Shloka 15

Gayā Śrāddha at Preta-śilā: Universal Piṇḍa-dāna for Ancestors and the Unrescued Dead

Devanagari script

जात्यन्तरसहस्रेषु भ्रमन्ति स्वेन कर्मणा / मानुष्यं दुर्लभं येषां तेभ्यः पिण्डं ददाम्यहम्

Transliteration

jātyantarasahasreṣu bhramanti svena karmaṇā / mānuṣyaṃ durlabhaṃ yeṣāṃ tebhyaḥ piṇḍaṃ dadāmyaham

Translation

Dengan kuasa karma mereka sendiri, mereka mengembara melalui ribuan kelahiran lain; bagi mereka yang sukar memperoleh kelahiran sebagai manusia—kepada merekalah aku persembahkan piṇḍa, bebola nasi upacara kematian.

Word by Word

• जात्यन्तरसहस्रेषु: in thousands of other births/castes
• जात्यन्तरसहस्रेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाति (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; समासः—(जात्यन्तराणां सहस्रेषु) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• भ्रमन्ति: they wander
• भ्रमन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्वेन: by their own
• स्वेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्मणा इति)

• कर्मणा: by (their) action/karma
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• मानुष्यं: human state/birth
• मानुष्यं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• दुर्लभं: rare, hard to obtain
• दुर्लभं: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मानुष्यं इति)

• येषां: of whom
• येषां: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• तेभ्यः: to them
• तेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), बहुवचन

• पिण्डं: rice-ball offering (piṇḍa)
• पिण्डं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• ददामि: I give
• ददामि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Śrāddha occasion (tithi-based; commonly amāvāsyā/śrāddha-tithi) implied

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Beings wander through countless births propelled by their own karma; human birth is rare; piṇḍa-offering is an act of aid/merit directed to them.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃsāra under karma-niyati; durlabhatva of manuṣya-janma as a gateway to dharma and mokṣa-sādhana.

Application: Cultivate urgency for dharma in human life; perform śrāddha/piṇḍa with the intention of benefiting those still bound by karmic wandering.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha sections describing preta-tṛpti through piṇḍa and the rarity of human birth

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (implicit addressee)

FAQs

What is the importance of piṇḍa-dāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links piṇḍa offerings with compassion toward beings driven by karma through countless births, emphasizing piṇḍa-dāna as a supportive rite for those caught in difficult cycles of rebirth.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It highlights karmic propulsion: the jīva wanders through many forms (jātyantara) due to its deeds, and human birth is portrayed as rare—implying a crucial opportunity for dharma and liberation-oriented practice.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat human life as a rare chance to reduce harmful karma through ethical living, and perform ancestral rites (śrāddha/piṇḍa-dāna) with sincerity as part of one’s duties toward family and tradition.