Home›Garuda Purana›Preta Kalpa›Adhyaya 5›Shloka 46
←Previous Verse
Next Verse→

Shloka 46

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

मृत्तिकाभिस्तु दर्भैर्वा वृषं कृत्वा विमोचयेत् / यदिष्टं जीवतस्तस्य दद्यादेकादशे ऽहनि

Transliteration

mṛttikābhistu darbhairvā vṛṣaṃ kṛtvā vimocayet / yadiṣṭaṃ jīvatastasya dadyādekādaśe 'hani

Translation

Dengan ketulan tanah liat atau rumput darbha, bentuklah seekor lembu jantan lalu lepaskan. Dan pada hari kesebelas, berikan persembahan yang dahulu disukai si mendiang semasa hidup.

Word by Word
मृत्तिकाभिःwith clay/earth
मृत्तिकाभिः:
करण (Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्तिका (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
तुindeed/but
तु:
सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विशेषार्थक-निपातः
दर्भैःwith darbha grass
दर्भैः:
करण (Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootदर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
वाor
वा:
विकल्प (Alternative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-निपातः
वृषम्bull
वृषम्:
कर्म (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootवृष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
कृत्वाhaving made
कृत्वा:
पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
TypeIndeclinable
Root√कृ (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having made’
विमोचयेत्should release
विमोचयेत्:
क्रिया (Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootवि + √मुच् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative sense)
यदिif
यदि:
हेतु/शर्त (Condition)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयदि (अव्यय)
Formशर्तार्थक-अव्यय
इष्टम्what is desired/appropriate (gift)
इष्टम्:
कर्म (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootइष्ट (कृदन्त; √इष्/√यज्—contextual ‘desired/approved’)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय; ‘desired thing’
जीवतस्of the living (person)
जीवतस्:
सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootजीवत् (कृदन्त; √जीव् धातु)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ) ‘living (person)’
तस्यof him
तस्य:
सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंस, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
दद्यात्should give
दद्यात्:
क्रिया (Verb)
TypeVerb
Root√दा (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
एकादशेon the eleventh (day)
एकादशे:
कालाधिकरण (Time)
TypeNoun
Rootएकादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः
अहनिon the day
अहनि:
कालाधिकरण (Time)
TypeNoun
Rootअहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Pretayoni

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Eleventh day (ekādaśāha).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: If a real bull is unavailable, a symbolic bull may be fashioned from clay or darbha and released; additionally, offer on the eleventh day what was dear to the deceased.

Vedantic Theme: Bhāva (intent) with vidhi (form): dharma allows pratinidhi (symbolic substitute) to preserve ritual purpose; remembrance and offering connect the living and departed through karma.

Application: When ideal resources are lacking, use sanctioned substitutes (clay/darbha effigy) rather than abandoning the rite; personalize the ekādaśāha offering to the deceased’s known preferences within dharmic bounds.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.5.43-45 (bull requirement; preparation; timing); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa on ekādaśāha offerings and preta-śānti

Characters & Entities
G
Garuda
P
Preta
P
Pitris

FAQs

This verse prescribes making a symbolic bull from clay or darbha and releasing it, treating it as a meritorious rite connected to the departed’s post-death welfare.

It instructs that offerings aligned with the person’s cherished gifts are to be given on the eleventh day, framing shraddha as a personalized act of dharmic giving for the preta’s benefit.

On the eleventh-day observance, perform charity or offerings thoughtfully—preferably items the departed valued—while keeping the rite sincere and within one’s means.

←Previous Verse
Next Verse→