Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

दानं गोर्वैतरण्याश्च दानान्यष्टौ तथापि वा / तिलपात्रं सर्पिः पात्रं शय्यादानं तथैव च

Transliteration

dānaṃ gorvaitaraṇyāśca dānānyaṣṭau tathāpi vā / tilapātraṃ sarpiḥ pātraṃ śayyādānaṃ tathaiva ca

Translation

One should perform the gift of a cow for crossing the Vaitaraṇī, the dreadful river of the afterlife, and likewise the eight prescribed gifts—such as a vessel of sesame, a vessel of ghee, and the gifting of a bed.

Word by Word

• दानम्: a gift, donation
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• गोः: of a cow
• गोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (क्वचित् पुं), षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• वैतरण्याः: of the Vaitaraṇī (river)
• वैतरण्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैतरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• दानानि: donations
• दानानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण (दानानि)

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘thus/so’

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Disjunction/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• तिलपात्रम्: a vessel of sesame (seeds)
• तिलपात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तिलस्य पात्रम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• सर्पिः: ghee
• सर्पिः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्पिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• पात्रम्: a vessel
• पात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• शय्यादानम्: gift of a bed
• शय्यादानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शय्या + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शय्यायाः दानम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific dānas (go-dāna and aṣṭa-dāna items) are karmic supports for post-mortem passage and purification.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala causality within saṃsāra; ritual action as upāya for mitigating fearful transitions.

Application: Undertake prescribed gifts (or their sanctioned equivalents) with faith and proper intention; include staple items (tila, ghṛta, śayyā) in charitable giving.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: river

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Vaitaraṇī descriptions and go-dāna as crossing-aid (contextual); Garuda Purana: aṣṭa/daśa-dāna enumerations in dāna-prakaraṇa

Characters & Entities

• Vaitarani

FAQs

What is the importance of Vaitaraṇī-related dāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats the cow-gift connected with Vaitaraṇī as a key charity meant to aid the departed in overcoming the fearful obstacles of the post-death journey.

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

By naming Vaitaraṇī and specific donations, it implies the soul’s journey includes perilous crossings and that prescribed gifts (dāna) performed by the living are intended to provide support and relief to the departed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If one follows tradition, perform charity with sincerity—especially food, essentials, and memorial giving during śrāddha periods—seeing dāna as ethical responsibility and compassionate support for one’s ancestors.