Shloka 17

Akalamṛtyu-kāraṇa and Bāla Antyeṣṭi: Age-graded Funeral Rites, Śrāddha Types, and Sonship Duties

Devanagari script

अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषो वायुभृतः क्षुधान्वितः / तस्माद्देयानि दानानि मृते बाले सुनिश्चितम्

Transliteration

aṅguṣṭhamātraḥ puruṣo vāyubhṛtaḥ kṣudhānvitaḥ / tasmāddeyāni dānāni mṛte bāle suniścitam

Translation

Der Verstorbene wird daumengroß, nur vom Lebenshauch getragen und vom Hunger gequält; darum wird mit Bestimmtheit gelehrt, dass Gaben der Wohltätigkeit gewiss zu geben sind, selbst wenn ein Kind gestorben ist.

Word by Word

• अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः: thumb-sized
• अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (प्रमाणवाचक: 'अङ्गुष्ठस्य मात्रम्' = thumb-sized)

• पुरुषः: person; soul-being
• पुरुषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वायुभृतः: sustained by breath/air
• वायुभृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + भृत् (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from भृ 'to bear')
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ('वायुनā भृतः' / 'वायुं भृतवान्'—contextually 'sustained by air/breath')

• क्षुधान्वितः: accompanied by hunger
• क्षुधान्वितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधा (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from अन्वि/अनु-इ 'to be connected' + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ('क्षुधया अन्वितः' = endowed with hunger)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (ablative used as 'therefore/from that reason')

• देयानि: to be given (due to be given)
• देयानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत् (कृत्) → देय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तव्य-अर्थे (gerundive: 'to be given')

• दानानि: gifts/charities
• दानानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• मृते: when (someone) has died
• मृते: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from मृ 'to die' + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• बाले: in the case of a child
• बाले: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (with मृते)

• सुनिश्चितम्: most certainly
• सुनिश्चितम्: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + निश्चित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from नि-चित् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial: 'quite certainly')

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Immediately after child’s death during preta period (implied).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After death the being becomes minute (aṅguṣṭhamātra), sustained by vāyu and afflicted by hunger; therefore dāna should certainly be given even when a child dies.

Vedantic Theme: Subtle-body doctrine and dependence on ritual merit/support; compassion as dharmic response to the preta’s vulnerability; continuity of experience in the interim state.

Application: Do not neglect post-death charity/offerings due to the deceased being a child; perform appropriate giving (food, water, essentials) promptly and with intention for the preta’s relief.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: aṅguṣṭhamātra preta descriptions and hunger/thirst motifs; Garuda Purana śrāddha/dāna teachings: gifts as support for the departed during preta period

Characters & Entities

• Preta (departed being)
• Jiva (implied)

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna in Garuda Purana after death rituals?

This verse states the departed exists in a diminished, hungry condition sustained by prāṇa, so dāna is prescribed as a definite supportive act for the deceased’s welfare.

How does this verse explain the condition of the soul immediately after death?

It portrays the post-death being as “thumb-sized” and hunger-afflicted, indicating a subtle, dependent state where ritual charity and offerings are considered beneficial.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform charity in the name of the departed—food, essentials, or support to the needy—along with appropriate family rites, as a dharmic response to loss.