Shloka 22

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

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

यद्वा यस्मिन्दिने दानं तस्मिंस्तद्दिनसंख्यया / दशाहे ऽञ्जलयः पक्षिन्पञ्चाशदन्तिमे

Transliteration

yadvā yasmindine dānaṃ tasmiṃstaddinasaṃkhyayā / daśāhe 'ñjalayaḥ pakṣinpañcāśadantime

Translation

Atau, wahai Burung (Garuda): pada hari apa pun dāna dilakukan, hari itu sendiri dihitung menurut bilangan harinya. Dalam upacara sepuluh hari ada persembahan segenggam (añjali) setiap hari, dan pada hari terakhir jumlahnya menjadi lima puluh.

Word by Word

• यद्वा: or else; alternatively
• यद्वा: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-समुच्चय (alternative particle: 'or else/otherwise')

• यस्मिन्: in which
• यस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे/अधिकरणे (locative)

• दिने: on the day
• दिने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• दानम्: gift; offering
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कर्म/विषय (context decides)

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (demonstrative)

• दिनसंख्यया: by the count of days
• दिनसंख्यया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrumental: 'by/according to')

• दशाहे: in the ten-day period
• दशाहे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• अञ्जलयः: handfuls (anjalis)
• अञ्जलयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तृ/विषय (as countable units)

• पक्षिन्: O bird (Garuda)
• पक्षिन्: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन

• पञ्चाशत्: fifty
• पञ्चाशत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चाशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-शब्द; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (count used adjectivally)

• अन्तिमे: on the last (day)
• अन्तिमे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण-विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Within the ten-day (daśāha) post-death period; counts keyed to the specific day of giving.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual acts (dana/udaka-anjali) are time-indexed; the day of giving determines the count and sequence within the ten-day observance.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kanda as purifier: disciplined action and sankalpa align the mind toward sattva and remembrance of dharma.

Application: Keep a day-by-day ledger of offerings during the ten-day period; ensure the final day’s prescribed total (fifty) is completed without omission.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Pretakalpa: dashaha-vidhi and udaka/anjali counting in the shraddha sequence (adjacent verses 2.5.21–2.5.27)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Pakshin)

FAQs

What is the importance of day-counting for dāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the merit and procedure follow the specific day on which the dāna is performed; the ritual count is aligned with that day-number within the ten-day observance.

How does this verse relate to the preta’s journey after death?

In the Preta Kanda context, structured ten-day rites and offerings are described as supports for the departed’s transitional state; the verse specifies the regulated sequence and quantity of añjali offerings culminating on the final day.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If performing post-death observances, keep the ritual sequence consistent with the correct day-count and complete the prescribed daily offerings, treating dāna as disciplined, timely support rather than a random act.