Shloka 5

Devanagari script

अहन्यहनि दातव्या उदकुम्भास्तिलैर्युताः / सुलिप्ते भूमिभागे तु पक्कान्नजलपूरिताः

Transliteration

ahanyahani dātavyā udakumbhāstilairyutāḥ / sulipte bhūmibhāge tu pakkānnajalapūritāḥ

Translation

Day after day, one should offer water-pots mixed with sesame seeds; and on a well-smeared, purified spot of ground, one should place pots filled with water along with cooked food.

Word by Word

• ahanyahani: Day by day / Daily
• ahanyahani: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ahanyahani (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverbial Repetition

• dātavyāḥ: To be given
• dātavyāḥ: Vidheya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Tavya Pratyaya, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• udakumbhāḥ: Water pots
• udakumbhāḥ: Karma (Object in Passive/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udakumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• tilaiḥ: With sesame seeds
• tilaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• yutāḥ: United/Endowed with
• yutāḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yu (धातु) -> yuta
• Form: Kta Pratyaya, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• sulipte: Well-smeared/plastered
• sulipte: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sulipta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• bhūmibhāge: On a part of the ground
• bhūmibhāge: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmibhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• tu: But/And
• tu: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• pakkānnajalapūritāḥ: Filled with cooked food and water
• pakkānnajalapūritāḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pakkānnajalapūrita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: ahan-ahan (daily) during preta period

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nitya (day-by-day) giving with śuddhi (purity) and appropriate substances (water, tila, cooked food) is dharmically potent for preta-support.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual purity and intentional action (saṅkalpa implied) as instruments of karmic transfer/benefit within vyavahāra.

Application: Offer daily water-pots with sesame; place on a purified, smeared spot; accompany with cooked food and water-filled vessels.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: ritual ground/altar-space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: tila and udaka as standard śrāddha adjuncts; daily offerings during preta period; Garuda Purana: emphasis on bhūmi-śuddhi and proper placement of offerings

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Pitris
• Pretas

FAQs

What is the importance of offering water-pots with sesame in the Garuda Purana?

This verse prescribes a repeated (daily) offering of water-pots mixed with sesame, a standard preta/pitṛ-rite element believed to support and satisfy the departed and the Pitris through ritualized nourishment and merit.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in Preta Kanda?

In the Preta Kanda context, such offerings are part of the post-death observances meant to aid the preta condition—providing ritual support (udaka, anna) and dharmic merit during the transitional period described in the Garuda Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing śrāddha or remembrance rites, keep the act orderly and pure (clean space), and include traditional elements like water and sesame as per family/customary practice—emphasizing sincerity, cleanliness, and charity.