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Shloka 31

Garuḍa’s Return to Vaikuṇṭha and the Comprehensive Inquiry into Death-Rites and the Preta’s Journey

Devanagari script

सप्तधान्यं क्षितिर्गावो दीयन्ते केनहेतुना / कथं हि म्रियते जन्तुर्मृतो वै कुत्र गच्छति

Transliteration

saptadhānyaṃ kṣitirgāvo dīyante kenahetunā / kathaṃ hi mriyate janturmṛto vai kutra gacchati

Translation

Aus welchem Grund werden die sieben Arten von Getreide, Land und Kühe als Gabe (Dāna) gespendet? Und wie stirbt das Lebewesen wirklich—und wohin geht es wahrhaft nach dem Tod?

Word by Word
सप्तधान्यम्seven grains (set of seven cereals)
सप्तधान्यम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + धान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (seven kinds of grain)
क्षितिःearth, ground
क्षितिः:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootक्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
गावःcows
गावः:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगो (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
दीयन्तेare given
दीयन्ते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive: 'are given')
केनby what? / by whom?
केन:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचन; प्रश्न-सर्वनाम
हेतुनाby reason/cause
हेतुना:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootहेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
कथम्how?
कथम्:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम् (अव्यय)
Formप्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)
हिindeed, for
हि:
Sambandha (Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (emphatic/causal particle)
म्रियतेdies
म्रियते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootमृ (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
जन्तुःa living being
जन्तुः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootजन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
मृतःdead
मृतः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootमृत (कृदन्त; √मृ)
Formभूतकृत् (क्त-प्रत्यय, past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; used adjectivally
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha (Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (emphatic particle)
कुत्रwhere?
कुत्र:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकुत्र (अव्यय)
Formप्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb of place)
गच्छतिgoes
गच्छति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootगम् (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra) addressing Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Śrāddha/antyeṣṭi-associated dāna context (implied)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna as karma shaping post-death gati; inquiry into the mechanism of death and the jīva’s destination.

Vedantic Theme: Jīva’s continuity beyond bodily death; karma as determinant of gati; implicit distinction of sthūla-śarīra vs. ongoing principle.

Application: Perform dāna with right intention; contemplate mortality to prioritize dharma and spiritual preparation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual discourse setting (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: discussions on death, subtle body, and gati following these questions (2.1.32 onward); Garuda Purana: dāna-mahātmyas (sapta-dhānya, go-dāna, bhū-dāna) in related sections (general)

Characters & Entities
G
Garuda
V
Vishnu

FAQs

This verse frames these gifts as purposeful death-related dānas, meant to aid the departed and address after-death welfare rather than being mere social charity.

It introduces the core inquiry—how death occurs and where the being goes—setting up the Garuda–Vishnu teaching narrative that later describes the post-death journey and its supports (rites and dāna).

Treat end-of-life charity and ancestral rites as intentional acts tied to dharma—give ethically (food/grain support, cow-care, or equivalent charity) and reflect on mortality to live with accountability.

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