Shloka 14

Vow-Fasting (Anaśana), Sannyāsa, Tīrtha-Death, and the Ethics of Dāna

Devanagari script

यस्तीर्थसंमुखो भूत्वा व्रते ह्यनशने कृते / चेन्म्रियेतान्तराले ऽपि ऋषीणां मण्डले वसेत्

Transliteration

yastīrthasaṃmukho bhūtvā vrate hyanaśane kṛte / cenmriyetāntarāle 'pi ṛṣīṇāṃ maṇḍale vaset

Translation

Sesiapa yang menghadap ke arah tīrtha yang suci lalu menunaikan nazar puasa, walaupun dia meninggal di pertengahan amalan itu, dia akan tinggal dalam lingkungan (majlis) para rishi.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• तीर्थ-संमुखः: facing the sacred place
• तीर्थ-संमुखः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + संमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘तीर्थस्य संमुखः’ = facing the tīrtha)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभावः; ‘having become’

• व्रते: in/with the vow
• व्रते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतौ

• अनशने: in fasting
• अनशने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• कृते: having been performed
• कृते: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘when done/undertaken’ (व्रते/अनशने इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Upapada (उपपद/शर्तसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/शर्त (conditional particle)

• म्रियेत: should die
• म्रियेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अन्तराले: in the interval / midway
• अन्तराले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तराल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अप्यर्थे (even/also)

• ऋषीणाम्: of sages
• ऋषीणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

• मण्डले: in the circle/region
• मण्डले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• वसेत्: would dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Undertaking anaśana-vrata oriented to a tīrtha yields a high post-mortem gati even if death occurs during the observance.

Vedantic Theme: Saṅkalpa and niṣṭhā: the intention and steadfastness of sādhanā shape destiny; merit of tapas aligned with sacred focus.

Application: When performing vows, cultivate clear intention and sacred orientation (mental/ritual focus); persist with sincerity rather than outcome-anxiety.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred site/ford

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: merit of dying in sacred context or during vrata; higher lokas attained by tapas and tīrtha-saṅga

Characters & Entities

• Rishis
• Tirtha

FAQs

What is the importance of fasting (anaśana) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents anaśana performed as a vrata as a high-merit act: even if death occurs mid-observance, the person attains residence in the realm/assembly of sages, indicating purification and elevated post-death destiny.

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

It links the soul’s post-mortem destination to intentional dharmic orientation—facing a tīrtha and maintaining a vow—stating that such a death leads not to punitive states but to ṛṣi-maṇḍala (association with sages).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Undertake vows responsibly with purity of intent, and cultivate remembrance of sacredness (tīrtha-smaraṇa) and disciplined restraint; the teaching emphasizes that conscious, dharmic conduct at life’s end strengthens auspicious outcomes.