Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

तमुद्दिश्य ददात्यन्नं सुखं याति महाध्वनि / दिवा रात्रौ तमुद्दिश्य स्थाने दीपप्रदो भवेत्

Transliteration

tamuddiśya dadātyannaṃ sukhaṃ yāti mahādhvani / divā rātrau tamuddiśya sthāne dīpaprado bhavet

Translation

ആ പ്രേതനെ ഉദ്ദേശിച്ച് അന്നദാനം ചെയ്താൽ അവൻ മഹാപഥത്തിൽ സുഖമായി സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്നു. അതുപോലെ പകലും രാത്രിയും അവനെയേ അർപ്പിച്ച് നിശ്ചിതസ്ഥാനത്ത് ദീപദാനം ചെയ്താൽ, അത് അവന്റെ യാത്രയ്ക്ക് പ്രകാശദായകമാകും।

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• uddiśya: intending/for (his sake)
• uddiśya: Kriya (Purpose/हेतु)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√diś (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund); ‘उद्दिश्य’ = ‘उद्देश्य/लक्ष्यं कृत्वा’

• dadāti: gives
• dadāti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• annam: food
• annam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• sukham: happiness/comfort
• sukham: Karma (Result/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; फल-रूपेण

• yāti: goes/attains
• yāti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• mahā-dhvani: on the great road (long journey)
• mahā-dhvani: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvanin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• divā: by day
• divā: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: divā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (adverb: time)

• rātrau: at night
• rātrau: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• uddiśya: for his sake
• uddiśya: Kriya (Purpose/हेतु)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-√diś (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund)

• sthāne: in a place/at the spot
• sthāne: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• dīpa-pradaḥ: a giver of a lamp
• dīpa-pradaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīpa (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (द्वितीया-तत्पुरुष: दीपं प्रददाति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• bhavet: would become/should be
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Day and night (divā-rātrau) as stated; generally within the preta period and on remembrance days

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śrāddha-related dāna—food and lamp offered with the departed in mind—becomes practical support on the post-mortem journey.

Vedantic Theme: Interplay of karma and ritual efficacy (adr̥ṣṭa-phala); compassion (dayā) expressed as dharma that benefits both giver and recipient.

Application: Perform memorial charity: feed others in the departed’s name; offer lamps (or equivalent light) regularly with sincere saṅkalpa.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: journey route / ritual spot (home, temple, crossroads, tīrtha)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha-kalpa: anna-dāna and dīpa-dāna as aids to the preta; discussions of offerings reaching the departed through subtle channels

Characters & Entities

• Preta
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of anna-dana (food offering) for the departed in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that food given in the departed person’s name supports them on the post-death journey, enabling a more comfortable passage on the “great path” (mahādhvani).

How does this verse explain the soul’s path after death?

It presents the after-death movement as a long journey and teaches that dedicated offerings—especially food and a lamp—serve as practical aids, easing travel and providing symbolic/ritual “light” along the route.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform charity in the departed’s name—feed others (anna-dana) and offer a lamp/light (deepa-dana) as part of śrāddha or remembrance, reinforcing duty (dharma) and compassionate support for ancestors.