Shloka 85

Dāna as Prāyaścitta; Deathbed Gifts; Antyeṣṭi Procedures; Nārāyaṇa-bali for Untimely Deaths

Devanagari script

फेनप्रख्यः कथं नाशं मर्त्यलोको न यास्यति / एवं संश्रावयेत्तत्र मृदुशाद्वलसंस्थितान्

Transliteration

phenaprakhyaḥ kathaṃ nāśaṃ martyaloko na yāsyati / evaṃ saṃśrāvayettatra mṛduśādvalasaṃsthitān

Translation

‘മർത്ത്യലോകം നുരപോലെ—അത് നാശത്തിലേക്ക് എങ്ങനെ പോകാതിരിക്കും?’ എന്നു പറഞ്ഞു, അവിടെ മൃദുവായ പുല്ലിൽ ഇരിക്കുന്നവരെ സാവധാനം കേൾപ്പിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• फेन-प्रख्यः: foam-like
• फेन-प्रख्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फेन-प्रख्य (प्रातिपदिक; फेनः + प्रख्यः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (फेन इव प्रख्यः)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative adverb)

• नाशम्: destruction
• नाशम्: Gati-karma (Goal/Object of motion/गतिकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मर्त्य-लोकः: the mortal world
• मर्त्य-लोकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य-लोक (प्रातिपदिक; मर्त्यः + लोकः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी)

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

• यास्यति: will go / will reach
• यास्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future/भविष्यत्), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• संश्रावयेत्: should cause to hear / should proclaim
• संश्रावयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-श्रु (धातु, णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• मृदु-शाद्वल-संस्थितान्: those seated on soft grass
• मृदु-शाद्वल-संस्थितान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदु-शाद्वल-संस्थित (प्रातिपदिक; मृदु + शाद्वल + संस्थित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (तान्/जनान् इत्यर्थे); तत्पुरुष-समासः

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, within the Preta Kanda dialogue context)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mortality is inevitable; contemplating life’s foam-like fragility supports detachment and readiness for higher pursuit.

Vedantic Theme: Anityānuprekṣā (contemplation of impermanence) as a purifier leading toward śama and mumukṣutva.

Application: Speak truth about death kindly; use simple metaphors to help families process loss and to motivate spiritual practice and ethical living.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: pastoral/courtyard edge

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: frequent metaphors—foam, bubble, dream—for life’s transience (general motif)

Characters & Entities

• Mortals (Martya-loka)

FAQs

What is the importance of impermanence (life 'like foam') in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses the foam-simile to stress how quickly human life dissolves, urging detachment and attentive listening to teachings connected with death, duty, and the soul’s onward journey.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death in the Garuda Purana narrative?

Indirectly, it prepares the listener: by recognizing mortality as inevitable, one becomes receptive to the Preta Kanda’s instructions about post-death states and the disciplines/rites meant to support the departed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Contemplate impermanence to reduce pride and panic, and make space for calm learning—especially around end-of-life duties, ethical living, and supportive remembrance/rituals for the deceased.