Shloka 118

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

Devanagari script

दक्षिणाभिमुखो भूत्वा प्रेतं विष्णुमिति स्मरन् / अनादिनिधनो देवः शङ्खचक्रगदाधरः

Transliteration

dakṣiṇābhimukho bhūtvā pretaṃ viṣṇumiti smaran / anādinidhano devaḥ śaṅkhacakragadādharaḥ

Translation

Facing south, one should remember the departed as resting in Viṣṇu—He, the Lord without beginning or end, the Deity who bears the conch, the discus, and the mace.

Word by Word

• दक्षिण-अभिमुखः: facing south
• दक्षिण-अभिमुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘दक्षिणं अभिमुखः’

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया—‘having become’

• प्रेतम्: the departed spirit (preta)
• प्रेतम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• स्मरन्: remembering
• स्मरन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अनादि-निधनः: beginningless and endless
• अनादि-निधनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि (प्रातिपदिक) + निधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—अनादि + निधन (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः) अर्थः ‘without beginning and without end’

• देवः: the god (Lord)
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• शङ्ख-चक्र-गदा-धरः: bearer of conch, discus, and mace
• शङ्ख-चक्र-गदा-धरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + गदा (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘शङ्खं चक्रं गदां च धरति’ (उपपद-समासः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Remember the departed as resting in Vishnu; contemplate the Lord as beginningless/endless, bearing śaṅkha-cakra-gadā.

Vedantic Theme: The eternal Brahman/Narayana as the ground of all beings; death is reframed as return to the timeless Lord.

Application: During śrāddha/tarpana, sit facing south, perform smaraṇa of Vishnu with iconographic clarity (conch, discus, mace) and mentally place the preta under His shelter.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: directional-ritual setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4.117 (Vishnu-directed tarpana); Garuda Purana 2.4.119 (prayer for preta-moksha)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of facing south in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse prescribes a south-facing posture while remembering the departed in relation to Viṣṇu, aligning the act with the traditional direction associated with death-rites and the departed.

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

By instructing remembrance of the preta as connected to Viṣṇu—the eternal Lord—it emphasizes divine refuge and sanctification of the departed’s post-death transition through Viṣṇu-smaraṇa.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

During memorial rites or personal prayer for the deceased, one can consciously remember Viṣṇu (as Śaṅkha-Cakra-Gadā-dhara) and dedicate the departed to divine protection, keeping the ritual intent devotional and steady.