Shloka 36

Śrāddha Vidhi: Kāla (Timing), Pātra (Recipient), and Karma (Procedure) for Pitṛ-tarpaṇa and Piṇḍa

Devanagari script

तस्याप्यन्नं सोदकुम्भं दद्यात्संवत्सरं द्विजः / पिण्डांश्च गोज विप्रेभ्यो दद्याद्ग्नौ जले ऽपि वा

Transliteration

tasyāpyannaṃ sodakumbhaṃ dadyātsaṃvatsaraṃ dvijaḥ / piṇḍāṃśca goja viprebhyo dadyādgnau jale 'pi vā

Translation

اس کے لیے بھی ایک دْوِج ایک سال تک کھانے کے ساتھ پانی کا کَلَش دان کرے۔ اور گائے سے حاصل شدہ چیزوں سے بنے پِنڈ عالم برہمنوں کو دے، یا انہیں آگ میں یا پانی میں بھی ارپن کرے۔

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चयार्थक

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• स-उदकुम्भम्: along with a water-pot
• स-उदकुम्भम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-उदकुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक; स + उदकुम्भ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—उपपद/तत्पुरुष (उदकुम्भेन सह)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• संवत्सरम्: for a year
• संवत्सरम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कालावधि (accusative of duration)

• द्विजः: a Brahmin
• द्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• पिण्डान्: rice-balls (piṇḍas)
• पिण्डान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• गोज: (unclear reading: goja)
• गोज: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अर्थः अनिश्चितः—पाठभेदसम्भवः)

• विप्रेभ्यः: to the Brahmins
• विप्रेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), बहुवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अग्नौ: in fire
• अग्नौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• जले: in water
• जले: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विकल्प/समुच्चयार्थक

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: for a full year (saṃvatsara) following death-related observances

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Extended śrāddha support through anna and water-pot gifts for a year; piṇḍa offerings may be mediated via brāhmaṇas or offered into fire/water when needed.

Vedantic Theme: Dāna and niyata-karma as purifiers: self-transcending giving reduces attachment and supports sattva, preparing the mind for higher pursuit.

Application: Sustain remembrance through periodic charity (food, water support) and community care; if direct ritual constraints arise, use permitted alternatives (agni/jala offerings) under guidance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: domestic ritual space; agni-kunda; river/pond/ghāṭa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.99: prescriptions for annual observances and alternative offering modes (agni/jala)

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas (Vipras)
• Agni (fire, as offering-medium)
• Water (as offering-medium)

FAQs

What is the importance of offering food and a water-pot (udaka-kumbha) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes sustained post-death support through dāna: providing nourishment (anna) and water (udaka) for a year as part of śrāddha-linked observances, reinforcing duty toward the departed and continuity of ritual care.

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

While not describing the soul’s route directly, it prescribes śrāddha-style offerings (piṇḍa, anna, udaka) understood in the Garuda Purana as supportive rites for the departed’s post-mortem condition, performed through qualified recipients (vipras) or via ritual media (fire/water).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform remembrance and charity in the spirit of śrāddha—regular food and water charity, and ritual offerings according to one’s tradition—prioritizing sincerity, purity, and support of learned/ethical recipients.