Shloka 46

Akālamṛtyu: Preta-state Categories and the Nārāyaṇa-bali / Ekoddiṣṭa Remedy

Devanagari script

विन्यस्य तानि वृन्तानि अङ्गेष्वेषु पृथक्पृथक् / चत्वारिंशच्छिरोदेशे ग्रीवायां दश विन्यसेत्

Transliteration

vinyasya tāni vṛntāni aṅgeṣveṣu pṛthakpṛthak / catvāriṃśacchirodeśe grīvāyāṃ daśa vinyaset

Translation

En plaçant ces tiges séparément sur chacun des membres, on doit en disposer quarante dans la région de la tête et en placer dix au cou.

Word by Word

• vinyasya: Having placed/arranged
• vinyasya: Purvakalika Kriya (Prior Action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: as (धातु) with vi+ni
• Form: Lyap Pratyaya (Absolutive)

• tāni: Those
• tāni: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• vṛntāni: Stalks
• vṛntāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛnta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• aṅgeṣu: On the limbs/body parts
• aṅgeṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural

• eṣu: On these
• eṣu: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural

• pṛthakpṛthak: Separately/One by one
• pṛthakpṛthak: Kriya Visheshana (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (Repetitive)

• catvāriṃśat: Forty
• catvāriṃśat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catvāriṃśat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral, Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• śirodeśe: On the head region
• śirodeśe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śirodeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• grīvāyām: On the neck
• grīvāyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grīvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• daśa: Ten
• daśa: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• vinyaset: Should place
• vinyaset: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु) with vi+ni
• Form: Vidhilin Lakara (Potential), Prathama Purusha (3rd), Singular

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During asthi-sañcaya/puttalaka-related vinyāsa stage immediately following the prior setup.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Limb-specific vinyāsa: distribute stalks separately on limbs; 40 at the head region and 10 at the neck.

Vedantic Theme: Order (ṛta) expressed through measured ritual mapping; disciplined attention as a purifier of mind amid mortality.

Application: Follow procedural details in saṃskāras; cultivate mindful precision in solemn duties rather than haste.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.40.45-46 (asthi-sañcaya counts and limb-wise distribution)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of specifying numbers (forty and ten) in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse preserves a precise ritual sequence: specific counts are to be placed at the head-region and neck, indicating standardized placement rather than arbitrary performance.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s description of post-death rites?

In the Preta Kanda, Vishnu gives procedural guidance for rites connected with the departed; this verse is a technical instruction on arranging particular ritual components on specific body regions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It highlights that funeral and preta-related observances are meant to be done carefully and methodically—encouraging families to follow authentic guidance (with qualified priests) rather than improvising.