Shloka 1

Tila–Darbha–Maṇḍala in Aūrdhvadaihika: Protection, Eligibility, and the Merit of Salt-Dāna

Devanagari script

और्ध्वदहिककर्मकालक्रियमाणनानादानादिफलप्रश्रनिरूपणं नामाष्टाविंशो ऽध्यायः श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / साधु पृष्टं त्वया भद्र मानुषाणां हिताय वै / शृणुष्वावहितो भूत्वा सर्वमेवौर्ध्वदैहिकम्

Transliteration

aurdhvadahikakarmakālakriyamāṇanānādānādiphalapraśranirūpaṇaṃ nāmāṣṭāviṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / sādhu pṛṣṭaṃ tvayā bhadra mānuṣāṇāṃ hitāya vai / śṛṇuṣvāvahito bhūtvā sarvamevaurdhvadaihikam

Translation

Śrī Kṛṣṇa sprach: „O Edler, du hast gut gefragt—wahrlich zum Wohle der Menschen. Höre nun mit voller Aufmerksamkeit, und ich werde alles über die aūrdhvadaihika-Riten darlegen, die für den Verstorbenen nach dem Tod vollzogen werden.“

Word by Word

• और्ध्वदहिककर्मकालक्रियमाणनानादानादिफलप्रश्ननिरूपणम्: exposition of questions on results of various gifts etc. performed at the time of post-death rites
• और्ध्वदहिककर्मकालक्रियमाणनानादानादिफलप्रश्ननिरूपणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: और्ध्वदैहिक + कर्म + काल + क्रियमाण + नाना + दान + आदि + फल + प्रश्न + निरूपण (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-समासः (प्रधानतः तत्पुरुष-प्रकृतिः) — ‘और्ध्वदैहिककर्मकालादौ क्रियमाणनानादानादिफलप्रश्नस्य निरूपणम्’

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (Label/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: संज्ञासूचक अव्यय (quotative/label marker)

• अष्टाविंशः: twenty-eighth
• अष्टाविंशः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टाविंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (28th) — द्विगु-समास (अष्टा + विंशति)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• श्रीकृष्णः: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• श्रीकृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीकृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• साधु: well, good
• साधु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रयोग)
• Form: प्रशंसावाचक अव्यय (approving particle)

• पृष्टम्: (it is) asked
• पृष्टम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) → पृष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त/PPP)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्तान्त कृदन्त (asked)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• भद्र: O good one
• भद्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• मानुषाणाम्: of humans
• मानुषाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• हिताय: for welfare
• हिताय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

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

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (शृणु + स्व)

• अवहितः: attentive
• अवहितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; अव + धा/हित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (attentive)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भू (धातु) → भूत्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphasis)

• और्ध्वदैहिकम्: pertaining to post-death rites
• और्ध्वदैहिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: और्ध्वदैहिक (प्रातिपदिक: ऊर्ध्व + देहिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ऊर्ध्वं देहात्/देहानन्तरं सम्बन्धि)

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa (as the instructing voice in this passage, aligned with the Vishnu-Kṛṣṇa teaching frame)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Post-death (aūrdhvadaihika period; details to follow in the chapter)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Proper post-death observances and gifts (dāna) have specific fruits; ritual order supports the departed and stabilizes dharma in society.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as supportive discipline; compassionate duty (kartavya) toward pitṛs as part of dharmic life.

Application: Learn and perform antyeṣṭi/aūrdhvadaihika rites with attention; if unable, support through charity, feeding, and remembrance according to one’s tradition and capacity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.29 onward: detailed aūrdhvadaihika rites, dāna varieties, timing, and fruits; earlier Pretakalpa questions leading into ritual prescriptions.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What is the importance of aūrdhvadaihika (post-death) rites in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames aūrdhvadaihika rites as a welfare-teaching for humanity, indicating they are a structured dharmic subject worthy of careful hearing and practice.

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

It does not describe the soul’s journey directly; instead, it introduces a detailed explanation of the post-death ritual framework that supports the departed and guides proper observance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach funeral and śrāddha-related duties attentively and responsibly, and treat dāna/ritual acts as purposeful obligations meant for the welfare of family and society.