Shloka 21

Akālamṛtyu: Preta-state Categories and the Nārāyaṇa-bali / Ekoddiṣṭa Remedy

Devanagari script

सर्वकर्मविपाकेन एकैकाग्रे समाहितः / तोयव्रीहियवान् षष्ट्या गोधूमांश्च प्रियङ्गुकान्

Transliteration

sarvakarmavipākena ekaikāgre samāhitaḥ / toyavrīhiyavān ṣaṣṭyā godhūmāṃśca priyaṅgukān

Translation

Durch das Ausreifen aller Wirkungen des Karma, den Geist fest auf einen einzigen Punkt gesammelt, soll man rituell zusammen mit Wasser sechzig Maße Reis, Gerste, Weizen und auch Priyaṅgu-Körner darbringen.

Word by Word

• सर्वकर्मविपाकेन: by the fruition/result of all actions
• सर्वकर्मविपाकेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-कर्म-विपाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—सर्वेषां कर्मणां विपाकः (फल/परिणामः) तेन

• एकैक-अग्रे: one by one, in order
• एकैक-अग्रे: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एक-एक-अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; लोके ‘एकैकाग्रे’ = एकैकस्मिन् अग्रे/एकैकं अग्रे (one by one, in sequence) — क्रियाविशेषणवत्

• समाहितः: composed, attentive
• समाहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त—‘collected/attentive, composed’

• तोय-व्रीहि-यवान्: water, rice, and barley (as offerings/materials)
• तोय-व्रीहि-यवान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय + व्रीहि + यव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (तोयः, व्रीहयः, यवाः) समाहार/समुच्चयार्थे; ‘-वान्’ रूपं पाठानुसारं (समूहवाचक)

• षष्ट्या: with sixty (units)
• षष्ट्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्टि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक—‘by sixty (measure/units)’

• गोधूमान्: wheat grains
• गोधूमान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोधूम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• प्रियङ्गुकान्: priyaṅgu grains (millet)
• प्रियङ्गुकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रियङ्गु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma-vipāka (ripening of actions) frames ritual responsibility; ekāgratā (one-pointedness) is required for efficacious offering.

Vedantic Theme: Karma operates as moral causality; disciplined mind (ekāgratā) purifies action and aligns it with dharma.

Application: Perform offerings with careful measurement and attention; treat the act as mindful service—avoid distraction, haste, or negligence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual offering space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana śrāddha materials lists: grains, water, and measured offerings; emphasis on samādhāna/ekāgratā in rites (general within 2.40)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Pretas
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of offering grains with water in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames grain-and-water offerings as a disciplined ritual act done with one-pointed mind, supporting post-death rites and aligning the performer with dharma while acknowledging karma’s results.

How does this verse connect karma (vipāka) to ritual practice?

It states that actions mature into results (karma-vipāka) and, in that context, prescribes focused, orderly offerings—implying that right ritual conduct is part of responding to and refining karmic consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform any ancestral or memorial rite with mental steadiness and sincerity, and when giving charity or offerings, do so methodically and with pure intention rather than as a distracted formality.