Shloka 167

Dāna as Prāyaścitta; Deathbed Gifts; Antyeṣṭi Procedures; Nārāyaṇa-bali for Untimely Deaths

Devanagari script

अग्निदाहं ततः कुर्यात्सूतकञ्च दिनत्रयम् / दशाहं गर्तपिणाडञ्च कर्तव्यं प्रेतपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

agnidāhaṃ tataḥ kuryātsūtakañca dinatrayam / daśāhaṃ gartapiṇāḍañca kartavyaṃ pretapūrvakam

Translation

Selepas itu, seseorang harus melakukan pembakaran mayat dengan api, dan mematuhi tempoh ketidalsucian (sūtaka) selama tiga hari. Selama sepuluh hari, upacara mempersembahkan bebola nasi (piṇḍas) di dalam lubang harus dilakukan terlebih dahulu demi manfaat roh (preta).

Word by Word

• अग्निदाहम्: cremation/burning by fire
• अग्निदाहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + दाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अग्नेः दाहः)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'then/thereafter')

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सूतकम्: impurity period (sūtaka)
• सूतकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• दिनत्रयम्: for three days
• दिनत्रयम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रीणि दिनानि)

• दशाहम्: for ten days
• दशाहम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक) + अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (दश अहानि)

• गर्तपिणाडम्: pit-offering (piṇḍa in a pit)
• गर्तपिणाडम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्त (प्रातिपदिक) + पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गर्तस्य पिण्डः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• कर्तव्यम्: is to be done/should be performed
• कर्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (predicative: 'to be done')

• प्रेतपूर्वकम्: with the rite for the departed done first
• प्रेतपूर्वकम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (प्रेतं पूर्वं कृत्वा/प्रेतपूर्वकं)

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: First ten days after death (daśāha); sūtaka for three days as stated

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Antyeṣṭi and post-death impurity/offerings are obligatory acts that support the departed’s passage and restore social-ritual order.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as purifier and stabilizer within saṃsāra; compassion expressed as duty (kartavya) toward the departed.

Application: Perform cremation; observe sūtaka for three days; offer garta-piṇḍas for ten days with preta as primary beneficiary, following local śrauta/smārta procedure.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cremation-ground (śmaśāna) implied; garta (pit) for piṇḍa-offering

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: ten-day preta rites and piṇḍa sequence (daśāha); Garuda Purana: sūtaka/āśauca rules around death and purification

Characters & Entities

• Preta

FAQs

What is the importance of agnidāha (cremation) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats cremation as the immediate required rite after death, marking the formal beginning of preta-related observances and the sequence of post-death duties.

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

By emphasizing “pretapūrvakam,” it indicates that the departed is regarded as a preta in the interim period and that specific offerings (piṇḍas) are directed to support and ritually address that post-death state during the ten-day cycle.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It underscores orderly performance of last rites—cremation, a defined mourning/impurity observance, and dedicated offerings for the departed—encouraging disciplined, dharmic care for family obligations surrounding death.