Shloka 35

Preta-mārga Supports (Dāna), Chitragupta’s Accounting, and the Enumeration of Narakas

Devanagari script

यमेन प्रेषितास्ते वै मानुषस्य मृतस्य तु / दिनेदिने प्रगृह्णन्ति दत्तमन्नाद्यपानकम्

Transliteration

yamena preṣitāste vai mānuṣasya mṛtasya tu / dinedine pragṛhṇanti dattamannādyapānakam

Translation

Wahrlich, jene Boten, von Yama für den verstorbenen Menschen entsandt, nehmen Tag für Tag in seinem Namen die dargebrachte Speise und das Getränk entgegen.

Word by Word

• यमेन: by Yama
• यमेन: Karana (Instrument/Agentive instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; instrumental singular masculine

• प्रेषिताः: sent/dispatched
• प्रेषिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + इष् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → प्रेषित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; agrees with ते

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; nominative plural (pronoun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• मानुषस्य: of a human
• मानुषस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; genitive singular masculine

• मृतस्य: dead
• मृतस्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त); मृ (धातु) + क्त → मृत
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; genitive singular masculine; qualifies मानुषस्य

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• दिने: in a day
• दिने: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; locative singular neuter

• दिने: day by day
• दिने: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; repeated for distributive sense

• प्रगृह्णन्ति: take/seize
• प्रगृह्णन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; present indicative 3rd pl

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त → दत्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular neuter; qualifies annādyapānakaṃ

• अन्नाद्यपानकम्: food and other eatables and drink
• अन्नाद्यपानकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न + आद्य + पानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; accusative singular neuter; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Daily/regular offerings implied (dinē dinē)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Offerings made for the deceased have designated recipients/agents; correct ritual intention and continuity matter.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra operate through subtle channels; ritual action (karma-kāṇḍa) has trans-world efficacy within vyavahāra.

Application: Perform śrāddha/offerings with regularity and proper sankalpa; ensure food/water charity in the name of the departed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-transfer corridor (human realm to Yamaloka)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: preta’s dependence on offerings; śrāddha-phala discussions in later chapters

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yama-dutas (messengers of Yama)
• Preta (implied deceased being)

FAQs

What is the importance of daily food and water offerings in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that offerings of food and drink made for the departed are received day by day through Yama’s dispatched agents, emphasizing the ritual duty (dharma) of sustaining the deceased’s post-death passage.

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

It implies an organized post-death order under Yama where the deceased’s condition is affected by what is offered on their behalf, showing that the preta’s journey is supported through prescribed rites and donations.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha/offerings with sincerity—food, water, and charity in the deceased’s name—while also living ethically, since the Garuda Purana frames post-death welfare as linked to dharma and proper observance.