Shloka 21

Dharma–Adharma Marks; Daśāha, Piṇḍa Formation, Śrāddha Calendar, Śayyā-dāna, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Rules

Devanagari script

दत्ते जलाञ्जलौ पश्चाद्विदध्याद्दन्तधावनम् / त्यजन्ति गोत्रिणः सर्वे दिनानि नव काश्यप

Transliteration

datte jalāñjalau paścādvidadhyāddantadhāvanam / tyajanti gotriṇaḥ sarve dināni nava kāśyapa

Translation

Nachdem man das Jalāñjali dargebracht hat, soll man anschließend die Zahnreinigung vollziehen. O Kāśyapa, alle Angehörigen derselben Gotra enthalten sich neun Tage lang (der gewöhnlichen Verrichtungen).

Word by Word

• datte: gives
• datte: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person, Singular

• jalāñjalau: in/after the water-offering (añjali of water)
• jalāñjalau: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala + añjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa; Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक)

• vidadhyāt: should perform/arrange
• vidadhyāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + dhā (धा धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• danta-dhāvanam: tooth-cleaning
• danta-dhāvanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: danta + dhāvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa = dantānāṃ dhāvanam; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• tyajanti: they abstain/avoid
• tyajanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (त्यज् धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural (बहुवचन)

• gotriṇaḥ: kinsmen of the same lineage
• gotriṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gotrin (गोत्रिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; qualifies gotriṇaḥ

• dināni: days
• dināni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural (बहुवचन)

• nava: nine
• nava: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective; Neuter, Accusative, Plural; agrees with dināni

• kāśyapa: O Kāśyapa
• kāśyapa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśyapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra; addressing 'Kāśyapa')

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Immediately after jalāñjali; nine-day gotra observance thereafter

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After jalāñjali, perform dantadhāvana; gotra members observe a nine-day restriction/abstinence period.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra and communal dharma: purification is both bodily (cleaning) and social (shared observance) to stabilize the household after death.

Application: Sequence rites properly (offering → cleansing); coordinate gotra-family observances for nine days, adjusting daily worship/celebrations accordingly.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: post-offering cleansing setting (home/ghāṭa implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: nine/ten-day impurity and gotra observances discussed in adjacent funeral-rite passages (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Kāśyapa
• Gotra (lineage group)

FAQs

What is the importance of jalāñjali and dantadhāvana in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse places water-offering (jalāñjali) and subsequent ritual hygiene (dantadhāvana) as ordered steps, emphasizing śauca (purity/discipline) while performing post-death observances.

How does this verse describe family duties after a death in the Garuda Purana?

It states that all gotra-members observe a nine-day abstention period, indicating a shared lineage-based responsibility and restraint during the immediate post-death phase.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain orderly, respectful mourning practices—prioritize cleanliness, self-restraint, and coordinated family observance during the initial days after a death.