Shloka 33

Yamamārga, Antyeṣṭi-vidhi, and Daśāhika Piṇḍa-dāna

Road to Yama and Ten-Day Offerings

Devanagari script

तेन भूमिर्भवेत्तुष्टातदधिष्ठातृदेवता / द्वारे तु पिण्डं देयं च पान्थमित्यभिधाय तु

Transliteration

tena bhūmirbhavettuṣṭātadadhiṣṭhātṛdevatā / dvāre tu piṇḍaṃ deyaṃ ca pānthamityabhidhāya tu

Translation

By that offering, the Earth becomes pleased, along with the deity who presides over her. Then, at the doorway, a piṇḍa should be given, calling it “for the traveller on the path.”

Word by Word

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/हेतु

• भूमिः: the earth/ground
• भूमिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्ता

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तुष्टा: pleased
• तुष्टा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √तुष्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त); कर्तृसमाना-विशेषणम् (agreeing with भूमिः)

• तदधिष्ठातृदेवता: the presiding deity of that (place)
• तदधिष्ठातृदेवता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अधिष्ठातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्ता/समुच्चितकर्ता; तत्पुरुष (तस्य अधिष्ठातृ देवता)

• द्वारे: at the door
• द्वारे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषबोधक (particle: 'but/indeed')

• पिण्डम्: a piṇḍa (food-ball offering)
• पिण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• देयम्: to be given
• देयम्: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दा)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम्; भाव्य/कर्तव्य (gerundive, -ya: 'to be given')

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Conjunction/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• पान्थम्: (as) ‘traveller’ (name/title)
• पान्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म; (नामरूपेण)

• इति: thus
• इति: Avyaya (Quotative/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• अभिधाय: having called/named
• अभिधाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि + धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया (having named/said)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषबोधक

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vainateya)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After the mṛtasthāna offering; at the doorway during immediate post-death rite sequence

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Offerings please Earth and her presiding deity; a doorway piṇḍa named ‘Pāntha’ supports the departed as a traveller on the path.

Vedantic Theme: Karma’s subtle efficacy (adṛṣṭa) in shaping transitional states; compassionate duty toward the jīva’s onward movement.

Application: After the earth-appeasing offering, place a piṇḍa at the doorway explicitly dedicating it as ‘pāntha’—support for the departed’s journey.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: threshold of the house; contact point with earth

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.15: successive station-offerings (mṛtasthāna, dvāra, catuṣpatha, viśrāma); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: imagery of the soul’s journey and need for ritual support (general)

Characters & Entities

• Bhumi (Earth)
• Adhisthatri Devata (presiding deity)

FAQs

What is the importance of offering a piṇḍa at the doorway in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the doorway piṇḍa as an offering for the departed as a ‘traveller’ (pāntha), ritually supporting the soul’s onward journey and harmonizing the household threshold as the departure point.

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

By naming the offering ‘for the traveller,’ the text depicts the preta as moving along a route after death; the rite is meant to aid and steady that transition, beginning from the home’s threshold.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform śrāddha and piṇḍa-dāna with clear intention—offer respectfully at prescribed places (including the threshold where relevant), remembering it as support for the departed and as a discipline of gratitude and duty (dharma).