Shloka 150

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

पापी पापां गतिं याति यथा ते कथितं पुरा / छत्रोपानहदातारो ये च वेश्मप्रदायकाः

Transliteration

pāpī pāpāṃ gatiṃ yāti yathā te kathitaṃ purā / chatropānahadātāro ye ca veśmapradāyakāḥ

Translation

A sinner goes to the sinful course of destiny, as I told you before; but those who give umbrellas and footwear, and those who provide a dwelling, attain a destination born of merit.

Word by Word

• pāpī: a sinner
• pāpī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'sinner'

• pāpām: evil
• pāpām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'sinful/evil' (qualifies गति)

• gatim: destination
• gatim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yāti: goes
• yāti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बन्ध/उपमानार्थ) = 'as/just as'

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान) एकवचन (ते = 'to you/for you')

• kathitam: told
• kathitam: Kriya (Predicative/impersonal)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kath (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, कथित), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'told/said' (impersonal: 'it was told')

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kala-adhikarana (Time/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक) = 'formerly/earlier'

• chatra: umbrella
• chatra: Samasa-anga (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (umbrella) — समासाङ्ग

• upānah: shoes
• upānah: Samasa-anga (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upānah (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (सामान्यतः), प्रातिपदिक (shoe/sandal) — समासाङ्ग

• dātāraḥ: givers
• dātāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास: छत्र+उपानह् + दातारः = 'givers of umbrellas and shoes'

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; relative pronoun 'who'

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय) = 'and'

• veśma: house
• veśma: Samasa-anga (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veśman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (house/dwelling) — समासाङ्ग

• pradāyakāḥ: donors (providers)
• pradāyakāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pra+dā (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (ण्वुल्/अक-प्रत्यय, प्रदायक), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: वेश्म-प्रदायकाः = 'givers of houses'

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Papa leads to papa-gati; specific dana—umbrella, footwear, dwelling—generates punya and favorable gati.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga through dana; purification of mind (chitta-shuddhi) via selfless giving.

Application: Practice targeted charity: provide shelter, basic protection, and mobility support to those in need; institutionalize giving as a regular discipline.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: dana-mahatmya lists (gifts and their fruits); Garuda Purana: earlier mention ‘as told before’ indicating prior exposition of papa-gati

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna (charity) in the Garuda Purana’s after-death teachings?

This verse contrasts the sinner’s painful destiny with the uplifting effect of practical gifts—umbrella, footwear, and shelter—implying that compassionate dāna shapes one’s gati (post-death destination).

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

It summarizes the karmic rule: the soul experiences a destination aligned with its deeds—sin leads to a sinful course, while life-supporting gifts are cited as causes of a better, merit-based outcome.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice dharmic giving that reduces others’ hardship—offer shelter/support for housing, and provide essentials like footwear or protection from sun/rain—while avoiding actions that create harmful karmic results.