Shloka 127

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

दत्ता पापं दहेत् सर्वं मम लोकन्तु सा नयेत् / मप्तमे मासि सम्प्राप्ते पुरं बह्वापदं मृतः

Transliteration

dattā pāpaṃ dahet sarvaṃ mama lokantu sā nayet / maptame māsi samprāpte puraṃ bahvāpadaṃ mṛtaḥ

Translation

A gift offered in the proper manner burns away all sin and leads the giver to My realm. But when the seventh month arrives, the departed is taken to a city beset with many dangers.

Word by Word

• दत्ता: (she/it) given; the given (gift)
• दत्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दहेत्: would burn/destroy
• दहेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of पापम्)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• लोकम्: world/realm
• लोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• सा: she/that (gift)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नयेत्: would lead/take
• नयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सप्तमे: in the seventh
• सप्तमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of मासि)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सम्प्राप्ते: when (it is) reached/arrived
• सम्प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+प्र+आप् (धातु) → सम्प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• पुरम्: city/abode
• पुरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• बह्वापदम्: full of many calamities
• बह्वापदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + आपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बह्व्-आपद् = बह्वी आपद् यस्मिन् (बह्वापद) विशेषण (of पुरम्)

• मृतः: dead
• मृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु) → मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna performed in proper manner destroys pāpa and elevates the soul; time-bound stages after death unfold inexorably according to karma and ritual support.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyati (inevitability of results) tempered by upāya (remedial means) through dharmic action and devotion.

Application: Practice timely, properly intended charity and support śrāddha-related giving; cultivate Vishnu-oriented merit to orient the mind toward a higher gati.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: divine realm and intermediate city on the preta’s route

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: month-by-month preta-journey descriptions; piṇḍa/udaka efficacy passages; Yama’s messengers and city-stations (pura) sequences

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Preta (the deceased)

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna (charity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that properly given charity destroys sin and becomes a means of attaining Vishnu’s realm, making dāna a key remedy in after-death and merit-building teachings.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It indicates a staged journey: alongside the spiritual benefit of dāna, the deceased (preta) is described as being led onward in time, reaching by the seventh month a perilous city—suggesting progressive post-death transitions and trials.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice ethical giving and support rites of remembrance (as per one’s tradition), using charity as a disciplined act of dharma aimed at purification and welfare of the departed.