Shloka 119

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

Devanagari script

अक्षयः पुण्डरीकाक्षः प्रेतमोक्षप्रदो भव / तर्पणस्यावसाने स्याद्वीतरागो विमत्सरः

Transliteration

akṣayaḥ puṇḍarīkākṣaḥ pretamokṣaprado bhava / tarpaṇasyāvasāne syādvītarāgo vimatsaraḥ

Translation

“O Imperishable One, O Lotus-eyed Lord—be the giver of liberation to the departed spirit. At the conclusion of the tarpana offering, one should be free from attachment and free from envy.”

Word by Word

• अक्षयः: imperishable
• अक्षयः: Sambodhana/Predicate (Address/सम्बोधन-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विष्णोः)

• पुण्डरीक-अक्षः: lotus-eyed
• पुण्डरीक-अक्षः: Sambodhana/Predicate (Address/सम्बोधन-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्डरीक (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘पुण्डरीकवत् अक्षी यस्य’ (रूढ्या विष्णुनाम)

• प्रेत-मोक्ष-प्रदः: giver of liberation to the departed
• प्रेत-मोक्ष-प्रदः: Sambodhana/Predicate (Address/सम्बोधन-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘प्रेतस्य मोक्षं प्रददाति’

• भव: be (please become)
• भव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तर्पणस्य: of the tarpana rite
• तर्पणस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• अवसाने: at the conclusion
• अवसाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवसान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वीत-रागः: free from attachment
• वीत-रागः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीत (प्रातिपदिक; वि+इ धातोः क्त) + राग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘वीतः रागः यस्य’ (राग-रहितः)

• वि-मात्सरः: free from envy
• वि-मात्सरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग) + मात्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञर्थक/विपरीतार्थक-प्रयोगः—‘without envy’

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: tarpana-avasāna (conclusion)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vishnu (Akṣaya, Puṇḍarīkākṣa) is invoked as giver of liberation to the preta; the performer should end the rite in vairāgya and amātsarya.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha as release through divine grace alongside inner purification (rāga-dveṣa-kṣaya); the Imperishable as the liberating reality.

Application: Conclude tarpana with a direct moksha-prārthanā for the departed and a personal resolve to reduce attachment and envy in daily conduct.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-conclusion (tarpana avasāna)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4.118 (Vishnu-smaraṇa); Garuda Purana 2.4.120 (sense-control, purity, śrāddha)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of tarpana in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse frames tarpana as an act offered with prayer to Viṣṇu for “preta-mokṣa,” emphasizing that the rite is not merely procedural but intended to aid the departed and purify the performer’s mind.

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

By invoking Viṣṇu as the “giver of liberation to the preta,” the verse implies that beyond post-death states, ultimate release depends on divine grace and dharmic rites performed with right intention.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform remembrance/ritual offerings with sincerity, then cultivate vītarāga (non-attachment) and vimatsara (non-envy)—a daily ethical discipline that supports inner purity and compassionate living.