Shloka 60

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

Devanagari script

आज्येनाभ्यञ्जनं कार्यं सर्वाङ्गेषु शवस्य च / दाहमृत्योरन्तराले विधिः पिण्डस्य तं शृणु

Transliteration

ājyenābhyañjanaṃ kāryaṃ sarvāṅgeṣu śavasya ca / dāhamṛtyorantarāle vidhiḥ piṇḍasya taṃ śṛṇu

Translation

The corpse should be anointed with ghee over all its limbs. Now hear the prescribed procedure for offering the piṇḍa during the interval between death and cremation.

Word by Word

• ājyenā: with ghee
• ājyenā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• abhyañjanam: anointing
• abhyañjanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhi- (उपसर्ग) + añjana (प्रातिपदिक) / √añj- अञ्ज् (धातु)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• kāryam: to be done
• kāryam: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (कृदन्त; √kṛ- कृ (धातु), ण्यत्)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), विध्यर्थ

• sarva-aṅgeṣu: on all limbs
• sarva-aṅgeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्वाणि अङ्गानि)

• śavasya: of the corpse
• śavasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• dāha-mṛtyoḥ: of cremation and death
• dāha-mṛtyoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāha (प्रातिपदिक) + mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठī), द्विवचन-रूपवत्/एकवचन-प्रयोगः (समाहार-द्वन्द्वे षष्ठी); समासः—द्वन्द्व (दाहश्च मृत्युश्च)

• antarāle: in the interval
• antarāle: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antarāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• vidhiḥ: procedure, rule
• vidhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• piṇḍasya: of the piṇḍa offering
• piṇḍasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śṛṇu: hear
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru-श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During the interval between death and cremation (mṛtyu–dāha antarāla).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Anointing the body with ghee and offering piṇḍa in the death-to-cremation interval are mandated components of proper funeral dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra as dharmic duty: honoring the embodied being and supporting the jīva’s passage through correct rites.

Application: Perform ghṛta-abhyanga over all limbs respectfully; then follow the specified piṇḍa procedure during the pre-cremation interval.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: antyeṣṭi preparation space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4 (piṇḍa-vidhi in the antarāla between mṛtyu and dāha)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Preta
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of anointing the body with ghee (ājya) in Garuda Purana funeral rites?

This verse prescribes ghee-anointing of the corpse as part of proper preparation for antyeṣṭi, marking the body’s ritual handling before cremation.

How does this verse explain what should be done between death and cremation?

It explicitly points to an interim period (mṛtyu–dāha antarāla) and introduces the piṇḍa offering procedure to be performed during that time.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow locally accepted śāstric and family traditions for last rites, ensuring respectful preparation of the body and timely performance of interim offerings/ritual steps as guided by qualified priests.