Home›Garuda Purana›Preta Kalpa›Adhyaya 4›Shloka 42
←Previous Verse
Next Verse→

Shloka 42

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

Devanagari script

परिधाप्याहते वस्त्रे चन्दनैः प्रोक्षयेत्तनुम् / ततो मृतस्य स्थाने वै एकोद्दिष्टं समाचरेत्

Transliteration

paridhāpyāhate vastre candanaiḥ prokṣayettanum / tato mṛtasya sthāne vai ekoddiṣṭaṃ samācaret

Translation

अहतेन नववस्त्रेण देहं परिधाप्य चन्दनजलेन तनुं प्रोक्षयेत्। ततः मृतस्य स्थाने विधिवदेकोद्दिष्टश्राद्धं समाचरेत्॥

Word by Word
परिधाप्यhaving clothed (him)
परिधाप्य:
Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपरि-धा (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त/अव्ययीभाव-भाव)
Formक्त्वान्त-समकक्षः ल्यपन्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); क्रियाविशेषण (having caused to put on)
आहतेin/with (a) struck/used (i.e., washed/old)
आहते:
Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
TypeAdjective
Rootआहत (प्रातिपदिक; √हन् धातु, क्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे/स्त्रीलिङ्गे लोकेटिव?; अत्र: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular) विशेषणम्
वस्त्रेin the cloth/garment
वस्त्रे:
Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
TypeNoun
Rootवस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन
चन्दनैःwith sandal(-paste)
चन्दनैः:
Karaṇa (Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootचन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन
प्रोक्षयेत्should sprinkle
प्रोक्षयेत्:
Kriya (Predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-उक्ष् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
तनुम्the body
तनुम्:
Karman (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootतनु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन
ततःthen
ततः:
Kriya-visheshaṇa (Temporal)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक अव्यय (then/thereafter)
मृतस्यof the deceased
मृतस्य:
Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootमृत (प्रातिपदिक; √मृ धातु, क्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन
स्थानेin the place
स्थाने:
Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
TypeNoun
Rootस्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle)
एकोद्दिष्टम्the ekoddiṣṭa (rite)
एकोद्दिष्टम्:
Karman (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootएक + उद्दिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √दिश् धातु, क्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः: एकस्य उद्दिष्टम् (ekoddiṣṭa-śrāddha)
समाचरेत्should perform
समाचरेत्:
Kriya (Predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vainateya)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Immediately after body preparation; in the place associated with the deceased as part of early post-death observances

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Antyeṣṭi and ekoddiṣṭa as obligatory rites: purity, respect for the body, and directed offering to one departed person.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as purificatory duty (niyata-karma) supporting social and spiritual order; honoring the jīva’s transition without clinging to the body.

Application: Perform last-rites preliminaries with cleanliness and dignity: fresh cloth, sandalwater sprinkling, then ekoddiṣṭa at the deceased’s place with correct intention and procedure.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: ritual site

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Antyeṣṭi-śrāddha sections on ekoddiṣṭa and piṇḍa offerings (adjacent verses 2.4.43–46)

Characters & Entities
V
Vishnu
G
Garuda
P
Preta

FAQs

This verse frames ekoddiṣṭa as the immediate, single-dedicated rite done specifically for the deceased, marking a focused offering in their stead as part of proper post-death observance.

By prescribing bodily preparation and an ekoddiṣṭa offering for the departed, it reflects the Purāṇic view that ritual support is given to the deceased in the transitional preta-context through correctly performed rites.

It emphasizes careful, respectful funeral discipline—clean, appropriate clothing, sanctifying aspergation, and performing the prescribed memorial rite with sincerity and correctness.

←Previous Verse
Next Verse→