Shloka 21

The Narrative of the Five Pretas

Eligibility for rites and jīvac-chrāddha procedure

Devanagari script

ततः कामं कुलेशानीं शिवं नारायणं स्मरेत् / चतुर्दश्यां ततो गच्छेद्यथाप्राप्तां सरिद्वराम्

Transliteration

tataḥ kāmaṃ kuleśānīṃ śivaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ smaret / caturdaśyāṃ tato gacchedyathāprāptāṃ saridvarām

Translation

پھر اپنی خواہش کے مطابق کُلیشانی، شِو اور نارائن کا سمرن کرے۔ اس کے بعد چودھویں تِتھی کو اپنے قریب دستیاب بہترین ندی کی طرف جائے۔

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण

• कामम्: as desired/at will
• कामम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कामम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (optionally/at will)

• कुलेशानीम्: Kuleśānī (family-goddess)
• कुलेशानीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल + ईशानी (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कुलस्य ईशानी’ (lady/lord of the family; a form of Devī)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्मरेत्: should remember
• स्मरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• चतुर्दश्याम्: on the fourteenth lunar day
• चतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तिथि-विशेष (lunar day)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• यथाप्राप्ताम्: as available/according to what is obtained
• यथाप्राप्ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + प्राप्त (कृदन्त) (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव: ‘यथाप्राप्त’ = as obtained/available; विशेषण

• सरिद्वराम्: to an excellent river
• सरिद्वराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् + वर (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘वरा सरित्’ (excellent river)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Narayana) instructing Garuda (Vinata-putra), in the Preta Kanda teaching on rites for the departed

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After completion of śrāddha sequence; on caturdaśī proceed for river-related observance (snāna/tarpaṇa implied by context).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Smaraṇa of chosen deities according to inclination, culminating in purificatory movement to a river on an auspicious lunar day.

Vedantic Theme: Īṣṭa-devatā-niṣṭhā within broader theistic frame; external tīrtha supports internal purification and steadiness of mind.

Application: Choose a consistent devotional focus (even within a broad pantheon) and pair it with periodic acts of purification/retreat (river/sea/quiet nature) on meaningful calendar days.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: river

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.8 (post-rite remembrance and subsequent observance on caturdaśī; movement to river)

Characters & Entities

• Kuleshani
• Shiva
• Narayana

FAQs

What is the importance of Chaturdashi (the 14th lunar day) in Garuda Purana rites?

This verse places Chaturdashi as a key ritual time, directing the practitioner to undertake a river-related observance on the fourteenth tithi as part of post-death/ancestral ceremonial duties.

Why does the verse mention remembering Kuleśānī, Śiva, and Nārāyaṇa together?

The instruction emphasizes devotional remembrance (smaraṇa) of protective and liberating deities—family-protecting Śakti (Kuleśānī), Śiva, and Nārāyaṇa—so that the rite is grounded in dharma and auspicious intention, not merely external action.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When doing śrāddha/antyeṣṭi-related observances, include focused remembrance of the chosen deities and perform purification/ritual steps at a clean, accessible river (or an appropriate water body if a river is not feasible), aligning devotion with disciplined practice.