Shloka 141

Dāna as Prāyaścitta; Deathbed Gifts; Antyeṣṭi Procedures; Nārāyaṇa-bali for Untimely Deaths

Devanagari script

अन्त्रेषु नालिकं तद्याद्वालुकाङ्घ्राणे एव च / वसायां मृत्तिकां दद्याद्धरितालमनः शिलाः

Transliteration

antreṣu nālikaṃ tadyādvālukāṅghrāṇe eva ca / vasāyāṃ mṛttikāṃ dadyāddharitālamanaḥ śilāḥ

Translation

Für die Eingeweide soll man eine nālikā, einen röhrenförmigen Stängel, darbringen; für die Füße Sand. Für das Fett Tonerde; und für Galle und Geist haritāla (gelbes Orpiment) und Stein.

Word by Word

• antreṣu: in the intestines
• antreṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचनम्

• nālikam: tube/reed (nālikā)
• nālikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nālikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचनम्

• tadyāt: should give/place
• tadyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; (पाठभेदः: दद्यात्)

• vālukā-aṅghrāṇe: in the sandy foot/feet (foot-region)
• vālukā-aṅghrāṇe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vālukā (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅghri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (vālukā = वालुकायाः)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधारणार्थक (particle: indeed/just)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction: and)

• vasāyām: in the fat (tissue)
• vasāyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचनम्

• mṛttikām: clay/earth
• mṛttikām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛttikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचनम्

• dadyāt: should give/place
• dadyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• haritālam: orpiment (yellow arsenic mineral)
• haritālam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haritāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचनम्

• manaḥ-śilāḥ: realgar (red arsenic mineral)
• manaḥ-śilāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manaḥśilā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचनम्; (द्रव्यनाम)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Antyeṣṭi/pretakriyā mapping of internal constituents.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bandhu (correspondence) between bodily constituents and offered substances; ritual language links gross matter and subtle function.

Vedantic Theme: Mind (manas) treated as a functional principle within embodied existence; rites acknowledge layered embodiment (sthūla/sūkṣma).

Application: Offer the specified substitutes for intestines, feet, fat, bile, and mind as directed; maintain śauca in handling substances like haritāla.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4.137; Garuda Purana 2.4.138; Garuda Purana 2.4.139; Garuda Purana 2.4.140

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of symbolic offerings in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse shows that specific substances are offered as ritual substitutes for bodily constituents, reinforcing the preta-supporting rite through precise correspondences.

How does this verse relate to the condition of the preta after death?

It reflects the Garuda Purana’s idea that the departed is aided through structured offerings mapped to bodily elements, helping stabilize and provision the post-death transitional state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha or related rites with trained guidance, keeping the intent of careful, disciplined offering—symbolic precision and sincerity—rather than improvisation.