Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

यत्र त्रिरात्रमाशौचं तत्रादौ त्रीन् प्रदापयेत् / चतुरस्तु द्वितीये ऽह्नि तृतीये त्रींश्तथैव च

Transliteration

yatra trirātramāśaucaṃ tatrādau trīn pradāpayet / caturastu dvitīye 'hni tṛtīye trīṃśtathaiva ca

Translation

جہاں آشوچ تین راتوں کا ہو، وہاں ابتدا میں تین (پِنڈ) دیے جائیں۔ دوسرے دن چار؛ اور تیسرے دن اسی طرح تیس (پِنڈ) نذر کیے جائیں۔

Word by Word

• यत्र: where/when
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक अव्यय (where/when)

• त्रिरात्रम्: three-night period
• त्रिरात्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कालपरिमाणवाचक (three nights)

• आशौचम्: impurity
• आशौचम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ-शौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• तत्र: there/then
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक अव्यय (there/then)

• आदौ: at the beginning
• आदौ: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial locative: “at first/initially”)

• त्रीन्: three
• त्रीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक (object-count)

• प्रदापयेत्: should offer/give
• प्रदापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच् (causative) — ‘cause to be given/offer’

• चतुरः: four
• चतुरः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• तु: but/then
• तु: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• द्वितीये: on the second
• द्वितीये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (अह्नि)

• अह्नि: day
• अह्नि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• तृतीये: on the third
• तृतीये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (अह्नि—अनुक्त)

• त्रीन्: three
• त्रीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (thus/likewise)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (indeed/just)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (and)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: For a three-night āśauca: day 1 offer 3; day 2 offer 4; day 3 offer 30 (as stated)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When āśauca is three nights, offerings are prescribed in a specific day-wise count; dharma is expressed as exact procedural order (krama).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa precision: right action in right sequence as a means of maintaining ṛta/dharma in transitional rites.

Application: Follow the day-by-day schedule appropriate to the household’s āśauca duration; keep a written checklist to avoid omissions in a stressful period.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: griha (household ritual space)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.34: adjacent verses detailing daśāha and ekoddiṣṭa timing; Other Garuda Purana lists of day-wise piṇḍa counts in varying āśauca cases (within the same ritual section)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Ashauca

FAQs

What is the importance of trirātra āśauca in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats the three-night impurity period as a structured ritual window in which specific offerings (piṇḍas) are prescribed day-by-day to support correct post-death observance.

How does this verse explain what should be offered during the three-day impurity period?

It gives a day-wise count of offerings: three at the start (day one), four on day two, and thirty on day three, indicating a graduated ritual schedule within trirātra āśauca.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If following traditional śrāddha practice, consult a qualified priest/family tradition and use this as a textual basis for structuring day-wise offerings during a three-day āśauca period.