Shloka 44

Gayā-yātrā-vidhi: Multi-day Śrāddha Route, Pitṛ-devatās, and Akṣaya Merit at Gayā

Devanagari script

ये चाप्यकृतचूडास्तु ये च गर्भाद्विनिःसृताः / येषां दाहो न क्रियाच ये ऽग्निदग्धास्तथापरे

Transliteration

ye cāpyakṛtacūḍāstu ye ca garbhādviniḥsṛtāḥ / yeṣāṃ dāho na kriyāca ye 'gnidagdhāstathāpare

Translation

Dan mereka yang belum dilakukan upacara cukur rambut pertama (chūḍā); mereka yang terkeluar dari rahim (lahir mati atau gugur); mereka yang tidak dijalankan pembakaran jenazah; serta yang lain yang hangus oleh api—semuanya termasuk dalam sebutan ini.

Word by Word

येthose who

चand

अपिalso

अकृतचूडाःwithout the cūḍā rite performed

तुindeed

येthose who

चand

गर्भात्from the womb

विनिःसृताः(those) who have come out

येषाम्of whom

दाहःburning/cremation

नnot

क्रियाrite, ritual act

चand

येthose who

अग्निदग्धाःburnt by fire

तथाlikewise

अपरेothers

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Saṃskāras and antyeṣṭi stabilize the transition after death; those lacking rites are specially remembered and ritually included.

Vedantic Theme: Karma operates through dharma-structures (saṃskāra/antyeṣṭi) that support orderly passage of the jīva; compassion as dharmic response to liminality.

Application: Include miscarried/stillborn and those without full rites in śrāddha intentions; perform appropriate prayoga/ekoddiṣṭa where prescribed; ensure dignified cremation/last rites.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: domestic/cremation-ground implied

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: antyeṣṭi and śrāddha procedures for those with incomplete rites (general parallel); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: descriptions of preta conditions when rites are not done (general)

Characters & Entities

Agni

FAQs

What is the importance of funeral rites (antyeṣṭi) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights categories of beings for whom key rites (like cremation or earlier samskāras) are absent or disrupted, implying that proper rites are spiritually significant in the post-death journey described in the Garuda Purana.

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

By listing those lacking cremation or certain samskāras, the verse points to special or difficult post-death conditions discussed in the Preta-kāṇḍa context, where ritual completion is connected with the soul’s orderly transition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages families to follow appropriate last rites as per tradition and local dharma guidance, and to seek proper counsel when deaths occur in exceptional circumstances (e.g., miscarriage, stillbirth, accidental burning).