Shloka 47

Saṅkara-jāti-nirṇaya and Gṛhastha-ācāra: Daily Rites, Purity, Anadhyāya, and Food Discipline

Devanagari script

अनध्यायस्त्र्यहं प्रेते शिष्यर्त्विग्गुरुबन्धुषु / उपाकर्मणि चोत्सर्गे स्वशाखश्रोत्रिये मृते

Transliteration

anadhyāyastryahaṃ prete śiṣyartviggurubandhuṣu / upākarmaṇi cotsarge svaśākhaśrotriye mṛte

Translation

若有死亡之事，当停诵吠陀三日——若亡者为弟子、祭官（ṛtvij）、师长（guru）或亲族。又于优帕迦摩（Upākarman）与乌特萨尔迦（Utsarga）之时亦当停学；并且当本支吠陀之博学持诵者（śrotriya）去世时，同样停诵。

Word by Word

• अनध्यायः: non-study (cessation of study)
• अनध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• त्र्यहम्: for three days
• त्र्यहम्: Karma/Pramāṇa (Measure/Extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि अहानि)

• प्रेते: when (someone) has died
• प्रेते: Hetu/Nimitta (Cause/Occasion/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (सप्तमी-निमित्ते)

• शिष्य: disciple
• शिष्य: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• ऋत्विक्: officiating priest
• ऋत्विक्: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• गुरु: teacher
• गुरु: Sambandha (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• बन्धुषु: among/with respect to relatives (of disciple/priest/teacher)
• बन्धुषु: Adhikaraṇa (Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; पूर्वपदानि (शिष्य-ऋत्विग्-गुरु) समाहार/समुच्चयार्थे

• उपाकर्मणि: at the Upākarma (rite)
• उपाकर्मणि: Adhikaraṇa (Time/Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction: ‘and/also’)

• उत्सर्गे: at the Utsarga (ending rite)
• उत्सर्गे: Adhikaraṇa (Time/Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्वशाखश्रोत्रिये: when a śrotriya of one’s own branch (Vedic school)
• स्वशाखश्रोत्रिये: Adhikaraṇa (Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + शाखा + श्रोत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य शाखा यस्य सः श्रोत्रियः)

• मृते: having died / when dead
• मृते: Hetu/Nimitta (Cause/Occasion/हेतु)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त; √मृ धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘मृत’ = dead

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: On death of certain connected persons (student, priest, guru, relative; also a śrotriya of one’s own śākhā), suspend Vedic study for three days; similarly during upākarma and utsarga.

Vedantic Theme: Śuddhi as a prerequisite for sacred speech; dharma regulates liminality to preserve sanctity and social harmony.

Application: If a qualifying death occurs, observe three-day anadhyāya (no Veda recitation/teaching), then resume after appropriate purification per family/śākhā rules.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: gṛha/āśrama (generic)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.96 (anadhyāya catalogue continues)

Characters & Entities

• Guru
• Rtvij
• Shishya
• Shrotriya

FAQs

What is the importance of anadhyaya (suspension of Vedic study) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames anadhyaya as a dharmic safeguard: after a death and during specific Vedic rites (Upākarman/Utsarga), one pauses svādhyāya to maintain ritual propriety and respect the transitional period.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it shows that death creates a liminal period affecting household and ritual order; the living observe regulated conduct (like pausing Vedic study) while post-death duties proceed, aligning dharma with the soul’s transition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If you follow a traditional svādhyāya/chanting routine, observe a three-day pause after a death involving close dharmic relations (teacher, priest, student, relatives), and follow community guidance for Upākarman and Utsarga observances.