Shloka 53

Akālamṛtyu: Preta-state Categories and the Nārāyaṇa-bali / Ekoddiṣṭa Remedy

Devanagari script

केशेषु वै वटजटात्वचि दद्यान्मृगत्वचम् / कर्णयोस्तालपत्त्रञ्च स्तनयोश्चैव गुञ्जिकाः

Transliteration

keśeṣu vai vaṭajaṭātvaci dadyānmṛgatvacam / karṇayostālapattrañca stanayoścaiva guñjikāḥ

Translation

കേശങ്ങൾക്ക് വടജട അർപ്പിക്കണം; ത്വക്കിന് മൃഗചർമ്മം നൽകണം; കർണങ്ങൾക്ക് താളപത്രാവരണം നൽകണം; സ്തനങ്ങളിൽ ഗുഞ്ജികാമണികൾ സ്ഥാപിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• केशेषु: in the hair
• केशेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/खलु-अर्थक अव्यय (particle: indeed)

• वटजटात्वचि: on the bark/skin of banyan aerial-roots
• वटजटात्वचि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वट + जटा + त्वच्/त्वचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; बहुपद-षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वटस्य जटायाः त्वचि/त्वचायाम्)

• दद्यात्: should give/offer
• दद्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मृगत्वचम्: deer-skin
• मृगत्वचम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग + त्वच्/त्वचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मृगस्य त्वचम्)

• कर्णयोः: in the two ears
• कर्णयोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी/षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; अत्र अधिकरण-सप्तमी (in the two ears)

• तालपत्त्रम्: palm-leaf
• तालपत्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताल + पत्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तालस्य पत्त्रम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• स्तनयोः: in the two breasts
• स्तनयोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी/षष्ठी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; अत्र अधिकरण-सप्तमी (in the two breasts)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• गुञ्जिकाः: guñjikā seeds/berries
• गुञ्जिकाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुञ्जिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अत्र कर्मरूपेण (दद्यात् इत्यनेन)

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During preta-period śrāddha sequence (contextual; itemized offerings).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pitṛ-ṛṇa is discharged through specific, body-part-correspondent offerings that ‘clothe’ and protect the preta.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as supportive means within saṃsāra; compassion (dayā) expressed as ritual duty; body as upādhi to be ritually addressed.

Application: When performing śrāddha-related rites, offer prescribed items with correct intention (saṅkalpa) and purity, focusing on care for the departed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Adjacent Garuda Purana 2.40 verses enumerating body-part correspondences and offerings.; Garuda Purana sections on ekoddiṣṭa śrāddha items and their preta-benefit (elsewhere in Pretakalpa).

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of these specific offerings in the Garuda Purana?

This verse enumerates symbolic items assigned to particular body-parts, reflecting the Garuda Purana’s ritual logic of supporting and “completing” the departed’s post-death condition through prescribed gifts.

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

By mapping offerings to bodily faculties (hair, skin, ears, breasts), the text implies that proper rites materially and symbolically assist the preta’s transition, aligning the family’s duty (dharma) with the soul’s onward journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow funeral and śrāddha procedures with sincerity and accuracy (as per one’s tradition and priestly guidance), treating the rites as acts of duty and care for the departed rather than mere formality.