Shloka 185

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

Devanagari script

दक्षिणा दीयते विप्रे पातकस्य प्रमोचनः / मयाते ऽयं समाख्यातो विधिः पञ्चहरः स्थितः / संयमिन्यां यथायानं यथावर्षं मृतक्रिया

Transliteration

dakṣiṇā dīyate vipre pātakasya pramocanaḥ / mayāte 'yaṃ samākhyāto vidhiḥ pañcaharaḥ sthitaḥ / saṃyaminyāṃ yathāyānaṃ yathāvarṣaṃ mṛtakriyā

Translation

Dem priesterlichen Brāhmaṇa soll die dakṣiṇā (rituelle Gabe) gegeben werden, denn sie bringt Erlösung von Sünde. So habe ich dir diesen feststehenden Ritus dargelegt, der die fünffache Last nimmt. In Saṁyaminī (Yamas Reich) sind die Totenriten gemäß der Reise der Seele und gemäß dem Ablauf des Jahres zu vollziehen.

Word by Word

• dakṣiṇā: fee/gift (dakṣiṇā)
• dakṣiṇā: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• dīyate: is given
• dīyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• vipre: to a Brahmin
• vipre: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• pātakasya: of sin
• pātakasya: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• pramocanaḥ: a release/removal
• pramocanaḥ: Hetu/Phala (Result/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramocana (प्रातिपदिक; √muc-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी/षष्ठी, एकवचन; अत्र चतुर्थ्यर्थे (to you)

• ayam: this
• ayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• samākhyātaḥ: has been explained
• samākhyātaḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: samā√khyā (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त (past passive participle) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘(अयम्) समाख्यातः’ = has been explained

• vidhiḥ: procedure/rite
• vidhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to ayam

• pañcaharaḥ: removing five (sins)
• pañcaharaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca + hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय: पञ्च (पातकानि) हरति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधिः इति विशेषण

• sthitaḥ: is established
• sthitaḥ: Kriya (State/स्थिति)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthita (प्रातिपदिक; √sthā-निष्पन्न)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘स्थितः’ = established/standing

• saṃyaminyām: in Saṃyaminī (Yama’s abode)
• saṃyaminyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃyaminī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘संयमिनी’ = Yama’s city/realm

• yathāyānam: according to one’s journey/going
• yathāyānam: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā + yāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (यथā = according to + yānam); अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)

• yathāvarṣam: according to the year/season; year by year
• yathāvarṣam: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)

• mṛtakriyā: funeral rite/rite for the dead
• mṛtakriyā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛta + kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: मृतस्य क्रिया); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: According to the soul’s journey (yathāyānam) and according to the year (yathāvarṣam)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dakṣiṇā completes ritual efficacy and aids pāpa-pramocana; death-rites must be timed and sequenced in harmony with the departed’s post-mortem passage and annual observances.

Vedantic Theme: Karma’s moral accounting under dharma (Yama) and the role of prescribed action in shaping experience; disciplined observance as preparatory purification.

Application: Ensure proper dakṣiṇā to the officiant; follow the established ‘pañcahara’ rite; perform annual and journey-correspondent rites for the dead with correct timing.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: yamaloka seat of judgment

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: descriptions of Yama’s realm and the soul’s journey (Pretakalpa core); Garuda Purana: annual śrāddha/abdikā and journey-day rites (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Brāhmaṇa (Vipra)
• Saṁyaminī

FAQs

What is the importance of giving dakṣiṇā in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse states that giving dakṣiṇā to a qualified brāhmaṇa is part of the prescribed rite and is regarded as a means for the removal of sin connected with the departed rites.

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

It links mṛtakriyā (funerary observances) with the soul’s post-death movement, saying the rites should be done in alignment with the soul’s journey and the proper time-cycle, associated here with Saṁyaminī (Yama’s domain).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform funeral and śrāddha-related duties on time, with sincerity and proper guidance, and offer appropriate dakṣiṇā/charity as part of ethical ritual responsibility.