Shloka 25

The Extent of Questions: Deathbed Rites, Kāla (Time), and Karma-Vipāka Rebirths

Devanagari script

असारे दुर्गसंसारे षट्पदी मुक्तिदायिनी / तिलाः पवित्रमतुलं दर्भाश्चापि तुलस्यथ

Transliteration

asāre durgasaṃsāre ṣaṭpadī muktidāyinī / tilāḥ pavitramatulaṃ darbhāścāpi tulasyatha

Translation

実体なく困難なこの輪廻（サンサーラ）において、六つの聖なる助縁は解脱を授けるものとなる。胡麻は比類なき浄化の品であり、ダルバ草とトゥラシーもまた同様である。

Word by Word

• असारे: in the worthless (world)
• असारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषण (Locative singular neuter; adjectival)

• दुर्गसंसारे: in the hard-to-cross worldly existence
• दुर्गसंसारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग + संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दुर्गः संसारः) (Locative singular masculine)

• षट्पदी: the six-footed one (bee)
• षट्पदी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (षट् पदानि यस्याः)

• मुक्तिदायिनी: bestowing liberation
• मुक्तिदायिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ति + दायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (मुक्तिं ददाति) (fem. nom. sg.)

• तिलाः: sesame seeds
• तिलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Nom. pl. masc.)

• पवित्रम्: pure, purifying
• पवित्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (neut. nom./acc. sg.)

• अतुलम्: incomparable
• अतुलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (neut. nom./acc. sg.)

• दर्भाः: darbha grass
• दर्भाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Nom. pl. masc.)

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• तुलसी: tulasi (holy basil)
• तुलसी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Nom. sg. fem.)

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: आरम्भ/अनन्तरबोधक-अव्यय (indeclinable: then/now)

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: General śrāddha and death-adjacent preparations; also applicable in Mahālaya contexts where tila is standard.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In a perilous, insubstantial saṃsāra, simple sacred substances function as liberative aids through purification and right rite.

Vedantic Theme: Vairāgya toward asāra-saṃsāra; śuddhi as a preparatory limb (sādhana-catuṣṭaya’s antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi) supporting remembrance of the Divine.

Application: Keep tila, darbha, and tulasī available for death-adjacent and śrāddha contexts; use them as purifiers and supports for focused devotion and ritual cleanliness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha sections praising tila-dāna and tila-tarpaṇa; Garuda Purana instructions on darbha as pavitra and seat (āsana) for rites; Garuda Purana emphasis on tulasī in Viṣṇu-bhakti and funeral contexts

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Tulasi
• Darbha

FAQs

What is the importance of sesame seeds (tila) in Garuda Purana rites?

This verse calls tila an incomparable purifier, indicating its special sanctifying role in rites connected with the departed, such as offerings and purification acts.

How does this verse relate to liberation (mukti) amid saṃsāra?

It frames the world as difficult and unstable, and points to a recognized set of sacred aids (ṣaṭpadī) that support purification and spiritual release, naming tila, darbha, and tulasī among them.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use traditional purifying items with reverence—especially tila, darbha, and tulasī—when performing Shraddha/ancestral remembrance, and treat ritual purity as a support for ethical and devotional living.