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Shloka 108

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

मया न दत्तं न हुतं हुताशने तपो न तप्तं हिमशैलगह्वरे / न सेवितं गाङ्गमहो महाजलं शरीर हे निस्तर यत्त्वया कृतम्

Transliteration

mayā na dattaṃ na hutaṃ hutāśane tapo na taptaṃ himaśailagahvare / na sevitaṃ gāṅgamaho mahājalaṃ śarīra he nistara yattvayā kṛtam

Translation

I gave no gifts, I offered no oblations into the sacred fire; I performed no austerities in the caves of the snowy mountains; I did not even resort to the mighty waters of the revered Gaṅgā. O body—carry me across, for whatever has been done has been done through you.

Word by Word
मयाby me
मया:
Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3), एकवचन
नnot
न:
Negation (निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)
दत्तम्given
दत्तम्:
Karma (Object implied/कर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (given)
नnot
न:
Negation (निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध
हुतम्offered (as oblation)
हुतम्:
Karma (Object implied/कर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootहु (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (offered in fire)
हुताशनेin the fire (Agni)
हुताशने:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootहुत + अशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in the fire)
तपःausterity, penance
तपः:
Karma (Object implied/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन
नnot
न:
Negation (निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध
तप्तम्performed (as penance)
तप्तम्:
Karma (Object implied/कर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootतप् (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (performed/undertaken)
हिमशैलगह्वरेin a snowy mountain cave
हिमशैलगह्वरे:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootहिम + शैल + गह्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in the cave/cleft of a snowy mountain)
नnot
न:
Negation (निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध
सेवितम्visited/served
सेवितम्:
Karma (Object implied/कर्म)
TypeVerb
Rootसेव् (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (served/visited)
गाङ्गम्of the Ganges
गाङ्गम्:
Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootगाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of the Ganges)
अहोalas!
अहो:
Discourse particle (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअहो (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विस्मय/खेदसूचक निपात (exclamation: alas/oh)
महाजलम्the great water (river)
महाजलम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमहा + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन
शरीरO body
शरीर:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootशरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन
हेO
हे:
Sambodhana marker (सम्बोधन)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहे (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)
निस्तरcross over, deliver (yourself)
निस्तर:
Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
TypeVerb
Rootनिः + स्तॄ (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (imperative: cross over)
यत्that which
यत्:
Karma (Object of kṛtam/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (that which)
त्वयाby you
त्वया:
Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootत्वम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formमध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3), एकवचन
कृतम्done
कृतम्:
Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (done)
Speaker

The departing soul (jīva) addressing its own body in remorse (as narrated in the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Human embodiment is the enabling instrument for dāna, yajña, tapas, and tīrtha-sevā; neglect of these leads to remorse when agency is lost.

Vedantic Theme: Durlabha-mānuṣa-janma (rarity of human birth) and the body as a field (kṣetra) for karma and purification.

Application: While alive, practice charity, daily agnihotra/offerings as appropriate, disciplined austerity, and pilgrimage/bathing with ethical intent; treat the body as a sacred means, not merely an end.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: river / mountain-caves / ritual-fire-site

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: laments of the preta recalling neglected dāna/yajña/tapas/tīrtha (adjacent verses 2.5.107–111)

Characters & Entities
A
Agni
G
Ganga
J
Jiva (soul)

FAQs

This verse frames charity as a core life-duty that supports one’s spiritual welfare; the soul laments not giving, implying that neglected dāna becomes a cause of post-death regret and insecurity on the onward journey.

It portrays the jīva’s remorse immediately after death: realizing that dharmic acts (homa, tapas, sacred bathing) could only be performed while embodied, the soul appeals to the body as the instrument through which karma was created.

Use embodied life deliberately: practice regular giving, maintain sincere worship/offerings, undertake disciplined self-restraint, and engage in purification practices—so that one does not face the same regret at life’s end.

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