Shloka 38

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

विष्णवादिविष्णुपर्यन्तान्येकादश तथा खग / श्राद्धानि पञ्च देवानामित्येषां मध्यषीडशी

Transliteration

viṣṇavādiviṣṇuparyantānyekādaśa tathā khaga / śrāddhāni pañca devānāmityeṣāṃ madhyaṣīḍaśī

Translation

اے خَگ (گرڑ)، وِشنو سے شروع ہو کر وِشنو پر ختم ہونے والے گیارہ شرادھ ہیں؛ اور دیوتاؤں کے لیے پانچ شرادھ نذر ہیں—یوں درمیان میں کل سولہ بنتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• विष्ण्वादि-विष्णु-पर्यन्तानि: (those) beginning with Viṣṇu and ending with Viṣṇu
• विष्ण्वादि-विष्णु-पर्यन्तानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्यन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः (आदि-पर्यन्त-निर्देशः: 'from ... to ...')

• एकादश: eleven
• एकादश: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/particle)

• खग: O bird (Garuda)
• खग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (vocative), एकवचन

• श्राद्धानि: Śrāddha rites
• श्राद्धानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (indeclinable numeral)

• देवानाम्: of/for the gods
• देवानाम्: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/समाप्ति-चिह्न (quotative)

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• मध्य-षोडशी: the middle sixteenth (observance)
• मध्य-षोडशी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + षोडशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (मध्यैव षोडशी)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Within the ‘middle’ set culminating in sixteen offerings/rites.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha is systematized: eleven connected with Viṣṇu (from Viṣṇu to Viṣṇu) plus five for devas, yielding sixteen in the middle set.

Vedantic Theme: Integration of deva-yajña and pitṛ-yajña under a Viṣṇu-centric frame; harmonizing ritual plurality with a unifying devotional axis.

Application: When planning śrāddha cycles, account for both Viṣṇu-oriented and deva-oriented offerings as prescribed, ensuring the intended total is met.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Preta-kalpa: śrāddha classifications and counts (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Devas
• Shraddha

FAQs

What is the importance of the sixteen (ṣoḍaśī) Śrāddha set in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames a counted structure of Śrāddha rites—eleven associated with Viṣṇu plus five offerings for the Devas—presented as a complete intermediate set totaling sixteen.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s post-death journey described in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta-kāṇḍa context, Śrāddha is taught as a supportive rite performed by the living; this verse classifies the prescribed offerings, implying an ordered ritual framework that accompanies the departed’s transitional state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing or commissioning Śrāddha, follow a clearly defined, tradition-based sequence of offerings (including Deva-related rites), rather than treating post-death rituals as vague or optional.