Shloka 91

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

Devanagari script

तिस्रः कोट्योर्धकोटी य यानि लोमानि मानुषे / तावत्कालं वसेत्स्वर्गे भर्तारं यानुगच्छति

Transliteration

tisraḥ koṭyordhakoṭī ya yāni lomāni mānuṣe / tāvatkālaṃ vasetsvarge bhartāraṃ yānugacchati

Translation

For as many years as there are three crores and a half-crore of hairs on a human body, so long does she dwell in heaven—the woman who faithfully follows her husband.

Word by Word

• तिस्रः: three
• तिस्रः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषणम् (qualifying koṭyaḥ)

• कोट्यः: crores
• कोट्यः: Karta/Pradhāna-nāma (Subject/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: koṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• अर्ध-कोटी: half a crore
• अर्ध-कोटी: Karta/Pradhāna-nāma (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ardha (प्रातिपदिक) + koṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘koṭeḥ ardham’ = half a crore

• या: she who
• या: Karta (Subject, relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• यानि: which
• यानि: Karta (Subject, relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• लोमानि: hairs
• लोमानि: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• मानुषे: in a human (being/body)
• मानुषे: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānuṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; ‘in a human (body)’

• तावत्-कालम्: for that long a time
• तावत्-कालम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāvat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘tāvat kālaḥ’ = that much time (duration)

• वसेत्: should dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• भर्तारम्: husband
• भर्तारम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• या: who
• या: Karta (Subject, relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• अनुगच्छति: follows
• अनुगच्छति: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-√gam (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present Indicative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: अनु-

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Phala-śruti: extraordinary svarga-duration promised for anugamana/pativratā conduct.

Vedantic Theme: Heaven as impermanent karmic fruit (svarga-bhoga) rather than final liberation; merit yields time-bound enjoyment.

Application: Recognize the text’s rhetorical strategy: motivating conduct via grand rewards; in reflective practice, distinguish svarga-phala from mokṣa and prioritize non-harmful dharma.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Geographic Context

Type: celestial realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4 phala statements connected to pativratā/anugamana

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the importance of pativrata (devoted wife) dharma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents pativrata conduct as a powerful source of punya, granting an extended stay in svarga measured symbolically by the vast number of hairs on the human body.

How does this verse explain the soul’s path after death?

It indicates that meritorious conduct (dharma) leads to a heavenly realm (svarga) after death, where the soul experiences the results of virtue for a defined duration.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with integrity and fidelity in relationships, uphold dharma in household life, and cultivate virtues that generate lasting merit rather than short-term gains.