Shloka 110

Dāna as Prāyaścitta; Deathbed Gifts; Antyeṣṭi Procedures; Nārāyaṇa-bali for Untimely Deaths

Devanagari script

तत्तु दुर्मरणं ज्ञेयं यच्च जातं विधैं विना / तेन पापेन नरकान् भुक्त्वा प्रेतत्वभागिनः

Transliteration

tattu durmaraṇaṃ jñeyaṃ yacca jātaṃ vidhaiṃ vinā / tena pāpena narakān bhuktvā pretatvabhāginaḥ

Translation

Know this to be an ‘ill death’ (durmaraṇa): when one dies without the prescribed rites. By that sin, after experiencing the hells, the being becomes a partaker of the state of a preta, a restless departed spirit.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक निपात — particle

• दुर्मरणम्: bad/evil death
• दुर्मरणम्: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; कर्मधारयः (दुष्टं मरणम्)

• ज्ञेयम्: to be known (as)
• ज्ञेयम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन — gerundive, Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular (relative)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात — conjunction

• जातम्: occurred/arisen
• जातम्: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन — past participle, Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular

• विधिम्: rule/rite/ordinance
• विधिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Exclusion)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अपवर्जनार्थक अव्यय — indeclinable ‘without’ (takes accusative)

• तेन: by that/thereby
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन — Instrumental, Singular

• पापेन: by sin
• पापेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• नरकान्: hells
• नरकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• भुक्त्वा: having undergone/experienced
• भुक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त) — gerund/absolutive ‘having experienced’

• प्रेतत्व-भागिनः: becoming sharers of preta-hood
• प्रेतत्व-भागिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेतत्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भागिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; तत्पुरुषः (प्रेतत्वस्य भागिनः) — sharers of the state of preta

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dying without prescribed saṃskāras (vidhi) constitutes durmarana; the papa yields naraka-bhoga and culminates in preta-hood.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual order (saṃskāra) as a dharmic support for the jīva’s transition; absence of rites intensifies bondage at the vyāvahārika level.

Application: Ensure antyeṣṭi preparedness (family/community arrangements), live so that rites are possible, and support others’ last rites to prevent preta-affliction.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: naraka-bhoga and preta-lakṣaṇa sections (general); Garuda Purana 2.4.111 (prohibition/alteration of rites for certain deaths in this context)

Characters & Entities

• Naraka
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of prescribed death rites (vidhi) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that dying without the prescribed rites is considered durmaraṇa (an ill death) and is linked to suffering in naraka followed by attaining the preta condition.

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

It presents a sequence: neglect of prescribed rites becomes a karmic fault, leading first to naraka-experience, and then to pretatva—an unsettled post-death state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow appropriate last rites and ethical living (dharma) so that post-death transitions are supported and avoid actions that create heavy karmic consequences.