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Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

तस्मात् पुत्रं प्रशंसन्ति ददाति पितुराज्ञया / भूमिष्ठं पितरं दृष्ट्वा ह्यर्धोन्मीलितलोचनम्

Transliteration

tasmāt putraṃ praśaṃsanti dadāti piturājñayā / bhūmiṣṭhaṃ pitaraṃ dṛṣṭvā hyardhonmīlitalocanam

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് പുത്രനെ പ്രശംസിക്കുന്നു—അവൻ പിതാവിന്റെ ആജ്ഞ അനുസരിച്ച് വിധിപൂർവ്വം ദാനാദി കർമ്മങ്ങൾ നടത്തിക്കുന്നു; ഭൂമിയിൽ കിടക്കുന്ന, അർദ്ധം തുറന്ന കണ്ണുകളുള്ള പിതാവിനെ കണ്ടു।

Word by Word
तस्मात्therefore
तस्मात्:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय (तस्मात्-इत्यस्य प्रयोगः हेतौ/तस्मादिति), ablative-sense adverbial: “therefore/from that reason”
पुत्रम्son
पुत्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन
प्रशंसन्तिthey praise
प्रशंसन्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-शंस् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद
ददातिhe gives
ददाति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद
पितुःof (his) father
पितुः:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन
आज्ञयाby (the) command
आज्ञया:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootआज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन
भूमिष्ठम्lying on the ground
भूमिष्ठम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootभूमि-स्थ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; स्था-धातोः क्त/क्तवत्-सम्बद्ध विशेषणार्थ)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (भूमौ स्थितः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्
पितरम्father
पितरम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन
दृष्ट्वाhaving seen
दृष्ट्वा:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootदृश् (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), “having seen”
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (निपात)
Formअव्यय, निपात (emphatic/causal particle)
अर्धोन्मीलितलोचनम्with half-opened eyes
अर्धोन्मीलितलोचनम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअर्ध + उन्मीलित (उद्-√मील्, क्त) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय-समास (अर्धम् उन्मीलितं लोचनं यस्य/अर्धोन्मीलितं लोचनम्), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पितरम्)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: At the father’s critical time/near-death (pre-antyeṣṭi urgency implied).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Putra-dharma: obedience to the father’s injunction and timely performance of prescribed offerings as the highest praise-worthy conduct.

Vedantic Theme: Kartavya-karma and ṛṇa-traya (especially pitṛ-ṛṇa) as a purifier of the mind leading toward śānti.

Application: At a parent’s decline, prioritize presence, consent-based last wishes, and prompt arrangement of rites/offerings according to family tradition and śāstra.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: household/deathbed

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa 2.30.20-23 (continuation on dāna, antyeṣṭi, and putra’s merit)

Characters & Entities
P
Pitris

FAQs

This verse highlights that a son is praised because he carries out the father’s injunctions and performs the necessary giving—understood in this context as ritual and duty-bound offerings connected with last rites and śrāddha.

By stressing timely performance of prescribed giving/rites at the deathbed, the verse implies that correct observance of dharma supports the departed’s post-death transition and the family’s ritual obligations toward the Pitris.

Honor elders’ instructions, act promptly and responsibly during illness or end-of-life situations, and—where culturally relevant—ensure last rites and memorial duties are performed with sincerity and discipline.

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