Shloka 126

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

Devanagari script

ऋचा वै दापयेदर्घमर्घोद्दिष्टं पृथक्पृथक् / ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च रुद्रश्च यमः प्रेतश्च पञ्चमः

Transliteration

ṛcā vai dāpayedarghamarghoddiṣṭaṃ pṛthakpṛthak / brahmā viṣṇuśca rudraśca yamaḥ pretaśca pañcamaḥ

Translation

One should have the arghya (water-offering) given with the prescribed ṛc (Vedic formula), separately for each recipient: Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Yama, and as the fifth, the preta (departed spirit).

Word by Word

• ऋचा: with a ṛk-verse (hymn)
• ऋचा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋच्/ऋचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• दापयेत्: should cause to offer
• दापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (cause to give)

• अर्घम्: arghya-offering (respectful oblation)
• अर्घम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अर्घोद्दिष्टम्: designated for arghya
• अर्घोद्दिष्टम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्घ + उद्दिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय ‘उद्दिष्ट’ = designated; तत्पुरुषः (अर्घाय उद्दिष्टम्)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• पृथक्: each separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), पुनरुक्ति (emphasis)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रेतः: Preta (departed spirit)
• प्रेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• पञ्चमः: the fifth
• पञ्चमः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषणम् (प्रेतः इति)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During arghya/tarpaṇa offerings within śrāddha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Arghya is to be offered with the proper ṛc, separately to each recipient—cosmic deities, Yama, and the preta—affirming differentiated ritual address and orderly karmic administration.

Vedantic Theme: Many deities, one order: functional plurality within dharma; ritual acknowledges cosmic roles while cultivating disciplined intention.

Application: Use the correct Vedic formula; offer arghya distinctly to each named recipient; keep sequence and separation clear to avoid saṅkara (mixing) in rite.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4: arghya/tarpaṇa recipients and mantra usage; Yama and preta addressed within śrāddha framework

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Rudra
• Yama
• Preta

FAQs

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

This verse frames arghya as a formal, mantra-guided offering that is distributed to specific cosmic authorities (Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Yama) and finally to the preta, indicating ritual order and intended recipients in post-death rites.

Why are Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, and Yama mentioned along with the preta?

They represent the divine and judicial powers connected with creation, preservation, dissolution, and karmic adjudication; offering arghya to them acknowledges these forces while also directly addressing the preta as the one needing ritual support.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform ancestral rites with clarity and discipline—make offerings intentionally (not casually), keep recipients distinct, and treat the departed with dignity while aligning the act with dharma and remembrance.