Shloka 10
Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and Dāna as the Soul’s True Companion on the Path to Yama
उपद्रुतेष्वेषु पराङ्मुखो यः स्युस्तस्य देवाः सकलाः पराङ्मुखाः / तिलोदकं नैव पिबन्ति पूर्वे हुतं न गृह्णाति हुताशनोपि तत्
upadruteṣveṣu parāṅmukho yaḥ syustasya devāḥ sakalāḥ parāṅmukhāḥ / tilodakaṃ naiva pibanti pūrve hutaṃ na gṛhṇāti hutāśanopi tat
Wenn diese Heimsuchungen eintreten und jemand sich von den vorgeschriebenen Pflichten des Dharma abwendet, dann wenden sich auch alle Devas von ihm ab. Die Pitṛs trinken das dargebrachte Tilodaka (Sesamwasser) nicht, und selbst das heilige Feuer (Hutāśana) nimmt jene Opfergabe nicht an.
Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Ritual Type: Parvana
Beneficiary: Pitr
Concept: When one turns away from prescribed duty amid troubles, divine and ancestral support withdraws; ritual acts become fruitless without dharmic orientation.
Vedantic Theme: Karma-yajña nexus: outer rites require inner alignment (śraddhā, niyama); loss of sattva and faith leads to ‘apratigraha’ (non-acceptance) of offerings.
Application: In adversity, maintain daily duties, worship, and ancestral rites with sincerity; correct neglect through renewed discipline and repentance.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: ritual space (gṛhya/altar)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana sections on śrāddha efficacy and conditions under which pitṛs accept offerings; Garuda Purana discussions on agni as mouth of devas and the necessity of śraddhā
FAQs
Tilodaka is a key offering in tarpana/Shraddha meant for the Pitṛs; this verse states that if one becomes indifferent to prescribed duties during times of affliction, the Pitṛs do not accept (drink) the tilodaka, indicating the rite becomes spiritually ineffective.
It teaches that turning away from one’s obligations in troubled times causes a withdrawal of divine support: devas become ‘parāṅmukha’ (non-favorable), Pitṛs do not receive ancestral offerings, and even Agni is said not to accept the oblation—symbolizing a breakdown in the ritual link between humans and the unseen worlds.
Maintain basic discipline in dharma—especially gratitude and responsibility toward elders/ancestors and daily ethical conduct—during crises; if performing rites, do them with sincerity and correctness rather than abandoning them out of despair or negligence.