Shloka 21

Preta-mārga Supports (Dāna), Chitragupta’s Accounting, and the Enumeration of Narakas

Devanagari script

मृतोद्देशेन यो दद्यादुदपात्रं तु ताम्रजम् / प्रपादानसहस्रस्य तत्फलं सो ऽश्नुते ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

mṛtoddeśena yo dadyādudapātraṃ tu tāmrajam / prapādānasahasrasya tatphalaṃ so 'śnute dhruvam

Translation

മൃതന്റെ ഉദ്ദേശത്തോടെ ചെമ്പ് ഉദപാത്രം (ജലപാത്രം) ദാനം ചെയ്യുന്നവന്‍, ആയിരം പ്രപാദാനങ്ങളുടെ ഫലം തീർച്ചയായും ലഭിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• मृतोद्देशेन: with reference to the deceased (in the name of the dead)
• मृतोद्देशेन: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मृतस्य उद्देशः)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• दद्याद्: should give
• दद्याद्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उदपात्रम्: a water-vessel
• उदपात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक) + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (उदकस्य पात्रम्)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (particle)

• ताम्रजम्: made of copper
• ताम्रजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताम्र (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ताम्रात् जातम्)

• प्रपादानसहस्रस्य: of a thousand rest-houses (water-stations)
• प्रपादानसहस्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रपादान (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रपादानानां सहस्रम्)

• तत्फलम्: that fruit/result
• तत्फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य फलम्)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अश्नुते: attains, enjoys
• अश्नुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ध्रुवम्: surely
• ध्रुवम्: Sambandha/Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययार्थे द्वितीया एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Memorial water-vessel donation (especially copper) yields immense merit equivalent to extensive public watering-rests; intention (uddeśa) amplifies fruit.

Vedantic Theme: Saṅkalpa and dharma shape karma-phala; outward act plus inward intention produces magnified results within saṃsāra.

Application: Make memorial donations that provide water (vessels, taps, wells, water stations); dedicate the act to the departed with clear intention and ethical execution.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual/charity setting (earthly) with afterlife implication

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: mṛtoddśa-dāna (gifts dedicated to the deceased) as preta-upakāra; Garuda Purana: repeated glorification of jaladāna and public water-rests (prapā)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Preta
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of donating an udapātra (water vessel) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that gifting a copper water-vessel in the departed person’s name yields assured merit, equated here with the great charity of establishing many water-rests for travelers.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda context, post-death dāna and śrāddha-supporting gifts are described as generating merit that aids the departed (preta) and supports auspicious passage through the after-death stages.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform charity that alleviates thirst—such as donating water vessels or supporting public water access—dedicating the act to ancestors/departed relatives as a disciplined, dharmic remembrance.