Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

तमुद्दिश्य ददात्यन्नं सुखं याति महाध्वनि / दिवा रात्रौ तमुद्दिश्य स्थाने दीपप्रदो भवेत्

Transliteration

tamuddiśya dadātyannaṃ sukhaṃ yāti mahādhvani / divā rātrau tamuddiśya sthāne dīpaprado bhavet

Translation

Wenn man Speise darbringt, den Verstorbenen im Sinn, zieht der Preta den großen Weg in Wohlergehen dahin. Ebenso wird, wenn man an einem festen Ort eine Lampe spendet und sie dem Verstorbenen bei Tag und bei Nacht weiht, diese zur Lichtspenderin auf seiner Reise.

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• uddiśya: intending/for (his sake)
• uddiśya: Kriya (Purpose/हेतु)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√diś (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund); ‘उद्दिश्य’ = ‘उद्देश्य/लक्ष्यं कृत्वा’

• dadāti: gives
• dadāti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• annam: food
• annam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• sukham: happiness/comfort
• sukham: Karma (Result/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; फल-रूपेण

• yāti: goes/attains
• yāti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• mahā-dhvani: on the great road (long journey)
• mahā-dhvani: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvanin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• divā: by day
• divā: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: divā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (adverb: time)

• rātrau: at night
• rātrau: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• uddiśya: for his sake
• uddiśya: Kriya (Purpose/हेतु)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√diś (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund)

• sthāne: in a place/at the spot
• sthāne: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• dīpa-pradaḥ: a giver of a lamp
• dīpa-pradaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīpa (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (द्वितीया-तत्पुरुष: दीपं प्रददाति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• bhavet: would become/should be
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Day and night (divā-rātrau) as stated; generally within the preta period and on remembrance days

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha-related dāna—food and lamp offered with the departed in mind—becomes practical support on the post-mortem journey.

Vedantic Theme: Interplay of karma and ritual efficacy (adr̥ṣṭa-phala); compassion (dayā) expressed as dharma that benefits both giver and recipient.

Application: Perform memorial charity: feed others in the departed’s name; offer lamps (or equivalent light) regularly with sincere saṅkalpa.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: journey route / ritual spot (home, temple, crossroads, tīrtha)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-kalpa: anna-dāna and dīpa-dāna as aids to the preta; discussions of offerings reaching the departed through subtle channels

Characters & Entities

• Preta
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of anna-dana (food offering) for the departed in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that food given in the departed person’s name supports them on the post-death journey, enabling a more comfortable passage on the “great path” (mahādhvani).

How does this verse explain the soul’s path after death?

It presents the after-death movement as a long journey and teaches that dedicated offerings—especially food and a lamp—serve as practical aids, easing travel and providing symbolic/ritual “light” along the route.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform charity in the departed’s name—feed others (anna-dana) and offer a lamp/light (deepa-dana) as part of śrāddha or remembrance, reinforcing duty (dharma) and compassionate support for ancestors.