Shloka 1

Tila–Darbha–Maṇḍala in Aūrdhvadaihika: Protection, Eligibility, and the Merit of Salt-Dāna

Devanagari script

और्ध्वदहिककर्मकालक्रियमाणनानादानादिफलप्रश्रनिरूपणं नामाष्टाविंशो ऽध्यायः श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / साधु पृष्टं त्वया भद्र मानुषाणां हिताय वै / शृणुष्वावहितो भूत्वा सर्वमेवौर्ध्वदैहिकम्

Transliteration

aurdhvadahikakarmakālakriyamāṇanānādānādiphalapraśranirūpaṇaṃ nāmāṣṭāviṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / sādhu pṛṣṭaṃ tvayā bhadra mānuṣāṇāṃ hitāya vai / śṛṇuṣvāvahito bhūtvā sarvamevaurdhvadaihikam

Translation

Śrī Kṛṣṇa dit : « Ô noble être, tu as bien questionné—vraiment pour le bien des humains. Écoute maintenant avec une attention entière, et je t’exposerai tout ce qui concerne les rites aūrdhvadaihika, accomplis pour celui qui a quitté ce corps. »

Word by Word

• और्ध्वदहिककर्मकालक्रियमाणनानादानादिफलप्रश्ननिरूपणम्: exposition of questions on results of various gifts etc. performed at the time of post-death rites
• और्ध्वदहिककर्मकालक्रियमाणनानादानादिफलप्रश्ननिरूपणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: और्ध्वदैहिक + कर्म + काल + क्रियमाण + नाना + दान + आदि + फल + प्रश्न + निरूपण (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-समासः (प्रधानतः तत्पुरुष-प्रकृतिः) — ‘और्ध्वदैहिककर्मकालादौ क्रियमाणनानादानादिफलप्रश्नस्य निरूपणम्’

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (Label/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: संज्ञासूचक अव्यय (quotative/label marker)

• अष्टाविंशः: twenty-eighth
• अष्टाविंशः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टाविंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (28th) — द्विगु-समास (अष्टा + विंशति)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• श्रीकृष्णः: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• श्रीकृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीकृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• साधु: well, good
• साधु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रयोग)
• Form: प्रशंसावाचक अव्यय (approving particle)

• पृष्टम्: (it is) asked
• पृष्टम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) → पृष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त/PPP)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्तान्त कृदन्त (asked)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• भद्र: O good one
• भद्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• मानुषाणाम्: of humans
• मानुषाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• हिताय: for welfare
• हिताय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (शृणु + स्व)

• अवहितः: attentive
• अवहितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; अव + धा/हित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (attentive)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भू (धातु) → भूत्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphasis)

• और्ध्वदैहिकम्: pertaining to post-death rites
• और्ध्वदैहिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: और्ध्वदैहिक (प्रातिपदिक: ऊर्ध्व + देहिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ऊर्ध्वं देहात्/देहानन्तरं सम्बन्धि)

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa (as the instructing voice in this passage, aligned with the Vishnu-Kṛṣṇa teaching frame)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Post-death (aūrdhvadaihika period; details to follow in the chapter)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Proper post-death observances and gifts (dāna) have specific fruits; ritual order supports the departed and stabilizes dharma in society.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as supportive discipline; compassionate duty (kartavya) toward pitṛs as part of dharmic life.

Application: Learn and perform antyeṣṭi/aūrdhvadaihika rites with attention; if unable, support through charity, feeding, and remembrance according to one’s tradition and capacity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.29 onward: detailed aūrdhvadaihika rites, dāna varieties, timing, and fruits; earlier Pretakalpa questions leading into ritual prescriptions.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What is the importance of aūrdhvadaihika (post-death) rites in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames aūrdhvadaihika rites as a welfare-teaching for humanity, indicating they are a structured dharmic subject worthy of careful hearing and practice.

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

It does not describe the soul’s journey directly; instead, it introduces a detailed explanation of the post-death ritual framework that supports the departed and guides proper observance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach funeral and śrāddha-related duties attentively and responsibly, and treat dāna/ritual acts as purposeful obligations meant for the welfare of family and society.