Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 10

An exposition on the fruits of charity and on entry into a body

Garbhotpatti, Piṇḍa-śarīra, and Antya-kāla-kriyā

Devanagari script

सप्ताहात् पितृदेवानां भवेद्योग्या कृतार्चने / सप्ताहमध्ये यो गर्भस्तत्संम्भूतिर्मलिम्लुचा

Transliteration

saptāhāt pitṛdevānāṃ bhavedyogyā kṛtārcane / saptāhamadhye yo garbhastatsaṃmbhūtirmalimlucā

Translation

Sau bảy ngày, việc cúng dường thờ phụng các Pitṛ-deva (chư Thần Tổ) mới trở nên thích hợp và linh nghiệm. Nhưng nếu thụ thai (garbha) xảy ra trong khoảng bảy ngày ấy, thì sự sinh ra đó được gọi là “malimluca” — dòng con cháu bất tịnh, kém cát tường.

Word by Word

• सप्ताहात्: after a week / from a week
• सप्ताहात्: Apadana (अपादान/From; time-from)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्ताह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• पितृदेवानाम्: of the ancestors and the gods
• पितृदेवानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ+देव (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समास-विग्रहः: पितरः च देवाः च (pitṛs and gods)

• भवेत्: should become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; अर्थः: ‘would become/should be’

• योग्या: fit/eligible
• योग्या: Karta (कर्ता; predicate complement of implied subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicative adjective)

• कृतार्चने: in (the act of) performed worship
• कृतार्चने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Context-locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत+अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समास-विग्रहः: कृतम् अर्चनम् यस्मिन् (in the performed worship)

• सप्ताहमध्ये: within the week
• सप्ताहमध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time-locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्ताह+मध्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास-विग्रहः: सप्ताहस्य मध्ये (in the middle of the week)

• यः: who/which
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• गर्भः: embryo/conception
• गर्भः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देशक (demonstrative)

• सम्भूतिः: birth/origin
• सम्भूतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्+भू (धातु) → सम्भूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मलिम्लुचा: impure/defiled
• मलिम्लुचा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मलिम्लुच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्भूतिः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue, instructing Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After seven days the Pitṛ-arcana becomes fit; within the seven-day window restrictions are implied.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual acts for Pitṛs become properly efficacious after a prescribed period; violating the liminal window (via conception) is framed as producing inauspicious/impure outcome.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra: timing and discipline shape subtle outcomes; dharma regulates desire (kāma) through niyama.

Application: Maintain restraint during prescribed ritual/purity windows; schedule rites and household conduct to avoid conflict between śrāddha observance and sexual activity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household-ritual setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.32.11-12 (conception, mental state, timing rules)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Pitṛ-devas

FAQs

What is the importance of the seven-day period in Garuda Purana ancestor rites?

This verse states that offerings/worship directed to the Pitṛ-deities are considered properly fit and effective after seven days, highlighting a specific timing rule for post-death observances.

How does this verse relate ritual conduct to life events like conception?

It cautions that conception within the stated seven-day window is described as producing a ‘malimluca’ (ritually tainted/inauspicious origin), reflecting the text’s linkage of śrāddha-period discipline with purity norms.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If following Garuda Purana-style śrāddha discipline, maintain focused ritual observance and purity restrictions during the specified mourning/rite window, and consult a qualified priest/tradition for timing-specific family observances.