Shloka 13

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

आशौचं ते समाख्यातं संक्षेपात्प्रकृतं ब्रुवे / जलं त्रिदिवमाकाशे स्थाप्यं क्षीरञ्च मृन्मये

Transliteration

āśaucaṃ te samākhyātaṃ saṃkṣepātprakṛtaṃ bruve / jalaṃ tridivamākāśe sthāpyaṃ kṣīrañca mṛnmaye

Translation

یوں تمہیں اشوچ بیان کیا گیا؛ اب میں اختصار سے رائج طریقہ بتاتا ہوں۔ کھلے آسمان کے نیچے بلند جگہ پر پانی رکھو، اور دودھ مٹی کے برتن میں رکھو۔

Word by Word

• āśaucam: impurity (mourning impurity)
• āśaucam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśauca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक-सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• samākhyātam: has been explained
• samākhyātam: Predicate (Kriyā/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-khyā (धातु) → samākhyāta (कृदन्त-क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘has been explained/declared’

• saṃkṣepāt: briefly/in summary
• saṃkṣepāt: Adverbial (Hetu/Avadhi via Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃkṣepa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; ‘संक्षेपतः’ अर्थे

• prakṛtam: as per the general rule/natural (standard)
• prakṛtam: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prakṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (आशौचम् इत्यस्य)

• bruve: I state/say
• bruve: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• jalam: water
• jalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र विधेयकर्मरूपेण (to be placed)

• tri-divam: for three days / three-day (period)
• tri-divam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + diva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः ‘त्रीणि दिवानि’

• ākāśe: in the open air/sky
• ākāśe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• sthāpyam: should be placed
• sthāpyam: Predicate (Vidhi/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु) → sthāpya (कृदन्त-तव्यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय—‘should be placed’

• kṣīram: milk
• kṣīram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (Samuccaya/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• mṛn-maye: in an earthen (vessel)
• mṛn-maye: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛd (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—मृन्मय (मृदा निर्मितः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual procedure (ācāra) operationalizes purity rules through specific placements and vessels.

Vedantic Theme: Outer śauca supports inner sattva; disciplined action (karma) as a means to harmony.

Application: Prepare ritual items correctly: keep water in an elevated open place; place milk in an earthen pot, maintaining cleanliness and separation during impurity periods.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: cross-ventilated rooftop/courtyard/raised platform

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: procedural vidhis around pretakarma/śānti and household purity (contextual parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of āśauca in the Garuda Purana?

Āśauca marks a regulated period of ritual impurity after death, during which specific observances are followed; this verse signals a concise, practical outline of customary steps connected with such rites.

How does this verse relate to offerings for the departed (preta-related rites)?

By prescribing keeping water in an open/elevated place and milk in an earthen pot, it points to concrete ritual arrangements commonly associated with post-death observances and support-offerings made during the mourning period.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If performing traditional rites, follow established family/śāstra-based procedure with cleanliness and simplicity—using appropriate vessels (like earthenware) and keeping offerings in a pure, open place as guided by qualified elders or priests.