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Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 1

Dāna for the Preta: Supreme Gifts, Yama’s Pacification, and Viṣṇu-Smaraṇa at the Time of Death

Devanagari script

और्ध्वदेहिककर्मणि पुत्रदर्भतिलतुलसीगोभूलेपताम्रपात्रदाना दीनामावश्यकत्वनिरूपणं नामैकोनत्रिशो ऽध्यायः श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / शृणु तार्क्ष्य परं गुह्यं दानानां दानमुत्तमम् / परमं सर्वदानानां परं गोप्यं दिवौकसाम्

Transliteration

aurdhvadehikakarmaṇi putradarbhatilatulasīgobhūlepatāmrapātradānā dīnāmāvaśyakatvanirūpaṇaṃ nāmaikonatriśo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / śṛṇu tārkṣya paraṃ guhyaṃ dānānāṃ dānamuttamam / paramaṃ sarvadānānāṃ paraṃ gopyaṃ divaukasām

Translation

Este es el capítulo que expone la necesidad de los dones usados en los ritos posteriores a la muerte—como: un hijo (para realizar los ritos), hierba darbha, sésamo, tulasī, una vaca, el ungimiento purificador con tierra y el don de vasijas de cobre. Śrī Kṛṣṇa dijo: «Escucha, oh Tārkṣya (Garuda), este secreto supremo—la más excelente de las dádivas, la más alta entre todas las formas de dar, enseñanza guardada con el mayor sigilo entre los moradores del cielo».

Word by Word
और्ध्वदेहिककर्मणिin the post-funeral rites
और्ध्वदेहिककर्मणि:
Adhikarana (Topic/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootaurdhva-dehika + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (और्ध्वदेहिकं कर्म); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन
पुत्रदर्भतिलतुलसीगोभूलेपताम्रपात्रदाना(chapter on) gifts of son, darbha, sesame, tulasi, cow, earth-plaster, copper-vessel
पुत्रदर्भतिलतुलसीगोभूलेपताम्रपात्रदाना:
Karta (Title/topic/कर्ता-प्राय)
TypeNoun
Rootputra + darbha + tila + tulasī + go + bhū-lepa + tāmra-pātra + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formबहुपद-द्वन्द्व-समास (समाहार); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (शीर्षक-रूपेण)
दीनाम्of the poor
दीनाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootdīna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/स्त्री/नपुंसक (सामान्य), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन
आवश्यकत्वनिरूपणम्determination of necessity
आवश्यकत्वनिरूपणम्:
Karma (Apposition/कर्म-प्राय)
TypeNoun
Rootāvaśyaka-tva + nirūpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (आवश्यकत्वस्य निरूपणम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
नामnamed; called
नाम:
Sambandha (Discourse marker/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootnāma (अव्यय)
Formनाम-शब्दः (quotative/label particle)
एकोनत्रिशःtwenty-ninth
एकोनत्रिशः:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rooteka-ūna-triṃśat (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसंख्यावाचक-तत्पुरुष (एकेन ऊना त्रिंशत् = 29); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
अध्यायःchapter
अध्यायः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootadhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन
श्रीकृष्णःŚrī Kṛṣṇa
श्रीकृष्णः:
Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootśrī-kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय-समास (श्रीमान् कृष्णः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
शृणुlisten
शृणु:
Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
TypeVerb
Rootśru (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
तार्क्ष्यO Tārkṣya (Garuda)
तार्क्ष्य:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Roottārkṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन
परम्supreme
परम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन
गुह्यम्secret
गुह्यम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootguhya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
दानानाम्of gifts
दानानाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootdāna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन
दानम्gift
दानम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootdāna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन
उत्तमम्best
उत्तमम्:
Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootuttama (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
परमम्highest
परमम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootparama (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
सर्वदानानाम्of all gifts
सर्वदानानाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootsarva + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (सर्वेषां दानानाम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
परम्supreme
परम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
गोप्यम्to be kept secret
गोप्यम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootgopya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
दिवौकसाम्of the dwellers in heaven (gods)
दिवौकसाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootdiv + okas (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (दिवि ओकः येषाम्); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa (as the instructing Lord, in dialogue with Garuda/Tārkṣya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Post-death rites (auर्ध्वदेहika/antyeṣṭi-śrāddha continuum)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Necessity of specific post-death rite supports (putra, darbha, tila, tulasī, go, bhū-lepa, tāmra-pātra dāna) and the supremacy of certain dānas.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as saṃskāra-sustaining order; ritual action as purifier and as compassionate support for the departed (preta-hitārtha).

Application: Prepare for and perform antyeṣṭi/śrāddha with proper materials and charitable giving; cultivate family responsibility and community support systems.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: divine discourse setting (Kṛṣṇa–Tārkṣya saṃvāda)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Śrāddha-kalpa materials: darbha, tila, pātra, go-dāna, tulasī usage; Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: preta-uddhāra through rites and dāna

Characters & Entities
G
Garuda (Tārkṣya)
D
Devas (Divaukas)

FAQs

This verse introduces dāna as a “supreme secret” and the “highest among all gifts,” framing charitable offerings used in āurdhva-dehika rites as indispensable supports for proper post-death observance.

Indirectly, it sets the ritual foundation: the Garuda Purana treats post-death rites and prescribed gifts (like tila, darbha, and go-dāna) as necessary provisions that aid the departed’s transition, which later chapters connect to the preta’s onward journey.

Perform post-death rites with sincerity and purity, and prioritize meaningful, tradition-aligned charity (especially items used in rites) as an ethical act of support for family duties and remembrance of the departed.

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