Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 8

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

गरुड उवाच / आशौचिन इति प्रोक्तमाशौचस्य च वै प्रभो / लक्षणं किं कियत्कालं भाव्यं वा तद्युतैर्नरैः

Transliteration

garuḍa uvāca / āśaucina iti proktamāśaucasya ca vai prabho / lakṣaṇaṃ kiṃ kiyatkālaṃ bhāvyaṃ vā tadyutairnaraiḥ

Translation

Garuḍa thưa: “Bạch Chúa Tể, trạng thái gọi là ‘āśauca’ (ô uế nghi lễ) đã được nói đến. Dấu hiệu nhận biết của nó là gì? Kéo dài bao lâu? Và những người bị vướng mắc bởi nó nên thực hành những điều gì?”

Word by Word

• गरुडः: Garuḍa
• गरुडः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आशौचिनः: those in impurity
• आशौचिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशौचिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; ‘आशौचिन्’ = one having impurity

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative)

• प्रोक्तम्: is declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रियाविशेष)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle/कृत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘said/declared’

• आशौचस्य: of impurity
• आशौचस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed)

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• लक्षणम्: the characteristic/definition
• लक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• कियत्कालम्: for how long a time
• कियत्कालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कियत्काल (प्रातिपदिक) < कियत् + काल
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण

• भाव्यम्: is to be done/observed
• भाव्यम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रियाविशेष)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive/कर्तव्य), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be done/observed’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• तत्: that (impurity/observance)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• युतैः: by those associated (with it)
• युतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘endowed/associated (with)’

• नरैः: by men/people
• नरैः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Āśauca must be known by lakṣaṇa (marks), kāla (duration), and kartavya (required observances).

Vedantic Theme: Right action (dharma) depends on right knowledge (viveka) of conditions and limits; śāstra as pramāṇa for ritual purity.

Application: When facing impurity due to birth/death, consult authoritative rules: identify the type, its duration, and the required conduct rather than acting by guesswork.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: dialogue setting (teacher-disciple)

Cross References

Related Themes: Adjacent replies 2.5.9–2.5.11 defining remedies and durations of āśauca

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of āśauca (ritual impurity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames āśauca as a dharmic state requiring clear definition—its signs, duration, and required observances—so that post-death or other impurity-related duties are performed correctly.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana narrative?

By asking about āśauca, Garuḍa links household ritual discipline to the broader Preta Kanda context, where correct rites and conduct support the deceased’s post-mortem journey and the living family’s dharma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat ritual rules around bereavement and purity as structured disciplines: learn the defining conditions, follow the appropriate time-bound observances, and maintain ethical restraint and reverence during the period.