Shloka 14

Vow-Fasting (Anaśana), Sannyāsa, Tīrtha-Death, and the Ethics of Dāna

Devanagari script

यस्तीर्थसंमुखो भूत्वा व्रते ह्यनशने कृते / चेन्म्रियेतान्तराले ऽपि ऋषीणां मण्डले वसेत्

Transliteration

yastīrthasaṃmukho bhūtvā vrate hyanaśane kṛte / cenmriyetāntarāle 'pi ṛṣīṇāṃ maṇḍale vaset

Translation

തീർത്ഥത്തോട് മുഖം തിരിച്ച് അനശനവ്രതം അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുന്നവൻ, ആ വ്രതത്തിനിടയിൽ തന്നെ മരിച്ചാലും, ഋഷിമണ്ഡലത്തിൽ വസിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• तीर्थ-संमुखः: facing the sacred place
• तीर्थ-संमुखः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + संमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘तीर्थस्य संमुखः’ = facing the tīrtha)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभावः; ‘having become’

• व्रते: in/with the vow
• व्रते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतौ

• अनशने: in fasting
• अनशने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• कृते: having been performed
• कृते: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘when done/undertaken’ (व्रते/अनशने इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Upapada (उपपद/शर्तसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/शर्त (conditional particle)

• म्रियेत: should die
• म्रियेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अन्तराले: in the interval / midway
• अन्तराले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तराल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अप्यर्थे (even/also)

• ऋषीणाम्: of sages
• ऋषीणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

• मण्डले: in the circle/region
• मण्डले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• वसेत्: would dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Undertaking anaśana-vrata oriented to a tīrtha yields a high post-mortem gati even if death occurs during the observance.

Vedantic Theme: Saṅkalpa and niṣṭhā: the intention and steadfastness of sādhanā shape destiny; merit of tapas aligned with sacred focus.

Application: When performing vows, cultivate clear intention and sacred orientation (mental/ritual focus); persist with sincerity rather than outcome-anxiety.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred site/ford

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: merit of dying in sacred context or during vrata; higher lokas attained by tapas and tīrtha-saṅga

Characters & Entities

• Rishis
• Tirtha

FAQs

What is the importance of fasting (anaśana) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents anaśana performed as a vrata as a high-merit act: even if death occurs mid-observance, the person attains residence in the realm/assembly of sages, indicating purification and elevated post-death destiny.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It links the soul’s post-mortem destination to intentional dharmic orientation—facing a tīrtha and maintaining a vow—stating that such a death leads not to punitive states but to ṛṣi-maṇḍala (association with sages).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Undertake vows responsibly with purity of intent, and cultivate remembrance of sacredness (tīrtha-smaraṇa) and disciplined restraint; the teaching emphasizes that conscious, dharmic conduct at life’s end strengthens auspicious outcomes.