Garuda Purana — Preta Kalpa, Shloka 59

Yamamārga, Antyeṣṭi-vidhi, and Daśāhika Piṇḍa-dāna

Road to Yama and Ten-Day Offerings

Devanagari script

दुग्धं च मृन्मये पात्रे तोयं दद्याद्दिनत्रयम् / सूर्ये चास्तं गते तार्क्ष्य वलभ्यां चत्वरे ऽपि वा

Transliteration

dugdhaṃ ca mṛnmaye pātre toyaṃ dadyāddinatrayam / sūrye cāstaṃ gate tārkṣya valabhyāṃ catvare 'pi vā

Translation

Dan susu yang diletakkan dalam bejana tanah liat, bersama air, hendaklah dipersembahkan selama tiga hari. Wahai Tārkṣya (Garuda), berikanlah setelah matahari terbenam—di ambang pintu/serambi, atau juga di simpang empat.

Word by Word

• दुग्धम्: milk
• दुग्धम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मृन्मये: in an earthen (vessel)
• मृन्मये: Adhikarana (Location qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृद् + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; पात्रे इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मृदः मयः = made of clay)

• पात्रे: in a vessel
• पात्रे: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तोयम्: water
• तोयम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• दिनत्रयम्: for three days
• दिनत्रयम्: Kala-adhikarana (Duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रयाणि दिनानि)

• सूर्ये: when the sun
• सूर्ये: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; लोके/काले (when the sun...)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• अस्तम्: to setting/down
• अस्तम्: Gati (Goal with motion)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (directional/adverbial: 'to setting'); गम्-योगे गत्यर्थकर्मप्रवचनीय-प्रायः

• गते: has gone
• गते: Adhikarana (Time qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सूर्ये इत्यनेन सह सप्तमी-सम्बन्धः (when the sun has gone)

• तार्क्ष्य: O Tārkṣya (Garuḍa)
• तार्क्ष्य: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• वलभ्याम्: in a shed/portico (valabhī)
• वलभ्याम्: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वलभी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (वैकल्पिक-स्थाननिर्देशः)

• चत्वरे: in a crossroads/open square
• चत्वरे: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चत्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Samuccaya (Addition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-निपात (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-निपात (or)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: For three days, after sunset

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Time-place discipline in post-death offerings: milk in an earthen vessel with water, offered for three days after sunset at liminal locations.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual order (niyama) as a stabilizing framework amid impermanence; honoring the departed through prescribed action.

Application: Prepare milk in a clay pot and offer it with water for three days, after sunset, at the doorway/verandah or a crossroads, as part of immediate post-death observances.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: threshold / crossroads

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.15.57 (udaka offerings); Garuda Purana 2.15.60 (preta looking back at śmaśāna/crossroads/home)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda (Tārkṣya)

FAQs

What is the importance of offering milk and water in the Garuda Purana?

This verse prescribes a simple, time-bound offering—milk and water in an earthen vessel for three days—indicating a supportive post-death observance meant to benefit the departed and fulfill family duty.

Why does the verse specify giving the offering after sunset and at places like a threshold or crossroads?

The verse frames the offering as an evening rite (after sunset) and allows liminal/public locations (threshold/verandah or crossroads), emphasizing accessibility and the ritual notion of transitional spaces in post-death observances.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If full rites are difficult, one can still follow the spirit of the instruction: make a sincere, clean offering of water (and milk if feasible) in a simple earthen container for three days at an appropriate time, with remembrance and prayer for the departed.