Shloka 34

Yamamārga, Antyeṣṭi-vidhi, and Daśāhika Piṇḍa-dāna

Road to Yama and Ten-Day Offerings

Devanagari script

दत्तेन तेन प्रीणन्ति द्वारस्था गृहदेवताः / चत्वरे खेचरो नाम तमुद्दिश्य प्रदापयेत्

Transliteration

dattena tena prīṇanti dvārasthā gṛhadevatāḥ / catvare khecaro nāma tamuddiśya pradāpayet

Translation

Par cette offrande, les divinités domestiques postées à la porte sont satisfaites. Au carrefour, on doit faire une offrande en la dédiant à l’être nommé Khecara.

Word by Word

• दत्तेन: by the given (offering)
• दत्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दा)
• Form: नपुंसक/पुं, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण; क्त-प्रत्यय (given)

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण

• प्रीणन्ति: are pleased
• प्रीणन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• द्वारस्थाः: stationed at the door
• द्वारस्थाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (गृहदेवताः); तत्पुरुष (द्वारे स्थाः)

• गृहदेवताः: the house-deities
• गृहदेवताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक) + देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्ता; तत्पुरुष (गृहस्य देवताः)

• चत्वरे: at the crossroads/open square
• चत्वरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चत্বর (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• खेचरः: Khecara (name of a being/deity)
• खेचरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खेचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (नाम)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-प्रयोगे

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• उद्दिश्य: having addressed/with reference to
• उद्दिश्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद् + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; 'उद्दिश्य' = उद्देशं कृत्वा (having intended/addressed)

• प्रदापयेत्: should offer/give (to be given)
• प्रदापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु) [णिच् causative]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिच् (causative: 'should cause to give/should offer')

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: After doorway offering; at the crossroads during the immediate funeral-offering circuit

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Station-specific offerings satisfy localized household deities; at the crossroads, an offering to ‘Khecara’ addresses beings of the in-between spaces.

Vedantic Theme: Recognition of layered adhikāra of devatās/bhūtas over spaces; karma as harmonizing with unseen orders to reduce impediments.

Application: After doorway offering, proceed to the crossroads and offer a piṇḍa specifically dedicated to Khecara to neutralize liminal disturbances.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: threshold and public intersection

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.15: offerings to named recipients at successive stations (Śava, Pāntha, Khecara, Bhūta); Garuda Purana: bhūta-preta appeasement logic in funeral contexts (general)

Characters & Entities

• Griha-devatas
• Dvarastha devatas
• Khecara

FAQs

What is the importance of offering at the doorway in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that offerings made with the proper dedication please the household/threshold deities (dvārasthā gṛhadevatāḥ), implying ritual completeness and protection as the rites proceed.

Why does the verse mention an offering at the crossroads and Khecara?

It prescribes a specific dedication at a junction (catvara), naming Khecara as the intended recipient—reflecting the Garuda Purana’s detailed mapping of liminal spaces (thresholds, crossings) in death-ritual procedure.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform any ancestral or memorial giving with clear intention (uddiśya) and respect for place-based sacred boundaries (home threshold, crossings), emphasizing mindful charity and disciplined ritual conduct.