Shloka 4
गर्भे नष्टे क्रिया नास्ति दुग्धं देयं मृते शिशौ / परं च पायसं क्षीरं दद्याद्वलविपत्तितः
garbhe naṣṭe kriyā nāsti dugdhaṃ deyaṃ mṛte śiśau / paraṃ ca pāyasaṃ kṣīraṃ dadyādvalavipattitaḥ
If the fetus is lost (miscarried), no funerary rite is to be performed. If an infant dies, milk should be offered; and, in addition, rice cooked in milk (pāyasa) and milk are to be given as offerings, according to one’s capacity and circumstances.
Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vainateya)
Beneficiary: Pitr
Concept: Adhikāra-bheda (eligibility distinctions) in funerary rites; proportionate giving according to capacity.
Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra operate through dharma; rites are context-bound and not mechanically universal.
Application: In cases of miscarriage or infant death, follow śāstric limits: avoid inapplicable rites; offer simple, sattvic items (milk/pāyasa) within means.
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: domestic/cremation-ritual context
Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Preta/Śrāddha-kalpa sections on bāla-maraṇa and anadhikāra for full śrāddha; Garuda Purana passages distinguishing ekoddiṣṭa/parva and age-based rites
FAQs
This verse sets a dharma-based exception: no full funerary rite is prescribed for a miscarried fetus, while an infant’s death is met with simple, sattvic offerings like milk and pāyasa, emphasizing appropriateness of rite to life-stage.
The Preta Kanda links post-death support to prescribed rites; here, Vishnu clarifies that ritual support is not uniform for all deaths—certain cases require minimal offerings rather than the complete sequence of obsequies.
Follow tradition proportionately: in sensitive cases like miscarriage or infant death, keep observances simple, compassionate, and within one’s means—prioritizing purity, intention, and family well-being over elaborate expenditure.