Shloka 10
Yamamārga, Antyeṣṭi-vidhi, and Daśāhika Piṇḍa-dāna
Road to Yama and Ten-Day Offerings
करयुग्मे च कण्ठे च तुलसीं च प्रदापयेत्
karayugme ca kaṇṭhe ca tulasīṃ ca pradāpayet
One should place sacred tulasī in both hands and also at the throat of the departing person.
Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Beneficiary: Preta (departed individual)
Timing: At the deathbed/immediately after death
Concept: Tulasī, as a sacred offering to Viṣṇu, is placed at key bodily loci to support the departing prāṇa and orient consciousness toward the divine.
Vedantic Theme: Bhakti as an upāya at the liminal moment; prāṇa-udāna symbolism at the throat in the departure process.
Application: Place tulasī in both hands and at the throat of the departing/deceased person as part of the final bedside rites.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: bedside ritual space
Related Themes: Garuda Purana tulasī-mahātmyas and deathbed instructions emphasizing tulasī’s liberative/protective role; Garuda Purana guidance on prāṇa departure and supportive sacred placements
FAQs
This verse prescribes placing tulasī at the hands and throat of the dying, treating it as a sacred aid and auspicious support for the departing person in a Vishnu-centered death-bed observance.
By emphasizing a specific last-moment rite, it frames the departure as a dharmic transition where sacred items and devotional observances are used to support the jīva as it leaves the body and enters the post-death journey described in the Preta Kanda.
If appropriate to one’s tradition, keep tulasī available for end-of-life care and ensure the moment is guided by calm, devotional, and respectful rites rather than confusion or neglect.