Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 18

The Narrative of the Five Pretas

Eligibility for rites and jīvac-chrāddha procedure

Devanagari script

आवाहनादिकं शेषं कुर्याच्च पितृशेषवत् / साम्यां धेनुं ततो दद्याद्वसूद्देशं द्विजाय तु

Transliteration

āvāhanādikaṃ śeṣaṃ kuryācca pitṛśeṣavat / sāmyāṃ dhenuṃ tato dadyādvasūddeśaṃ dvijāya tu

Translation

其余仪轨当自召请（āvāhana）等起，依如为诸祖灵（Pitṛ）所行之结仪而作。其后，当施与一头品性端正、诸相均衡之母牛，并以财物为达克希那（dakṣiṇā）供奉婆罗门。

Word by Word

• आवाहनादिकम्: invocation etc. (the remaining rites)
• आवाहनादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आवाहन + आदि (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘आवाहनम् आदिः यस्य तत्’ (ending in -आदिक)

• शेषम्: remaining
• शेषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• पितृशेषवत्: as in the case of the Pitṛ-śeṣa (ancestral remainder)
• पितृशेषवत्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial qualifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ + शेष + वत् (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोग (indeclinable-like adjectival in -वत्), क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (adverbial sense: ‘like/as’); ‘पितॄणां शेषः’ इति तत्पुरुष + वत्

• साम्याम्: equal/appropriate (in measure)
• साम्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• धेनुम्: a cow
• धेनुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• वसूद्देशम्: the designation/mention (rite) for the Vasus
• वसूद्देशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु + उद्देश (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘वसूनाम् उद्देशः’ (designation for the Vasus)

• द्विजाय: to a Brahmin
• द्विजाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण/विरोध (particle: but/indeed)

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After āvāhana and remaining śeṣa rites, before final dismissal.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual completeness (śeṣa-kriyā) and dāna as integral limbs of śrāddha; generosity sustains the sacrificial economy and purifies the doer.

Vedantic Theme: Niṣkāma-karma orientation: prescribed giving reduces possessiveness and aligns action with dharma, preparing the mind for higher pursuit.

Application: Do not treat rites as ‘symbolic only’; complete the closing steps and include appropriate charity (within means) to qualified recipients.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.8 (āvāhana, visarjana, akṣayya-jala, dakṣiṇā sequence)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris
• Brahmana (Dvija)

FAQs

What is the importance of performing āvāhana and the remaining rites ‘like the Pitṛ-rites’ in Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes procedural continuity: the leftover steps after invocation should be completed according to the established Pitṛ (ancestor) śrāddha framework, ensuring the rite is ritually complete and effective.

How does this verse connect charity (dāna) with post-death rituals in the Garuda Purana?

It explicitly links completion of the rite with prescribed gifts—go-dāna and vasu/dakṣiṇā to a brāhmaṇa—presenting charity as an integral component of śrāddha-style observances for the departed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Complete memorial/śrāddha rituals carefully without skipping concluding steps, and pair them with ethical giving—supporting qualified priests or charitable causes in the spirit of dakṣiṇā and dāna.