Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 181

Dāna as Prāyaścitta; Deathbed Gifts; Antyeṣṭi Procedures; Nārāyaṇa-bali for Untimely Deaths

Devanagari script

शवस्थानसमीपे तु क्षेप्तव्याः पुत्तलास्ततः / दर्भकॢप्तास्तु चत्वार ऋक्षमन्त्राभिमन्त्रिताः

Transliteration

śavasthānasamīpe tu kṣeptavyāḥ puttalāstataḥ / darbhakḷptāstu catvāra ṛkṣamantrābhimantritāḥ

Translation

শৱ ৰখা স্থানৰ ওচৰত তাৰ পিছত পুত্তলা স্থাপন কৰিব লাগে। দৰ্ভ ঘাঁহেৰে গঢ়া চাৰিটা পুত্তলাক ঋক্ মন্ত্রেৰে অভিমন্ত্রিত কৰিব লাগে।

Word by Word

• शवस्थानसमीपे: near the place of the corpse
• शवस्थानसमीपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शवस्थान + समीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (शवस्थानस्य समीपे)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विशेष (particle)

• क्षेप्तव्याः: should be thrown/placed
• क्षेप्तव्याः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेयविशेषण

• पुत्तलाः: effigies/dolls (ritual figures)
• पुत्तलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्तला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देश/क्रमवाचक (from there/then)

• दर्भकॢप्ताः: made/arranged with darbha grass
• दर्भकॢप्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दर्भ + कॢप्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from कॢप्/कॢप्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दर्भेण कॢप्ताः = made of darbha grass)

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विशेष (particle)

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण (agreeing with implied masculine plural, e.g., पिण्डाः/पुत्तलाः)

• ऋक्षमन्त्राभिमन्त्रिताः: consecrated by ṛk-mantras
• ऋक्षमन्त्राभिमन्त्रिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋक्षमन्त्र + अभि + मन्त्रि/मन्त्र (धातु) + क्त (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle) from अभिमन्त्रयति, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ऋक्ष-मन्त्रैः अभिमन्त्रिताः = consecrated with ṛk-mantras)

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Immediately near the śava before/within the sequence of funerary rites

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Place puttalā effigies near the corpse; make four from darbha and consecrate with Ṛk mantras—ritual representation and mantra sanctification.

Vedantic Theme: Mantra as sanctifier (saṃskāra) of material forms; symbolic forms mediate transitions in saṃskāra rites.

Application: Prepare ritual substitutes (effigies) with prescribed materials and number; perform mantra-abhiṣeka/abhimantraṇa precisely, maintaining śauca and focus near the śava.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual_site

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4: puttalā/darbha procedures in funerary context; mantra specification (Ṛk-mantras)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Rigveda (Ṛk) mantras
• Darbha grass

FAQs

What is the importance of placing darbha effigies (puttalā) near the corpse in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames a specific funeral-rite step: ritual substitutes made of darbha are placed by the corpse and sanctified with Ṛk mantras, emphasizing orderly, mantra-guided antyeṣṭi performance.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death?

In the Preta Kanda context, correct rites around the body support the transition phase after death; the verse highlights mantra-consecrated ritual acts performed at the शवस्थान (corpse-location) as part of that passage.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow death-ritual procedures under qualified guidance: keep rites disciplined, use sanctified materials (like darbha where prescribed), and prioritize mantra and intention rather than improvisation.