہنس، سارَس، کرونچ، چکروَاک اور مُرغا وغیرہ جیو ملتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• असौ: this (person/one)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• स्वर्गाय: for heaven
• स्वर्गाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th case/dative), एकवचन

• लोकाय: for the world (realm)
• लोकाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th case/dative), एकवचन

• स्वाहा: “svāhā” (oblation call)
• स्वाहा: Sambandha (Contextual/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वाहा (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: मन्त्र-निपात (ritual exclamation/particle)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Contextual/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• आज्याहुतिः: a ghee-oblation
• आज्याहुतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्य + आहुति (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): आज्यस्य आहुतिः

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/आवृत्ति-अव्यय (adverb of frequency)

• हंससारसक्रौञ्चानाम्: of swans, cranes, and krauñca-birds
• हंससारसक्रौञ्चानाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस + सारस + क्रौञ्च (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (copulative): हंसाश्च सारसाश्च क्रौञ्चाश्च

• चक्रवाकम्: a cakravāka bird
• चक्रवाकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रवाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन

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

• कुक्रुटम्: a cock/rooster
• कुक्रुटम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुक्रुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A small, correctly performed sacrificial offering yields disproportionate punya and elevated post-mortem destinations/forms.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyama (lawful fruition of action) within saṃsāra; ritual efficacy when aligned with śruti-smṛti procedure.

Application: Perform homa/offerings with proper mantra (svāhā) and intention; cultivate sattvic acts that generate uplifted outcomes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: loka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.107 (prāyaścitta/karma-phala context continuing into 1.107.38–39)

FAQs

What is the importance of ghee oblation (ājya-āhuti) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that even a single ghee offering made with the mantra “svāhā” is described as producing svarga-oriented merit (puṇya), indicating the ritual’s potency in generating auspicious post-death outcomes.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It links a specific ritual act (a properly offered āhuti) with an elevated destination (svarga-loka), showing the Garuda Purana’s karmic framework where rites and intentions shape the soul’s experiential realm after death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform offerings and ancestral rites with correctness and sincerity—small, well-done acts (done with mantra and devotion) are taught to have meaningful karmic and ethical impact.