Shloka 5

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

अमांसभोजनाश्चाधः शयीरन्ब्रह्मचारिणः / परस्परं न संस्पृष्टा दानाध्ययनवर्जिताः

Transliteration

amāṃsabhojanāścādhaḥ śayīranbrahmacāriṇaḥ / parasparaṃ na saṃspṛṣṭā dānādhyayanavarjitāḥ

Translation

أولئك الذين عاشوا كالبراهماتشارين (brahmacārin)—لا يأكلون اللحم وينامون على الأرض—لكنهم لا يتآلفون فيما بينهم، محرومين من الصدقة ومن تلاوة العلم المقدّس، يلقَون بعد الموت ما يستحقّونه.

Word by Word

• अमांसभोजनाः: eating without meat
• अमांसभोजनाः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-मांस (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural); नञ्-समास (without meat)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अधः: down/below (on the ground)
• अधः: Avyaya (Manner/स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/स्थानवाचक (adverb: 'down/below')

• शयीरन्: should lie down
• शयीरन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (plural); परस्मैपद

• ब्रह्मचारिणः: brahmacārins (celibate observers)
• ब्रह्मचारिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural)

• परस्परम्: mutually / with each other
• परस्परम्: Avyaya (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्परम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परस्पर-सम्बन्धे (reciprocal adverb: 'mutually')

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• संस्पृष्टाः: touched/associated (with)
• संस्पृष्टाः: Karta (Predicate-adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-स्पृश् (धातु) → संस्पृष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural); क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle)

• दानाध्ययनवर्जिताः: deprived of charity and study
• दानाध्ययनवर्जिताः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक) + अध्ययन (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (कृदन्त, क्त; √वर्ज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural); 'devoid of giving and study'

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Preta Kanda dialogue)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: External vows (no meat, sleeping on ground) do not sanctify a life lacking dāna and adhyayana; virtue requires inner cultivation and positive duties, not only negations.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva is not produced by mere deprivation; right knowledge (śāstra-adhyayana) and self-transcending action (dāna) purify the antaḥkaraṇa.

Application: Balance restraint with constructive dharma: study, generosity, and humane social conduct; avoid performative austerity that neglects learning and compassion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: ethical-judgment frame (implied post-death assessment)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: sections on pretayātrā and karmaphala where hypocritical asceticism is censured (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmacarins

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna (charity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse implies that outward austerities (like sleeping on the ground and avoiding meat) are incomplete if one is “varjita” (devoid) of dāna; giving is treated as a core generator of puṇya that supports one’s post-death journey.

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

In the Preta Kanda’s moral accounting, the soul’s condition after death is shaped not only by restraint but also by positive duties—study (adhyayana) and charity (dāna). Neglecting these leaves one spiritually deficient despite ascetic habits.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Pair personal discipline (diet, self-control, simplicity) with regular charity and consistent study of sacred/ethical teachings; the Garuda Purana frames this balance as essential dharma, not optional.