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Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 41

Akalamṛtyu-kāraṇa and Bāla Antyeṣṭi: Age-graded Funeral Rites, Śrāddha Types, and Sonship Duties

Devanagari script

वृथा श्राद्धं विजानीयाच्छूद्रान्नेन यथा द्विजः / न प्रीणयति तच्छ्राद्धं पितामहमुखान्पितॄन् / एवं ज्ञात्वा स्वगश्रेष्ठ हीनजातीन्सुतांस्त्यजेत्

Transliteration

vṛthā śrāddhaṃ vijānīyācchūdrānnena yathā dvijaḥ / na prīṇayati tacchrāddhaṃ pitāmahamukhānpitṝn / evaṃ jñātvā svagaśreṣṭha hīnajātīnsutāṃstyajet

Translation

当知：施食祭（śrāddha）若以不相应之食而行，便成徒然，犹如二生者以其所不宜之食来供献。此等施食祭不能令以祖父世系为口的诸父（Pitṛ）欢喜。故而，既知此理，噢鸟中最胜者，当舍弃出身卑劣之子。

Word by Word
वृथाin vain
वृथा:
Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवृथा (अव्यय)
Formक्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)
श्राद्धम्śrāddha rite
श्राद्धम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootश्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन
विजानीयात्should know/understand
विजानीयात्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवि + ज्ञा (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
शूद्रान्नेनwith food of a śūdra
शूद्रान्नेन:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootशूद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शूद्रस्य अन्नम्)
यथाas
यथा:
Sambandha (Comparison/उपमान)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
Formउपमान/प्रकार-अव्यय (as/just as)
द्विजःa twice-born (brahmin)
द्विजः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन
नnot
न:
Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation)
प्रीणयतिpleases/satisfies
प्रीणयति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्री (धातु, causative प्रीणय-)
Formलट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative)
तत्that
तत्:
Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषण (श्राद्धम्)
श्राद्धम्śrāddha rite
श्राद्धम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootश्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन
पितामहमुखान्forefathers beginning with the grandfather
पितामहमुखान्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपितामह (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (पितामहस्य मुखम्) = 'grandfather-faced' i.e., beginning with grandfather
पितॄन्manes/ancestors
पितॄन्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन
एवम्thus
एवम्:
Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएवम् (अव्यय)
Formप्रकार-अव्यय (thus)
ज्ञात्वाhaving known
ज्ञात्वा:
Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञात्वा (क्त्वा)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकाल (having known)
स्वगश्रेष्ठO best of birds (Garuda)
स्वगश्रेष्ठ:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootस्वग (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (स्वगः श्रेष्ठः)
हीनजातीन्of low caste
हीनजातीन्:
Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootहीन (प्रातिपदिक) + जाति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (हीना जातिः येषाम्) विशेषण (सुतान्)
सुतान्sons
सुतान्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसुत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन
त्यजेत्should abandon
त्यजेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootत्यज् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instructing Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha becomes ineffective when performed with improper food/means; such rites fail to please the Pitṛs; therefore one should avoid/renounce relationships deemed ritually disqualifying (as per the text’s social-ritual logic).

Vedantic Theme: Primacy of niyama (rule-governed action) within karma-kāṇḍa; efficacy (phala) depends on adhikāra and śuddhi as conceived in smṛti ritualism.

Application: If following this ritual framework: ensure śrāddha is performed with proper materials and qualified officiants; avoid tokenism—do rites with integrity and correct procedure.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: detailed śrāddha rules on food, eligibility, and pitfalls that nullify offerings (thematic)

Characters & Entities
P
Pitris
G
Garuda
D
Dvija

FAQs

This verse stresses that śrāddha is meant to please the Pitṛs; if performed with improper offerings (as defined by dharma for the performer), it becomes ineffective and fails to satisfy the ancestral line.

In the Preta Kanda framework, proper śrāddha supports the departed through ancestral channels (Pitṛs). The verse implies that incorrect ritual conduct breaks that support, weakening the intended post-death benefit.

Perform ancestral rites with sincerity and according to one’s tradition and competent guidance (ācārya), focusing on correctness and reverence rather than mere form—so the rite fulfills its purpose of honoring and supporting ancestors.

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