Shloka 44

Praise of Vṛṣotsarga (Bull-release), Worthy Dāna, and the Procedure for Kṣayāha & Ūrdhva-daihika Rites

Devanagari script

सप्तधान्यं क्षितिर्गावो ह्येकैकं पावनं स्मृतम् / तिलपात्राणि कुर्वीत शय्यादानं च दापयेत्

Transliteration

saptadhānyaṃ kṣitirgāvo hyekaikaṃ pāvanaṃ smṛtam / tilapātrāṇi kurvīta śayyādānaṃ ca dāpayet

Translation

Die sieben Arten von Getreide, Land und Kühe—jedes davon gilt, selbst einzeln gegeben, als läuternd. Man soll Gefäße mit Sesam bereiten und auch die Gabe eines Bettes darbringen lassen.

Word by Word

• सप्तधान्यम्: the seven grains
• सप्तधान्यम्: Karta (Item enumerated/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त + धान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• क्षितिः: earth/land
• क्षितिः: Karta (Item enumerated/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta (Item enumerated/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) अव्यय; emphasis/indeed

• एकैकम्: each one (separately)
• एकैकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वसमास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular used distributively ('each one')

• पावनम्: purifying
• पावनम्: Karta (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (predicate adjective)

• स्मृतम्: is declared/remembered (as)
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'is said/considered'

• तिलपात्राणि: sesame-vessels (vessels with sesame)
• तिलपात्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• कुर्वीत: should make
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; should make

• शय्यादानम्: gift of a bed
• शय्यादानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शय्या + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• दापयेत्: should have (it) given / should cause to donate
• दापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) [णिच् causative: दापय-]
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त प्रेरणार्थक धातु; विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; should cause (someone) to give

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: As part of śrāddha-associated dāna prescriptions (performed per local prayoga and capacity)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific gifts—even singly—purify; tilapātra and śayyādāna are recommended as meritorious supports for the departed and purifier for the giver.

Vedantic Theme: Karma purification (citta-śuddhi) through sattvic giving; dharma as a means to reduce bondage and support auspicious transitions.

Application: Offer any of the listed gifts according to capacity; prepare sesame-filled vessels; arrange śayyādāna (bed/bedstead with bedding) through proper recipients and intention.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: tiladāna as central śrāddha gift; lists of dānas for preta welfare in the same chapter; Garuda Purana: śayyādāna and its fruits in dāna-kathana sections

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Pretas
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of tila-pātra (sesame vessel) dāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse lists sesame-vessel offerings as a purifying donation; tila is traditionally used in preta-related rites to support purification and auspicious passage for the departed.

How does this verse guide Garuda Purana death-ritual practice for the departed (preta)?

It prescribes specific dānas—seven grains, land, cows, sesame vessels, and a bed—stating that even a single item among them is purifying, thereby giving a practical, scalable ritual guideline.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If full-scale rites are not feasible, perform sincere charity aligned with this list—food grains, supporting livelihood/land-related aid, cow-care or equivalent welfare, sesame donations, and providing bedding—done respectfully in memory of the departed.