Shloka 160

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

Devanagari script

रज्जुच्छेदाश्रुपातञ्च तप्तकृच्छ्रेण शुध्यति / एषामन्यतमं प्रेतं यो वहेत्तु देहत वा

Transliteration

rajjucchedāśrupātañca taptakṛcchreṇa śudhyati / eṣāmanyatamaṃ pretaṃ yo vahettu dehata vā

Translation

By the severe penance known as Taptakṛcchra, one is purified of sins such as cutting with a rope and causing tears to fall through cruelty. But whoever carries a preta (a departed spirit) in any of these ways—whether from the body itself or otherwise—incurs grave fault.

Word by Word

• रज्जुच्छेद: cutting of the rope
• रज्जुच्छेद: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रज्जु (प्रातिपदिक) + छेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'rope-cutting' as an expiatory act

• अश्रुपातम्: shedding of tears
• अश्रुपातम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + पात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; coordinated with previous via 'च' (elliptic)

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

• तप्तकृच्छ्रेण: by the taptakṛcchra penance
• तप्तकृच्छ्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तप्त (कृदन्त) + कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental: 'by the heated/arduous penance called taptakṛcchra'

• शुध्यति: is purified
• शुध्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध्/शुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; variant spelling for 'शुध्यति/शुध्यते'

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'of these'

• अन्यतमम्: any one (of them)
• अन्यतमम्: Karma (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्यतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'one of the alternatives' qualifying 'प्रेतम्'

• प्रेतम्: a dead body/ghost (preta)
• प्रेतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of 'वहेत्'

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; subject of 'वहेत्'

• वहेत्: should carry
• वहेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (संभावना/विधि), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; optative

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• देहतः: from the body/physically
• देहतः: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ablative used adverbially: 'from/with respect to the body' (reading normalized from 'देहत')

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During transport/handling of the dead and related corrective rites when breaches occur

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain grievous acts (cruelty causing tears; violent rope-cutting/strangulation implications) demand severe prāyaścitta (Taptakṛcchra); improper involvement with a preta incurs grave fault.

Vedantic Theme: Karma’s gravity scales with harm and ritual transgression; tapas functions as a purifying counter-force to restore order (ṛta/dharma).

Application: Treat the deceased and funerary process with strict propriety; if a serious breach occurs, undertake the prescribed severe expiation under guidance rather than minimizing it.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: funerary/liminal space (bier route/cremation approach)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4.161 (graded penances); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa discussions of preta-state and consequences of improper rites (general)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of Taptakṛcchra prāyaścitta in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Taptakṛcchra as a severe expiatory discipline capable of purifying specific wrongs, emphasizing that ethical violations and cruelty can require rigorous atonement.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

By mentioning the preta state, it points to the vulnerable post-death condition where proper conduct around the dead and correct rites matter, since mishandling or wrongdoing can intensify suffering and karmic consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat the dead and bereaved with dignity, avoid cruelty that causes others to weep, and if harm has been done, adopt sincere repentance and disciplined corrective practice aligned with dharma.