Shloka 14

Tithi-Vrata Vidhāna: Śikhī-vrata (Pratipadā), Tṛtīyā Devī/Śrīdhara rites, Gaṇeśa Caturthī Mantra-Nyāsa, and Nāga Pañcamī

Devanagari script

आगच्छोल्काय गनन्धोल्कः पुष्पोल्को धूपकोल्ककः / दीपोल्काय महोल्काय बलिश्चाथ विस (मार्) जनम्

Transliteration

āgaccholkāya ganandholkaḥ puṣpolko dhūpakolkakaḥ / dīpolkāya maholkāya baliścātha visa (mār) janam

Translation

来たれ—これぞ『Āgacchol-kā』と名づく供物。次いで香供、華供、薫香供（ドゥーパ）、灯明供（ディーパ）、そして大供があり、さらにバリ供と、毒または穢れを除き払う作法も行う。

Word by Word

• आगच्छ: come!
• आगच्छ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उल्काय: for/unto Ulkā (name/epithet)
• उल्काय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उल्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• गनन्धोल्कः: Ganandholka (a named attendant/epithet)
• गनन्धोल्कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गनन्ध + उल्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—गनन्ध-उल्कः (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-सम्भाव्यः, नामरूप)

• पुष्पोल्कः: Puṣpolka (flower-ulka; name)
• पुष्पोल्कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प + उल्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—पुष्प-उल्कः (तत्पुरुष)

• धूपकोल्ककः: Dhūpakolkaka (incense-related; name)
• धूपकोल्ककः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूपक + उल्कक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—धूपक-उल्ककः (तत्पुरुष)

• दीपोल्काय: unto Dīpolkā (lamp-ulka; name)
• दीपोल्काय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप + उल्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—दीप-उल्का (तत्पुरुष)

• महोल्काय: unto Maholkā (great ulkā; name)
• महोल्काय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + उल्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—महा-उल्का (कर्मधारय: ‘महती उल्का’)

• बलिः: offering (bali)
• बलिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर-बोधक अव्यय (particle: then/now)

• विष: poison
• विष: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (पाठान्तर-सम्भाव्य)

• मार्जनम्: cleansing/purification
• मार्जनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्जन (प्रातिपदिक; √मृज् धातोः भाव/कर्मणि-घञ्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Preta Khanda context)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Upacāra-sequence: devotion expressed through ordered offerings culminating in śuddhi (removal of impurity/poison) and appeasement (bali).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga framing: disciplined action offered into the sacred order (ṛta/dharma) purifies the doer’s intention.

Application: Maintain a clear offering order (fragrance → flowers → incense → lamp → great offering → bali) and conclude with a deliberate purification act (symbolic ‘viṣa-mārjana’/doṣa-śamana).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space (pūjā-maṇḍala/altar)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.129 (upacāra-krama; bali; śuddhi/viṣa-śamana)

FAQs

What is the importance of offering gandha, puṣpa, dhūpa, and dīpa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse lists a sequence of ritual upacāras (fragrance, flowers, incense, lamp, etc.) indicating structured offerings meant to honor and ritually support the post-death rite context described in the Preta Khanda.

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes the ritual framework (offerings and purification) that traditionally accompanies the preta-related journey, suggesting that correct rites are part of the supportive religious response to death described in this section.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain sincerity and cleanliness in memorial or ancestral rites: simple offerings (lamp, incense, flowers) and a focus on purification/ethical living can be observed as a respectful, disciplined practice.