Shloka 21

Preta-mārga Supports (Dāna), Chitragupta’s Accounting, and the Enumeration of Narakas

Devanagari script

मृतोद्देशेन यो दद्यादुदपात्रं तु ताम्रजम् / प्रपादानसहस्रस्य तत्फलं सो ऽश्नुते ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

mṛtoddeśena yo dadyādudapātraṃ tu tāmrajam / prapādānasahasrasya tatphalaṃ so 'śnute dhruvam

Translation

Sesiapa yang, atas nama si mendiang, menyedekahkan bejana air tembaga untuk persembahan air, pasti memperoleh pahala yang sama seperti menderma seribu tempat rehat air bagi para musafir.

Word by Word

• मृतोद्देशेन: with reference to the deceased (in the name of the dead)
• मृतोद्देशेन: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मृतस्य उद्देशः)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

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

• उदपात्रम्: a water-vessel
• उदपात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक) + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (उदकस्य पात्रम्)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (particle)

• ताम्रजम्: made of copper
• ताम्रजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताम्र (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ताम्रात् जातम्)

• प्रपादानसहस्रस्य: of a thousand rest-houses (water-stations)
• प्रपादानसहस्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रपादान (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रपादानानां सहस्रम्)

• तत्फलम्: that fruit/result
• तत्फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य फलम्)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अश्नुते: attains, enjoys
• अश्नुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ध्रुवम्: surely
• ध्रुवम्: Sambandha/Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययार्थे द्वितीया एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Memorial water-vessel donation (especially copper) yields immense merit equivalent to extensive public watering-rests; intention (uddeśa) amplifies fruit.

Vedantic Theme: Saṅkalpa and dharma shape karma-phala; outward act plus inward intention produces magnified results within saṃsāra.

Application: Make memorial donations that provide water (vessels, taps, wells, water stations); dedicate the act to the departed with clear intention and ethical execution.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual/charity setting (earthly) with afterlife implication

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: mṛtoddśa-dāna (gifts dedicated to the deceased) as preta-upakāra; Garuda Purana: repeated glorification of jaladāna and public water-rests (prapā)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Preta
• Pitris

FAQs

What is the importance of donating an udapātra (water vessel) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that gifting a copper water-vessel in the departed person’s name yields assured merit, equated here with the great charity of establishing many water-rests for travelers.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda context, post-death dāna and śrāddha-supporting gifts are described as generating merit that aids the departed (preta) and supports auspicious passage through the after-death stages.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform charity that alleviates thirst—such as donating water vessels or supporting public water access—dedicating the act to ancestors/departed relatives as a disciplined, dharmic remembrance.