Shloka 175
Dāna as Prāyaścitta; Deathbed Gifts; Antyeṣṭi Procedures; Nārāyaṇa-bali for Untimely Deaths
वस्त्रान्तराकृतिं कृत्वा दाहयेद्विधिपूर्वकम् / मृतस्य पञ्चके दाहविधिं वच्मि शृणुष्व मे
vastrāntarākṛtiṃ kṛtvā dāhayedvidhipūrvakam / mṛtasya pañcake dāhavidhiṃ vacmi śṛṇuṣva me
Having arranged the body by covering it with cloth, one should cremate it according to proper rule. Now listen as I describe the cremation method for the Panchaka period.
Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vainateya)
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: immediate pre-cremation and the ensuing first five-day window (pañcaka) alluded
Concept: Ritual order (vidhi) governs handling of the dead; proper arrangement and timing prevent doṣa and support the departed’s transition and the living’s purity.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma as a framework for navigating impermanence; disciplined action steadies the mind amid grief.
Application: Prepare the body with cloth covering/arrangement and cremate according to rule; follow the prescribed five-day method as taught in the subsequent verses.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: funeral preparation area leading to cremation ground
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: five-day (pañcaka) funeral/cremation-adjacent procedures and subsequent śrāddha sequencing; Garuda Purana: antyeṣṭi vidhi sections
FAQs
This verse stresses that cremation is not merely disposal of the body but a rule-governed rite (vidhi) that supports the proper transition of the deceased through the immediate post-death period.
By focusing on correct last rites in the first five days, the verse implies that orderly ritual action helps stabilize the post-death condition and prepares the departed for the subsequent stages described in the Preta Kanda.
Perform last rites with care, dignity, and scriptural procedure—seeking guidance from qualified priests and family tradition—rather than treating cremation as a purely logistical act.