Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 6

Determining Rites for Difficult/Inauspicious Deaths; Annual and Daily Śrāddha Rules

Devanagari script

दर्शकाले क्षयो यस्य प्रेतपक्षे ऽथ वा पुनः / प्रत्यब्दं पार्वणं कार्यं तस्य सर्वैः सुतैरपि

Transliteration

darśakāle kṣayo yasya pretapakṣe 'tha vā punaḥ / pratyabdaṃ pārvaṇaṃ kāryaṃ tasya sarvaiḥ sutairapi

Translation

Nếu một người qua đời vào lúc Darśa (nghi lễ ngày sóc) hoặc lại rơi trong Preta-pakṣa (nửa tháng của vong linh), thì đối với người ấy, lễ Pārvaṇa śrāddha phải được cử hành hằng năm—bởi tất cả các con trai nữa.

Word by Word

• दर्शकाले: at the darśa (new-moon) time
• दर्शकाले: अधिकरण (adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्श + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; 'दर्शस्य काले' (at the new-moon time)

• क्षयः: kṣaya (waning/deficiency)
• क्षयः: कर्ता/विषय (subject/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (whose)

• प्रेतपक्षे: in the preta-fortnight
• प्रेतपक्षे: अधिकरण (adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत + पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'प्रेतस्य पक्षे' (in the fortnight for the departed)

• अथ: then/and
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (then/and)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: सम्बन्ध (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb): again/further

• प्रति-अब्दम्: every year
• प्रति-अब्दम्: कालाधिकरण (kāla-adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय) + अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; 'प्रत्येकं वर्षम्'

• पार्वणम्: parva-śrāddha
• पार्वणम्: कर्म (karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्वण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कार्यम्: should be performed
• कार्यम्: विधेय/कर्म (predicate necessity)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृत्य (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'to be done'

• तस्य: of him/for him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of him/of that person)

• सर्वैः: by all
• सर्वैः: कर्ता/करण (agent group)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (all)

• सुतैः: by the sons
• सुतैः: कर्ता/करण (agent/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Pratyabda (annual); triggered by death at Darśa or within Preta-pakṣa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Death occurring at ritually sensitive times entails a specific annual śrāddha obligation: pārvaṇa to be done by all sons.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma responds to kāla (time) as a real conditioning factor in embodied life; collective responsibility supports familial ṛṇa (debt) to ancestors.

Application: If death coincided with new-moon rites or within the designated preta fortnight, ensure annual pārvaṇa is performed jointly by all sons, coordinating roles and resources.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: ritual time-marker (darśa/new-moon) and household śrāddha space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.45.2-5 on śrāddha types and variant timing; broader Pretakalpa sections on post-death observances and preta period

Characters & Entities

• Preta
• Sons (Sutāḥ)
• Darśa (New Moon)

FAQs

What is the importance of Pārvaṇa-śrāddha in the Garuda Purana for deaths occurring at Darśa or in the Preta-pakṣa?

This verse states that such a death-time requires a continuing annual Pārvaṇa-śrāddha, emphasizing sustained ancestral support through the prescribed lunar-linked rite.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s post-death journey described in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda context, śrāddha offerings are presented as ritual assistance for the departed (preta) and as a dharmic duty that stabilizes the transition into the ancestral state; hence the annual observance is mandated.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

If a family follows śrāddha traditions, the sons (or descendants acting in that role) should ensure the yearly Pārvaṇa-śrāddha is performed for an ancestor whose death occurred at new moon or during the stated departed-related fortnight, maintaining continuity of remembrance and duty.