Shloka 90
मया न दत्तं न हुतं हुताशने तपो न तप्तं हिमशैलगह्वरे / न सेवितं गाङ्गमहो महाजलं देहिन्क्वचिन्निस्तर यत्त्वया कृतम्
mayā na dattaṃ na hutaṃ hutāśane tapo na taptaṃ himaśailagahvare / na sevitaṃ gāṅgamaho mahājalaṃ dehinkvacinnistara yattvayā kṛtam
“I gave no charity, I offered no oblations into the sacred fire; I performed no austerity in the caves of snowy mountains; I did not bathe in or serve the great, sacred waters of the Ganga. O embodied one—what act of yours will ever carry you across (this terrible after-death passage)?”
Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda, describing the lament of the departed jiva who neglected dharmic acts)
Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni
Concept: Neglect of dāna, yajña/homa, tapas, and tīrtha-sevā leaves the soul without supportive merit for crossing the post-death ordeal.
Vedantic Theme: Sādhana as preparation: converting life into puṇya and purification; urgency of practice before death (kāla-ati-krama).
Application: Adopt a balanced dharmic regimen: regular charity, simple fire/offerings or worship, disciplined austerity (self-control), and periodic pilgrimage/service—at least in accessible forms.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: river tirtha; mountain cave
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: lists of neglected duties leading to post-mortem distress; emphasis on dāna and śrāddha-supportive merit (contextual)
FAQs
This verse frames dāna as a core source of puṇya; the departed laments that without charity and allied dharmic acts, there is little merit to aid one’s difficult passage after death.
It conveys the jīva’s post-mortem self-assessment: lacking offerings, austerity, and sacred association (like Ganga), the soul fears it has no supporting merit to ‘cross over’ the harsh intermediate journey described in the Preta Kanda.
Maintain consistent dharmic practice—give charity, perform simple daily offerings/prayers within one’s means, and engage in purifying disciplines—so one’s life is not marked by regret and spiritual unpreparedness.