Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

पिण्डस्य चालनं प्रोक्तं नैव प्रोक्तमिदं त्रिकम् / प्रच्छादनविसर्गौ च स्वस्तिवाचनकं तथा

Transliteration

piṇḍasya cālanaṃ proktaṃ naiva proktamidaṃ trikam / pracchādanavisargau ca svastivācanakaṃ tathā

Translation

The shifting of the piṇḍa-offering is indeed prescribed; yet this triad is not declared obligatory: the covering and the releasing (of the offering), and likewise the recitation of auspicious benedictions (svasti).

Word by Word

• पिण्डस्य: of the piṇḍa (funeral rice-ball)
• पिण्डस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• चालनम्: moving; stirring
• चालनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चालन (प्रातिपदिक; √चल् (धातु) + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्रोक्तम्: is said; has been prescribed
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (अस्ति) इति अध्याहार्य

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

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

• प्रोक्तम्: is said; is prescribed
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (अस्ति) इति अध्याहार्य

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• त्रिकम्: a triad; set of three
• त्रिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रच्छादनविसर्गौ: covering and releasing/letting go
• प्रच्छादनविसर्गौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रच्छादन (प्रातिपदिक; √छद् (धातु) + ल्युट्) + विसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• स्वस्तिवाचनकम्: uttering ‘svasti’ (benediction)
• स्वस्तिवाचनकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वस्ति (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + वाचनक (प्रातिपदिक; √वच् (धातु) + ण्वुल्/क)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (स्वस्तेः वाचनकम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise; also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During śrāddha performance when offering piṇḍas; context implies irregular/impure śrāddha discussions nearby.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual dharma distinguishes mandatory acts from optional/unstated elements; precision prevents doṣa (ritual fault).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as a purifier when performed with right vidhi; restraint and correctness over excess.

Application: In śrāddha, perform prescribed piṇḍa-cālana; do not treat prācchādana, visarga, and svasti-vācana as compulsory unless taught by one’s tradition/ācārya.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-kalpa sections on piṇḍa-dāna vidhi and śrāddha-doṣa (impure/irregular rites); Adjacent verses 2.4.48–2.4.51 on contexts (death-place, doorway, crossroads) and naming of the departed (bhūta/sādhaka/preta)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Preta
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of piṇḍa-cālana (moving the piṇḍa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats the movement/placement of the piṇḍa as a prescribed component of the rite, indicating careful handling and correct procedure in offerings made for the departed.

How does this verse explain what is optional in funeral rituals?

It distinguishes between what is explicitly prescribed and a ‘triad’ (covering, releasing, and svasti recitation) that is said here to be not stated as compulsory, implying these may be secondary or context-dependent.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing śrāddha or pinda-dāna, prioritize the core prescribed steps and seek guidance from a qualified priest or tradition for optional embellishments like additional svasti recitations.