Shloka 9

Śrāddha as Trans-realm Nourishment; Pitṛ-Conveyance; Piṇḍa-born Body and the ātivāhika; Bhakti-based Release

Devanagari script

मृतानामपि जन्तूनां श्राद्धमाप्यायनं यदि / निर्वाणस्य प्रदीपस्य तैलं संवर्धयेच्छिखाम्

Transliteration

mṛtānāmapi jantūnāṃ śrāddhamāpyāyanaṃ yadi / nirvāṇasya pradīpasya tailaṃ saṃvardhayecchikhām

Translation

اگر شرادھ واقعی مرے ہوئے جانداروں کے لیے غذا اور تقویت ہے، تو وہ اس چراغ کے تیل کی مانند ہے جو بجھتی ہوئی لو کو پھر سے بڑھا دیتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• मृतानाम्: of the dead
• मृतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (प्रातिपदिक; √मृ + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; क्तान्त-प्रातिपदिक (dead ones)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle): even/also

• जन्तूनाम्: of beings/creatures
• जन्तूनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha offering
• श्राद्धम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• आप्यायनम्: nourishment, increase
• आप्यायनम्: Karma (Object/complement/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप्यायन (प्रातिपदिक; √प्यै/प्या + णिच्? भाव/कर्म-नाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भाववाचक (nourishment/increase)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• निर्वाणस्य: extinguished
• निर्वाणस्य: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying प्रदीपस्य)

• प्रदीपस्य: of a lamp
• प्रदीपस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• तैलम्: oil
• तैलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• संवर्धयेत्: would increase, would make grow
• संवर्धयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√वृध् (धातु) + णिच्
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative): would increase

• शिखाम्: flame
• शिखाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha functions as āpyāyana (nourishing/strengthening) for the departed, like oil sustaining and raising a lamp’s flame.

Vedantic Theme: Efficacy of karma-kāṇḍa through subtle linkage; compassion (dayā) expressed as dharma toward pitṛs; continuity of prāṇa/tejas imagery.

Application: Perform śrāddha as an act of care; treat memorial giving as sustaining support, not mere formality.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated analogies of nourishment to pretas/pitṛs; emphasis that offerings ‘strengthen’ the departed and relieve distress.

Characters & Entities

• Pitris (ancestors)
• Pretas (departed beings)

FAQs

What is the importance of Śrāddha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Śrāddha as āpyāyana—real nourishment/strengthening for the departed—comparable to oil sustaining and increasing a lamp’s flame.

How does this verse explain the condition of the departed soul?

It implies the departed can be in a weakened, “fading” state, and that ritual support (Śrāddha offerings) functions like fuel that restores steadiness and strength.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform Śrāddha with faith and correctness (as a duty to ancestors), treating it as meaningful support rather than a mere formality, and cultivate gratitude toward one’s lineage.