Shloka 68

Yamamārga, Antyeṣṭi-vidhi, and Daśāhika Piṇḍa-dāna

Road to Yama and Ten-Day Offerings

Devanagari script

न विधिर्नैव मन्त्रश्च न स्वधावाहनाशिषः / नाम गोत्रं समुच्चार्य यद्दत्तं तद्दशाहिकम्

Transliteration

na vidhirnaiva mantraśca na svadhāvāhanāśiṣaḥ / nāma gotraṃ samuccārya yaddattaṃ taddaśāhikam

Translation

Trong nghi lễ mười ngày (daśāhika), không có nghi thức cầu kỳ, không có thần chú, cũng không có lời thỉnh mời hay chúc phúc mở đầu bằng “svadhā”. Chỉ cần xướng danh và gotra (dòng tộc) của người mất, rồi dâng vật gì—chính đó là phẩm vật daśāhika.

Word by Word

• na: not/no
• na: Sambandha (Negation particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negation)

• vidhiḥ: ritual rule/rite
• vidhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (Negation particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्

• eva: indeed/at all
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle: indeed/just)

• mantraḥ: mantra
• mantraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• na: nor
• na: Sambandha (Negation particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्

• svadhā-āvāhana-āśiṣaḥ: invocations/blessings calling ‘svadhā’
• svadhā-āvāhana-āśiṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svadhā (प्रातिपदिक) + āvāhana (प्रातिपदिक) + āśis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (स्वधायाः आवाहनम्, तस्य आशिषः)

• nāma: name
• nāma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• gotram: clan/lineage
• gotram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gotra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• samuccārya: having pronounced
• samuccārya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam-ud-√car (चर्, धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive): having uttered

• yat: whatever/that which
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• dattam: given
• dattam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dā (दा, धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम

• daśa-āhikam: pertaining to the ten-day period
• daśa-āhikam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + āhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दशाहस्य सम्बन्धि)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vainateya)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Daśāhika (ten-day) period

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Daśāhika is defined by straightforward offering with nāma-gotra utterance, not by complex mantra-vidhi or svadhā invocations.

Vedantic Theme: Primacy of saṅkalpa and adhikāra in ritual action; external complexity is secondary to dharmic intent and correct identification.

Application: When resources or priestly availability are limited, perform the ten-day offering correctly by naming the deceased and gotra, focusing on sincerity and continuity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: domestic ritual ground

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: daśāhika/ekoddiṣṭa distinctions and procedural notes (Pretakalpa śrāddha sections)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of daśāhika (ten-day rite) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse defines daśāhika as a simplified post-death offering: it is validated primarily by intention and correct identification of the deceased (name and gotra), rather than elaborate mantra-based ritual.

Does this verse require svadhā and formal Pitṛ-invocation for the ten-day śrāddha?

No. It explicitly states that in daśāhika there is no formal vidhi, no mantras, and no “svadhā” invocations/blessings; the offering made after stating name and gotra is considered sufficient for that period.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

If full ritual resources are unavailable immediately after a death, one may still perform meaningful remembrance and offering by clearly dedicating it to the departed through name and lineage, keeping sincerity and dharmic conduct central.