Shloka 36

Devanagari script

कर्णे नेत्रे मुखे घ्राणे हिरण्यशकलान् क्षिपेत् / अग्निहोत्रोपकरणाद्ब्रह्मलोकगतिर्भवेत्

Transliteration

karṇe netre mukhe ghrāṇe hiraṇyaśakalān kṣipet / agnihotropakaraṇādbrahmalokagatirbhavet

Translation

Man lege kleine Goldstücke in die Ohren, Augen, den Mund und die Nasenlöcher. Durch diese Handlung – verbunden mit den Erfordernissen des Agnihotra – erlangt man die Welt des Brahmā.

Word by Word

• कर्णे: in the ear
• कर्णे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Locative singular

• नेत्रे: in the eye
• नेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Locative singular

• मुखे: in the mouth
• मुखे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Locative singular

• घ्राणे: in the nose
• घ्राणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घ्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Locative singular

• हिरण्यशकलान्: pieces of gold
• हिरण्यशकलान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य + शकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Accusative plural; समासः तत्पुरुष (हिरण्यस्य शकलाः)

• क्षिपेत्: should place
• क्षिपेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘should place/throw’

• अग्निहोत्रोपकरणात्: from the agnihotra implements
• अग्निहोत्रोपकरणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निहोत्र + उपकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Ablative singular (from/by means of); समासः तत्पुरुष (अग्निहोत्रस्य उपकरणम्)

• ब्रह्मलोकगतिः: attainment of Brahma-world
• ब्रह्मलोकगतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मलोक + गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular; समासः तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मलोकस्य गतिः)

• भवेत्: would occur / results
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘would be/should occur’

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in dialogue with Garuḍa)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Preta (recently deceased)

Timing: During antyeṣṭi body-preparation/offerings as an agnihotra-upakaraṇa-associated act

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific funerary acts generate specific posthumous gati; ritual merit (puṇya) can elevate the deceased to Brahmaloka.

Vedantic Theme: Gradational after-death destinations within saṃsāra (lokas) governed by karma; higher lokas still within conditioned existence, distinct from final mokṣa.

Application: Place small gold pieces in ears, eyes, mouth, and nostrils of the deceased; perform as part of agnihotra-related requisites to aim for Brahmaloka gati.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space (antyeṣṭi with agnihotra-upakaraṇa)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana sections describing gati (destinations) resulting from antyeṣṭi correctness and śrāddha support

Characters & Entities

• Brahmaloka
• Agnihotra

FAQs

What is the importance of placing gold in the sense-openings in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents it as an auspicious antyeṣṭi act: placing small gold pieces in the ears, eyes, mouth, and nostrils is said to support an elevated post-death destination, culminating in Brahmaloka-gati.

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

It links a specific funerary observance to the soul’s post-mortem trajectory: properly performed rites, aligned with Vedic sacrificial symbolism (Agnihotra requisites), are taught to yield a higher loka rather than lower after-death states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat end-of-life and funerary rites as dhārmic responsibilities: perform last rites with cleanliness, reverence, and scriptural guidance (as feasible), emphasizing intention, charity, and proper ritual order.