Shloka 1

The Destiny of Those Who Die Through Fasting & the Procedure of Udakumbha-dāna

Devanagari script

ऽनशनमृत गतिनिरूपणं नाम षट्त्रिंशो ऽध्यायः तार्क्ष्य उवाच / उदकुम्भप्रदानं मे कथयस्व यथातथम् / विधिना केन कर्तव्या कृतिरेषा जनार्दन

Transliteration

'naśanamṛta gatinirūpaṇaṃ nāma ṣaṭtriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ tārkṣya uvāca / udakumbhapradānaṃ me kathayasva yathātatham / vidhinā kena kartavyā kṛtireṣā janārdana

Translation

“(This is) the chapter called ‘The description of the destiny of those who die through fasting.’ Tārkṣya (Garuda) said: ‘Tell me truly, just as it is, about the gift of a water-pot (udakumbha-dāna). By what prescribed rite should this act be performed, O Janārdana?’”

Word by Word

• anaśanamṛtagatinirūpaṇam: Description of the path of those dying by fasting
• anaśanamṛtagatinirūpaṇam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anaśanamṛtagatinirūpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• nāma: Named
• nāma: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial particle indicating 'named'

• ṣaṭtriṃśaḥ: Thirty-sixth
• ṣaṭtriṃśaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭtriṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• adhyāyaḥ: Chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tārkṣyaḥ: Tarkshya (Garuda)
• tārkṣyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tārkṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: Said
• uvāca: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Lit Lakara (Perfect), Prathama Purusha (3rd), Singular

• udakumbhapradānam: The gift of water pots
• udakumbhapradānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udakumbhapradāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• me: To me
• me: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (4th/चतुर्थी) or Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• kathayasva: Tell/Explain
• kathayasva: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (धातु)
• Form: Lot Lakara (Imperative), Madhyama Purusha (2nd), Singular, Atmanepada

• yathātatham: Truthfully / Exactly as it is
• yathātatham: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathātatha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial Compound

• vidhinā: By method/rule
• vidhinā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• kena: By which
• kena: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• kartavyā: To be done
• kartavyā: Vidheya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Tavya Pratyaya (Potential Participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• kṛtiḥ: Action/Rite
• kṛtiḥ: Karma (Object in Passive/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• eṣā: This
• eṣā: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• janārdana: O Janardana (Krishna)
• janārdana: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (Sambodhana/सम्बोधन), Singular

Speaker

Garuda (Tārkṣya / Vinatā-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual correctness (vidhi) in udakumbha-dāna for the departed, especially connected to fasting-death destinies.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as purifier and support for subtle journey; śraddhā and niyama as instruments of dharma.

Application: When performing rites for the deceased, seek proper procedure, qualified guidance, and sincere intention rather than improvisation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: dialogue setting (teacher-disciple)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.37 (this chapter): udakumbha-dāna procedure and preta-tṛpti (immediate internal context)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Tārkṣya)
• Janārdana (Lord Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of udakumbha-pradāna in the Garuda Purana?

In this verse Garuda specifically asks for the correct procedure of donating a water-pot, indicating it is treated as a formal, rule-governed rite connected to post-death observances and proper ritual support.

How does this verse frame the discussion on the soul’s journey after death?

It introduces a technical inquiry within the Garuda–Vishnu dialogue: the chapter concerns the ‘gati’ (post-death destiny) of one who dies by fasting, and it immediately turns to ritual means (udakumbha-dāna) that accompany death rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat death-related rites as intentional and properly guided practices—seek accurate instructions from tradition/teachers rather than performing symbolic acts casually, especially for donations and śrāddha-related observances.