Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

तारयेन्नरकात्पुत्त्रो यदि मोक्षो न विद्यते / स्कन्धः पुत्रेण कर्तव्यो ह्यग्निदाता च पौत्रकः

Transliteration

tārayennarakātputtro yadi mokṣo na vidyate / skandhaḥ putreṇa kartavyo hyagnidātā ca pautrakaḥ

Translation

മോക്ഷം ലഭിക്കാതിരുന്നാൽ പുത്രൻ പിതാവിനെ നരകത്തിൽ നിന്ന് രക്ഷിക്കണം. അതിനാൽ പുത്രൻ സ്കന്ധകർമ്മം ചെയ്യുകയും പൗത്രൻ അന്ത്യേഷ്ടിയിലെ അഗ്നിദാനം നടത്തുകയും വേണം.

Word by Word

• तारयेत्: should deliver/save
• तारयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); णिजन्त (causative)

• नरकात्: from hell
• नरकात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुत्रः: the son
• पुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle)

• मोक्षः: liberation
• मोक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• विद्यते: exists/is found
• विद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; भावे/सत्तायाम् (exists)

• स्कन्धः: the (funeral) bier/shoulder-frame
• स्कन्धः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुत्रेण: by the son
• पुत्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कर्तव्यः: to be done/should be made
• कर्तव्यः: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विधेय (predicate)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• अग्निदाता: the giver of fire (one who lights the pyre)
• अग्निदाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + दाता (दा धातु, क्तृ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अग्निं ददाति इति); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पौत्रकः: the grandson
• पौत्रकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौत्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Antyeṣṭi period (immediately after death)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Putra-dharma: the son’s rites (skandha/antyeṣṭi) and the grandson’s agnidāna support the departed when mokṣa is absent.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra as provisional supports within saṃsāra when direct liberation is not realized.

Application: Ensure proper last rites: son bears/arranges the skandha rite; grandson (pautraka) provides/ignites the funeral fire according to family custom and śāstra.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: otherworldly realm; cremation/antyeṣṭi space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Preta-khanda: duties of son in antyeṣṭi and śrāddha; putra as ‘tāraka’ motif

Characters & Entities

• Naraka

FAQs

What is the importance of putra-dharma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the son’s duty as spiritually protective: when moksha is not attained, the son’s performance of last rites is described as rescuing the departed from naraka through proper funeral obligations.

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

It implies that without liberation, the departed may face punitive states (naraka), and that correct rites performed by descendants—especially the son and grandson—support the departed’s post-death transition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Ensure family members know and carry out appropriate last rites with sincerity and dharmic conduct—supporting continuity of responsibility, remembrance, and ethical living aligned with tradition.