Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 32

The Narrative of the Five Pretas

Eligibility for rites and jīvac-chrāddha procedure

Devanagari script

कुर्याच्च मासिकं मासि सपिण्डीकरणं ततः / आशौचान्ते ततः कुर्यादात्मनो वा मरस्य तु

Transliteration

kuryācca māsikaṃ māsi sapiṇḍīkaraṇaṃ tataḥ / āśaucānte tataḥ kuryādātmano vā marasya tu

Translation

应当月月行月度的施罗陀（śrāddha）祭；其后再行“同饼归并”之礼——萨宾迪迦罗那（sapiṇḍīkaraṇa）。待阿修迦（āśauca，仪式不净期）终了，又当复行所规定之仪——或为自身预作，或为亡者而修。

Word by Word

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction/particle)

• मासिकम्: monthly rite/observance
• मासिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मासिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मासि: in (each) month
• मासि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सपिण्डीकरणम्: the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa rite (making one with the piṇḍa/ancestor group)
• सपिण्डीकरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + पिण्डीकरण (प्रातिपदिक); पिण्डीकरण < पिण्ड + कृ (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: 'सपिण्ड' + 'करण')

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kala/Anukrama (Sequence/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereafter)

• आशौचान्ते: at the end of impurity period (āśauca)
• आशौचान्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशौच + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष ('आशौचस्य अन्ते')

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kala/Anukrama (Sequence/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—क्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereafter)

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle)

• मरस्य: of the deceased (one who has died)
• मरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषण/विरोधार्थक निपात (emphatic/adversative particle)

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Sapindana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Monthly (māsika) each month; sapiṇḍīkaraṇa thereafter; concluding rite at āśauca-anta (end of impurity period).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha is to be performed in proper sequence—māsika śrāddha, then sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, and again at the end of āśauca—according to prescription.

Vedantic Theme: Kartavya-karma and saṃskāra as purificatory supports for dharma; continuity of ṛṇa (pitṛ-ṛṇa) within pravṛtti-mārga.

Application: Maintain a calendar for monthly śrāddha; perform sapiṇḍīkaraṇa at the prescribed time; after the impurity period ends, complete the concluding rite with qualified brāhmaṇas and proper offerings.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: gṛha/śrāddha-sthāna (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Preta-khaṇḍa/Śrāddha-nirṇaya sections on māsika śrāddha, sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, and āśauca-vidhi (adjacent verses 2.8.xx)

Characters & Entities

• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of sapiṇḍīkaraṇa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse places sapiṇḍīkaraṇa after the monthly rites, indicating it is a key transition rite by which the departed is ritually connected with the Pitṛs (ancestral lineage) through piṇḍa-offerings.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

By prescribing monthly śrāddha and then sapiṇḍīkaraṇa, the verse implies that structured post-death rites support the deceased’s post-mortem journey and their integration into the ancestral sphere recognized by dharma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It emphasizes timely observance of post-death duties—monthly remembrance/offerings and completing rites after āśauca—encouraging disciplined family dharma and continuity of ancestral obligations.