Shloka 15

Gayā Śrāddha at Preta-śilā: Universal Piṇḍa-dāna for Ancestors and the Unrescued Dead

Devanagari script

जात्यन्तरसहस्रेषु भ्रमन्ति स्वेन कर्मणा / मानुष्यं दुर्लभं येषां तेभ्यः पिण्डं ददाम्यहम्

Transliteration

jātyantarasahasreṣu bhramanti svena karmaṇā / mānuṣyaṃ durlabhaṃ yeṣāṃ tebhyaḥ piṇḍaṃ dadāmyaham

Translation

بقوة أعمالهم هم يتيهون عبر آلاف الولادات الأخرى؛ وأولئك الذين يعسر عليهم نيل الميلاد الإنساني—إليهم أقدّم «بيṇḍa» (piṇḍa)، كرات الأرزّ الجنائزية.

Word by Word

• जात्यन्तरसहस्रेषु: in thousands of other births/castes
• जात्यन्तरसहस्रेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाति (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; समासः—(जात्यन्तराणां सहस्रेषु) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• भ्रमन्ति: they wander
• भ्रमन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्वेन: by their own
• स्वेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्मणा इति)

• कर्मणा: by (their) action/karma
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• मानुष्यं: human state/birth
• मानुष्यं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• दुर्लभं: rare, hard to obtain
• दुर्लभं: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मानुष्यं इति)

• येषां: of whom
• येषां: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• तेभ्यः: to them
• तेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), बहुवचन

• पिण्डं: rice-ball offering (piṇḍa)
• पिण्डं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• ददामि: I give
• ददामि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Śrāddha occasion (tithi-based; commonly amāvāsyā/śrāddha-tithi) implied

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Beings wander through countless births propelled by their own karma; human birth is rare; piṇḍa-offering is an act of aid/merit directed to them.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra under karma-niyati; durlabhatva of manuṣya-janma as a gateway to dharma and mokṣa-sādhana.

Application: Cultivate urgency for dharma in human life; perform śrāddha/piṇḍa with the intention of benefiting those still bound by karmic wandering.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha sections describing preta-tṛpti through piṇḍa and the rarity of human birth

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (implicit addressee)

FAQs

What is the importance of piṇḍa-dāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links piṇḍa offerings with compassion toward beings driven by karma through countless births, emphasizing piṇḍa-dāna as a supportive rite for those caught in difficult cycles of rebirth.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It highlights karmic propulsion: the jīva wanders through many forms (jātyantara) due to its deeds, and human birth is portrayed as rare—implying a crucial opportunity for dharma and liberation-oriented practice.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat human life as a rare chance to reduce harmful karma through ethical living, and perform ancestral rites (śrāddha/piṇḍa-dāna) with sincerity as part of one’s duties toward family and tradition.