Shloka 145
Dharma–Adharma Marks; Daśāha, Piṇḍa Formation, Śrāddha Calendar, Śayyā-dāna, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Rules
सत्यंसत्यं पुनः सत्यं श्रूयतां वचनं मम / न पिण्डो मिलितो येषां मृतानान्तु नृणां भुवि
satyaṃsatyaṃ punaḥ satyaṃ śrūyatāṃ vacanaṃ mama / na piṇḍo milito yeṣāṃ mṛtānāntu nṛṇāṃ bhuvi
Wahrheit—Wahrheit—wiederum Wahrheit: Hört mein Wort. Jenen verstorbenen Menschen auf Erden, für die das piṇḍa (der rituelle Toten-Reisball) nicht ordnungsgemäß dargebracht wurde, erreicht überhaupt kein piṇḍa.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: Whenever piṇḍa is due (post-death sequence and periodic śrāddhas); verse stresses omission rather than a specific date.
Concept: Ritual causality: piṇḍa-dāna is a necessary karmic conduit; without it, the departed do not receive sustenance/benefit.
Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as a functional means within saṃsāra; actions (kriyā) produce specific results (phala) across realms.
Application: Ensure piṇḍa offerings are duly performed for the deceased according to rule and timing; do not neglect rites assuming intention alone suffices.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: ritual sphere/household
Related Themes: Garuda Purana śrāddha passages emphasizing piṇḍa/udaka efficacy and consequences of omission (surrounding 2.34.143–146)
FAQs
This verse stresses that piṇḍa is not automatically received by the departed; it must be properly offered, making piṇḍa-dāna a key rite for supporting the deceased in the post-death condition described in the Preta Kanda.
By highlighting whether piṇḍa ‘reaches’ the dead, the verse implies an ongoing post-death journey/state where ritual support matters—especially for the preta—linking the living’s rites (śrāddha/piṇḍa) to the deceased’s condition.
Perform śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna with sincerity and correctness (or arrange it through qualified priests) and cultivate truthfulness and responsibility toward ancestors, as the verse frames the teaching as a solemn truth.