Shloka 37

Dāna for the Preta: Supreme Gifts, Yama’s Pacification, and Viṣṇu-Smaraṇa at the Time of Death

मत्स्यं कर्मं च वाराहं नारसिंहञ्च वामनम् / रामं रामं च कृष्णं च बुद्धं चैव सकल्किनम् / एतानि दश नामानि स्मर्तव्यानि सदा बुधैः

matsyaṃ karmaṃ ca vārāhaṃ nārasiṃhañca vāmanam / rāmaṃ rāmaṃ ca kṛṣṇaṃ ca buddhaṃ caiva sakalkinam / etāni daśa nāmāni smartavyāni sadā budhaiḥ

អ្នកប្រាជ្ញគួរចងចាំជានិច្ចនូវនាមទាំងដប់នេះ៖ មត្ស្យ (Matsya), កូរម (Kurma), វារាហ (Varaha), នារាសിംហ (Narasimha), វាមន (Vamana), រាម (Rama), រាម (Rama), ក្រឹෂ್ಣ (Krishna), ពុទ្ធ (Buddha), និង កល్కិន (Kalkin)។

मत्स्यम्Matsya (Fish incarnation)
मत्स्यम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; एकवचनम्; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative singular)
कूर्मम्Kūrma (Tortoise incarnation)
कूर्मम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकूर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; एकवचनम्; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative singular)
and
:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)
वाराहम्Varāha (Boar incarnation)
वाराहम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवाराह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; एकवचनम्; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative singular)
नारसिंहम्Narasimha (Man-lion incarnation)
नारसिंहम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootनर (प्रातिपदिक) + सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; एकवचनम्; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative singular); ‘नर-सिंहः’ इति कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषप्रायः (man-lion)
and
:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)
वामनम्Vāmana (Dwarf incarnation)
वामनम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवामन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; एकवचनम्; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative singular)
रामम्Rāma (Paraśurāma)
रामम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootराम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; एकवचनम्; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative singular)
रामम्Rāma (Dāśarathi)
रामम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootराम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; एकवचनम्; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative singular)
and
:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)
कृष्णम्Kṛṣṇa
कृष्णम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; एकवचनम्; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative singular)
and
:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)
बुद्धम्Buddha
बुद्धम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootबुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; एकवचनम्; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative singular)
and
:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)
एवindeed
एव:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle of emphasis)
सकल्किनम्Kalkin (the final incarnation)
सकल्किनम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootस (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + कल्किन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; एकवचनम्; द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative singular); ‘सः कल्किः’/‘कल्किना सहितः’ इति कर्मधारयप्रायः (epithet)
एतानिthese
एतानि:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; बहुवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative plural); नामानि इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्
दशten
दश:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootदशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसंख्यावाचक; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; नामानि इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम् (numeral ‘ten’)
नामानिnames
नामानि:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootनामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; बहुवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative plural)
स्मर्तव्यानिare to be remembered
स्मर्तव्यानि:
Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
TypeVerb
Root√स्मृ (धातु)
Formतव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Gerundive/Obligatory participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; बहुवचनम्; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; ‘स्मरणीयानि’ (to be remembered)
सदाalways
सदा:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसदा (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)
बुधैःby the wise
बुधैः:
Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootबुध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; बहुवचनम्; तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental plural)

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

Concept: Nitya-smaraṇa of Viṣṇu’s daśa-nāma/avatāra names as a wise person’s constant practice.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma as upāsanā: remembrance purifies citta, aligns with īśvara, and supports liberation-oriented life.

Application: Daily japa or recollection of these names (e.g., morning/evening); use as a mental refuge during fear, grief, or moral uncertainty.

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Type: divine abode

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Viṣṇu-nāma and bhakti passages recommending nāma-smaraṇa for protection and auspiciousness (general internal parallel).

M
Matsya
K
Kurma
V
Varaha
N
Narasimha
V
Vamana
P
Parashurama
S
Sri Rama
K
Krishna
B
Buddha
K
Kalkin

FAQs

This verse teaches constant smaraṇa (remembrance) of Vishnu’s ten incarnations as a core devotional practice, implying spiritual protection and steadiness of mind—especially meaningful in Preta-kāṇḍa contexts focused on after-death transition.

By emphasizing uninterrupted remembrance of Vishnu’s forms, the verse points to a bhakti-based support for consciousness at critical moments; in the Garuda Purana’s afterlife framework, such remembrance is presented as a stabilizing, auspicious aid amid fear, karma, and post-death rites.

Memorize and recite the ten names daily (japa/paṭhana), especially during illness, funerary observances, or śrāddha days, using the list as a concise devotion practice to cultivate calmness, ethical living, and God-remembrance.