Shloka 4

Śrāddha Vidhi (Pārvaṇa-Śrāddha): Invitations, Arghya, Protective Rites, Piṇḍa Offering, Dakṣiṇā, and Visarjana

Devanagari script

ततो दक्षिणा भिमुखेन वामोपवीतेनामुकगोत्रेभ्यो अस्मत्पितृपितामहप्रपितामहेभ्यो यथानामशर्मभ्य एतत्पादोदकमर्घ्यं स्वधेति पित्रादिब्राह्मणपादयोः पितृतीर्थेन आभुग्नकुशकुसुमसहितजलदानम्

Transliteration

tato dakṣiṇā bhimukhena vāmopavītenāmukagotrebhyo asmatpitṛpitāmahaprapitāmahebhyo yathānāmaśarmabhya etatpādodakamarghyaṃ svadheti pitrādibrāhmaṇapādayoḥ pitṛtīrthena ābhugnakuśakusumasahitajaladānam

Translation

Khi ấy, quay mặt về phương Nam và đeo dây thiêng theo lối đảo (vāmopavīta), hành giả nên dâng arghya là nước rửa chân, xưng “svadhā”, đến cha, ông nội và cụ nội—nêu đúng gotra và danh xưng của từng vị—bằng cách rót nước hòa cỏ kuśa đã bẻ cong và hoa xuống chân các Bà-la-môn đại diện cho các Pitṛ, dùng pitṛ-tīrtha nơi bàn tay.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: Then/Thereafter
• tataḥ: Adverb
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (तद्)
• Form: Adverbial suffix -tasil

• dakṣiṇābhimukhena: Facing the south
• dakṣiṇābhimukhena: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇābhimukha (दक्षिणाभिमुख)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• vāmopavītena: Wearing the sacred thread (in the reverse/left manner)
• vāmopavītena: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāmopavīta (वामोपवीत)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• amukagotrebhyaḥ: To those of [such and such] lineage
• amukagotrebhyaḥ: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amukagotra (अमुकगोत्र)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Plural

• asmatpitṛpitāmahaprapitāmahebhyaḥ: To our father, grandfather, and great-grandfather
• asmatpitṛpitāmahaprapitāmahebhyaḥ: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmatpitṛpitāmahaprapitāmaha (अस्मत्पितृपितामहप्रपितामह)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Plural

• yathānāmaśarmabhyaḥ: To those having [such and such] names/titles
• yathānāmaśarmabhyaḥ: Sampradana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yathānāmaśarman (यथानामशर्मन्)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Plural

• etat: This
• etat: Karma (Object Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (एतद्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• pādodakam: Water for washing feet
• pādodakam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pādodaka (पादोदक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• arghyam: Water for respectful offering
• arghyam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arghya (अर्घ्य)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• svadhā: Svadha (Offering to ancestors)
• svadhā: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svadhā (स्वधा)
• Form: Ritual Exclamation

• iti: Thus (marker of speech/mantra)
• iti: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (इति)
• Form: Particle

• pitrādibrāhmaṇapādayoḥ: On the feet of the Brahmanas representing ancestors etc.
• pitrādibrāhmaṇapādayoḥ: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitrādibrāhmaṇapāda (पित्रादिब्राह्मणपाद)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Dual

• pitṛtīrthena: Via the Pitr-tirtha (part of the hand between thumb and index)
• pitṛtīrthena: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛtīrtha (पितृतीर्थ)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• ābhugnakuśakusumasahitajaladānam: Giving of water accompanied by bent Kusha grass and flowers
• ābhugnakuśakusumasahitajaladānam: Karta (Subject/Action)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ābhugnakuśakusumasahitajaladāna (आभुग्नकुशकुसुमसहितजलदान)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During śrāddha offerings to pitṛs; after seating/establishing the rite, at the arghya/pādodaka offering step

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pitṛ-ṛṇa (debt to ancestors) is discharged through correctly oriented, mantra-marked water-offerings with lineage remembrance.

Vedantic Theme: ṛṇa-traya and karma: dharmic action (niyata-karma) purifies and sustains social-cosmic order (ṛta/dharma).

Application: When performing śrāddha/tarpaṇa: face south, adopt vāmopavīta, state gotra and names, offer pādodaka/arghya with kuśa and flowers via pitṛ-tīrtha to brāhmaṇa representatives.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space (gṛha/śrāddha-maṇḍapa) oriented by directions

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-kalpa sections on vāmopavīta and pitṛ-tīrtha usage; Garuda Purana instructions on naming (gotra-nāma) during śrāddha and tarpaṇa

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Brahmanas

FAQs

What is the importance of facing south and wearing vāmopavīta in Garuda Purana rites?

This verse frames south-facing posture and vāmopavīta as the correct ritual orientation for Pitṛ-karmas, signaling that the offering is directed to ancestors rather than devas.

How does this verse describe the correct way to offer arghya to ancestors?

It instructs offering pādodaka as arghya while uttering “svadhā,” naming the paternal lineage (father–grandfather–great-grandfather) with gotra, and pouring water with pitṛ-tīrtha at the feet of brāhmaṇas who ritually stand in for the Pitṛs.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform ancestor offerings with clarity and reverence: keep correct intent, recite names/gotra carefully, and follow traditional markers (svadhā, pitṛ-tīrtha, kuśa/flowers) to maintain continuity and gratitude toward one’s lineage.