Shloka 1

The Extent of Questions: Deathbed Rites, Kāla (Time), and Karma-Vipāka Rebirths

Devanagari script

प्रश्रप्रपञ्चो नाम प्रथमो ऽध्यायः श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / साधु पृष्टं त्वया भद्र मानुषाणां हिताय वै / शृणुष्वावहितो भूत्वा सर्वमेवौर्ध्वदैहिकम्

Transliteration

praśraprapañco nāma prathamo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / sādhu pṛṣṭaṃ tvayā bhadra mānuṣāṇāṃ hitāya vai / śṛṇuṣvāvahito bhūtvā sarvamevaurdhvadaihikam

Translation

هذا هو الفصل الأول المسمّى «اتّساع الأسئلة». قال شري كريشنا: «أيها المبارك، لقد أحسنتَ السؤال—حقًّا لخير البشر. فاستمع بتمام الانتباه، إذ أُبيّن لك كلَّ ما يتعلّق بالطقوس والواجبات التي تُؤدّى بعد الموت (أوردھفا-ديهيكا).»

Word by Word

• प्रश्रप्रपञ्चः: (the chapter called) ‘Praśra-prapañca’
• प्रश्रप्रपञ्चः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रश्रप्रपञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अध्यायनाम (शीर्षक)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (Apposition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; संज्ञासूचक (‘named/called’)

• प्रथमः: first
• प्रथमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रीकृष्णः: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• श्रीकृष्णः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय समास (श्रीमान् कृष्णः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्णभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• साधु: well (good)
• साधु: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय/विशेषणप्राय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रशंसार्थ (‘well/indeed good’)

• पृष्टम्: asked
• पृष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) → पृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; अत्र ‘साधु’ इत्यनेन सह ‘well asked’

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• भद्र: O good one
• भद्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधनपद

• मानुषाणाम्: of humans
• मानुषाणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• हिताय: for the welfare
• हिताय: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय; अवधारणार्थ

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (शृणुष्व = ‘listen’)

• अवहितः: attentive
• अवहितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण (‘attentive’)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) → भूत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (‘having become’)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थ (‘only/indeed’)

• ऊर्ध्वदैहिकम्: pertaining to the after-death rites/state
• ऊर्ध्वदैहिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्व + दैहिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (ऊर्ध्वं दैहिकम्/ऊर्ध्वदेहसम्बन्धि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सर्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa (as narrator/teacher in the Purāṇic dialogue)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Post-death (ūrdhva-dehika) period; details to follow in subsequent verses/sections.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Aūrdhva-dehika: duties/rites after death; attentive hearing is required for correct performance and benefit to humans.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kanda as supportive discipline (samskara/antyeshti/shraddha) within a broader soteriological horizon.

Application: Learn and perform last rites and śrāddha with precision; cultivate attentive listening before acting in ritual matters.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.2.4 (putra and post-death continuity theme); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa sections on preta-krtya and śrāddha procedures

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Mānuṣa (human beings)

FAQs

What is the importance of ūrdhva-dehika (post-death rites) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames ūrdhva-dehika as a complete, welfare-oriented teaching meant to guide humans in proper post-death duties, implying these rites are central to dharmic conduct after a death.

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

It serves as an opening promise: the speaker will explain ‘everything’ about post-death matters, setting the stage for later descriptions of the departed’s condition and the role of rites in that journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach funeral and śrāddha-related duties with attentiveness and sincerity, treating them as ethical responsibilities performed for the welfare of the departed and the living family.