Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 61

Yamamārga, Antyeṣṭi-vidhi, and Daśāhika Piṇḍa-dāna

Road to Yama and Ten-Day Offerings

Devanagari script

गर्ते पिण्डा दशाहं च दातव्याश्च दिनेदिने / जलाञ्जलीः प्रदातव्याः प्रेतमुद्दिश्य नित्यशः

Transliteration

garte piṇḍā daśāhaṃ ca dātavyāśca dinedine / jalāñjalīḥ pradātavyāḥ pretamuddiśya nityaśaḥ

Translation

في الحفرة المُعَدّة للشعيرة، ينبغي تقديم قرابين البيِنْدا (piṇḍa) عشرةَ أيامٍ متتابعةً، يومًا بعد يوم؛ كما ينبغي تقديم سكب الماء (jalāñjali) كلَّ يوم، مُهدًى على الدوام إلى البريتا (روح الميت).

Word by Word

• गर्ते: in a pit
• गर्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पिण्डाः: rice-balls (piṇḍas)
• पिण्डाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• दशाहम्: for ten days
• दशाहम्: Kāla-adhikarana (Time-span/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (दश + अह)

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

• दातव्याः: should be given
• दातव्याः: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण (gerundive/future passive participle), बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; विधेयभावः—‘to be given/should be given’

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

• दिने: on a day
• दिने: Kāla-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• दिने: each day
• दिने: Kāla-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति—‘day by day’

• जलाञ्जलीः: water-offerings (handfuls of water)
• जलाञ्जलीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (जलस्य अञ्जलिः)

• प्रदातव्याः: should be offered
• प्रदातव्याः: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण (gerundive), बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; ‘to be offered/should be offered’

• प्रेतम्: the departed spirit
• प्रेतम्: Sampradana (Intended recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• उद्दिश्य: having intended/addressing (for)
• उद्दिश्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद् + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• नित्यशः: always, regularly
• नित्यशः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Daily for ten days (दशाह) after death

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: दशाह-पिण्डदान and daily जलाञ्जलि as obligatory support for the preta’s transitional state.

Vedantic Theme: कर्तव्य-कर्म (niyata-karma) performed without negligence; compassion expressed as dharmic action.

Application: Maintain a ten-day schedule: offer piṇḍa and water-libations daily with explicit preta-uddiśya saṅkalpa; ensure consistency and cleanliness of the rite-space.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Pretakalpa: दशाह-क्रिया and प्रेतोदक/जलाञ्जलि discussions in adjacent adhyāyas; Garuda Purana: श्राद्ध-कल्प sections on पिण्डदान and उदकदान

Characters & Entities

• Preta

FAQs

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

This verse prescribes piṇḍa offerings for ten consecutive days, indicating a structured, time-bound support rite for the departed in the preta-state.

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

By naming the departed as “preta” and prescribing daily offerings, the verse implies an intermediate post-death condition where ritual nourishment and dedication are believed to aid the departed’s onward journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain regularity and sincerity in memorial rites—whether traditional piṇḍa-dāna and water-libations or culturally appropriate remembrance—performed with clear dedication to the departed.