Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

प्रक्षाल्य भुक्त्वा तज्जह्याच्छुचौ देशे समाहितः / स्नात्वा सन्तर्पयेद्देवानृषीन्पितृगणांस्तथा

Transliteration

prakṣālya bhuktvā tajjahyācchucau deśe samāhitaḥ / snātvā santarpayeddevānṛṣīnpitṛgaṇāṃstathā

Translation

食毕漱洗净洁后，当以摄心在清净之处如法弃置残余。随后沐浴已毕，应行“santarpaṇa”（令其满足之供养），奉献于诸天（Deva）、诸仙圣（Ṛṣi），以及诸祖灵众（Pitṛ）。

Word by Word

• प्रक्षाल्य: having washed
• प्रक्षाल्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+क्षल् (धातु) → प्रक्षाल्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having washed’

• भुक्त्वा: having eaten
• भुक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) → भुक्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having eaten’

• तत्: that/it
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; निर्देश (that/it)

• जह्यात्: should discard
• जह्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘should abandon/discard’

• शुचौ: in a clean (place)
• शुचौ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (clean/pure)

• देशे: in a place
• देशे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• समाहितः: composed/attentive
• समाहितः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+आ+धा (धातु) → समाहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘collected/composed’

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) → स्नात्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having bathed’

• सन्तर्पयेत्: should satisfy/propitiate
• सन्तर्पयेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+तृप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘should satisfy/offer oblations’

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• ऋषीन्: the sages
• ऋषीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• पितृगणान्: the groups of ancestors
• पितृगणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पितॄणां गणाः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (thus/also)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After eating and rinsing; after bathing (snāna) as part of daily duties

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Post-meal śauca and mindful disposal, followed by snāna and tarpana to devas/ṛṣis/pitṛs, sustains ṛṇa-traya (three debts).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga orientation: ordinary acts become purifying when aligned with dharma and gratitude.

Application: After meals: clean up, dispose waste responsibly, wash, then offer gratitude/brief prayers or water-offerings according to one’s tradition.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: clean household space; bathing area; domestic altar/offerings place

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.50.11-14 (purity disciplines leading into offerings)

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Rishis
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of post-meal purity (śauca) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links eating with immediate purification—clean disposal of remnants, mental composure, and bathing—showing that food-related actions should be completed with cleanliness and dharmic order.

How does this verse relate to offerings for Devas, Rishis, and Pitris?

It prescribes tarpana after bathing, indicating a ritual sequence where personal purification precedes acts of gratitude and obligation toward divine beings, sages, and ancestors.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain cleanliness after meals, avoid careless disposal of leftovers, and regularly remember gratitude/obligations—through simple water-offerings, prayer, or ancestral remembrance—after personal hygiene.