Shloka 17

Dāna for the Preta: Supreme Gifts, Yama’s Pacification, and Viṣṇu-Smaraṇa at the Time of Death

Devanagari script

सर्वे ऽपि यमदूताश्च यमरूपा विभीषणाः / सर्वे ते वरदा यान्ति सप्तधान्येन प्रीणिताः

Transliteration

sarve 'pi yamadūtāśca yamarūpā vibhīṣaṇāḥ / sarve te varadā yānti saptadhānyena prīṇitāḥ

Translation

Alle Boten Yamas—furchterregend und Yama selbst an Gestalt gleich—werden, durch die Darbringung der sieben Getreide besänftigt, zu Wohltätern und ziehen als Spender von Gnaden davon.

Word by Word

• sarve: all
• sarve: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (यमदूताः)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle), अपि=also/even

• yama-dūtāḥ: messengers of Yama
• yama-dūtāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यमस्य दूताः)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपातः

• yama-rūpāḥ: having Yama’s form
• yama-rūpāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यमस्य रूपम् इव) विशेषणम् (यमदूताः)

• vibhīṣaṇāḥ: terrifying
• vibhīṣaṇāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• sarve: all
• sarve: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (ते)

• te: they/those
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• vara-dāḥ: granting boons
• vara-dāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + dā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (वरं ददाति इति) विशेषणम्

• yānti: go
• yānti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• sapta-dhānyena: by (the gift of) seven grains
• sapta-dhānyena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + dhānya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (सप्त धान्यानि)

• prīṇitāḥ: pleased/satisfied
• prīṇitāḥ: Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prī (धातु)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-भावः (सन्तुष्टाः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritualized charity (saptadhānya-dāna) can transform hostile karmic enforcement into beneficence—symbolizing dharma’s appeasement of punitive forces.

Vedantic Theme: Moral causality as orderly and responsive; fear is transmuted by alignment with dharma (not randomness).

Application: Offer staple grains in charity (or food banks/annadāna) with sincerity; cultivate non-harming and truthfulness so ‘messengers’ of consequence become ‘messengers’ of learning.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: journey-path / threshold space (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.30.14–18: dāna leading from fear-management to Vishnu-smaraṇa as highest means

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamadutas

FAQs

What is the importance of saptadhānya (seven grains) in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse states that the seven-grain offering pleases Yama’s attendants, transforming their frightening role into a protective, boon-giving disposition—implying ritual offerings can reduce obstacles for the departed.

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

It suggests the preta’s journey involves encounters with Yama-like agents (yamadūtas), and that prescribed śrāddha-style offerings can pacify these forces, easing passage through the post-death realm.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform ancestral rites with sincerity—especially food/grain charity and śrāddha according to one’s tradition—while cultivating ethical conduct, since supportive rites are paired with dharmic living in the Purāṇic worldview.