Shloka 73

Āhnika-Dharma: Dawn Purification, Sandhyā-Upāsanā, Tarpana, Pañca-Mahāyajñas, and Aśauca Rules

Devanagari script

एकं तु भोजयेद्विप्रं पितॄनुद्दिश्य सत्तमाः / नित्यश्राद्धं तदुद्दिश्य पितृयज्ञो गतिप्रदः

Transliteration

ekaṃ tu bhojayedvipraṃ pitṝnuddiśya sattamāḥ / nityaśrāddhaṃ taduddiśya pitṛyajño gatipradaḥ

Translation

Bậc hiền thiện tối thượng nên thỉnh dù chỉ một vị brāhmaṇa thọ thực, mà hồi hướng đến các Pitṛ (tổ tiên). Việc ấy, được làm như śrāddha hằng ngày vì các ngài, chính là Pitṛ-yajña—và ban cho tổ tiên một lộ trình tốt lành về sau.

Word by Word

• एकम्: one (person)
• एकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• तु: indeed
• तु: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु) [causative: भोजय-]
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त (causative) धातु; विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• विप्रम्: a Brahmin
• विप्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पितॄन्: the ancestors (manes)
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• उद्दिश्य: having intended/addressed (in honor of)
• उद्दिश्य: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ud-diś (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावरूप कृदन्त (gerund), क्रियाविशेषण

• सत्तमाः: the best people/the virtuous
• सत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + tama (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे/कर्तरि प्रयोगः (contextual)

• नित्यश्राद्धम्: the daily śrāddha
• नित्यश्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक) + śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (नित्यं श्राद्धम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (श्राद्धम्)

• उद्दिश्य: having dedicated (to)
• उद्दिश्य: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ud-diś (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• पितृयज्ञः: ancestor-sacrifice (pitṛ-yajña)
• पितृयज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पितॄणां यज्ञः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गतिप्रदः: granting a good course/destination
• गतिप्रदः: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (गतिं प्रददाति इति), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: nitya (daily)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Daily śrāddha by feeding even one brāhmaṇa, dedicated to Pitṛs, constitutes pitṛyajña and bestows gati (beneficial onward course).

Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṅkalpa: intention consecrates action; gratitude to lineage supports dharmic continuity while purifying the doer.

Application: If resources are limited, perform a simple daily act of feeding/donation with explicit pitṛ-saṅkalpa; maintain remembrance and ethical living as pitṛ-ṛṇa repayment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household dining/ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-kalpa themes: pitṛ-gati through śrāddha and feeding (broad internal alignment)

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the importance of Pitṛ-yajña (śrāddha) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that even feeding a single brāhmaṇa with the intention of the Pitṛs becomes Pitṛ-yajña and grants them gati—supporting their onward welfare.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul or ancestors after death?

By emphasizing “gati-pradaḥ,” it links śrāddha (done with proper intention) to the ancestors’ progress and stability in their post-death condition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Keep the practice simple but sincere: offer food/charity in the name of ancestors (ideally via a worthy brāhmaṇa or equivalent sacred giving), maintaining regular remembrance and dharmic conduct.