Shloka 136

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

Devanagari script

शतत्रयेण षष्ट्या च वृन्तैः प्रोक्तो ऽस्थिसञ्चयः / विन्यस्य तानि वृन्तानि अङ्गेष्वेषु पृथक् पृथक्

Transliteration

śatatrayeṇa ṣaṣṭyā ca vṛntaiḥ prokto 'sthisañcayaḥ / vinyasya tāni vṛntāni aṅgeṣveṣu pṛthak pṛthak

Translation

இந்தச் சடங்கில் எலும்புச் சேகரத்திற்காக மூன்று நூற்று அறுபது தண்டுகள் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளன. அவற்றை வைத்து, இவ்வவ்வுறுப்புகளில் தனித்தனியாக ஒழுங்குபடுத்த வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• शतत्रयेण: by three hundred
• शतत्रयेण: Karana (Instrument/Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• षष्ट्या: by sixty
• षष्ट्या: Karana (Instrument/Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Conjunction)

• वृन्तैः: with stalks
• वृन्तैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रोक्तः: is stated; is prescribed
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अस्थिसञ्चयः: collection of bones
• अस्थिसञ्चयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थि + सञ्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• विन्यस्य: having arranged/placed
• विन्यस्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√न्यस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वृन्तानि: stalks
• वृन्तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अङ्गेषु: in the limbs
• अङ्गेषु: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• एषु: in these
• एषु: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb: separation)

• पृथक्: each separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb; repetition for emphasis)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Ekoddishta

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: During the puttalaka/body-construction phase, after preparing the base and outline.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual efficacy through saṅkhyā-niyama (numerical rule): 360 stalks constitute the ‘bone-collection’, placed limb-by-limb in proper differentiation.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual order mirrors ṛta: number and placement encode meaning; disciplined action shapes subtle outcomes.

Application: Count and prepare 360 palāśa stalks; place them distinctly on the corresponding limbs of the constructed form as prescribed, avoiding mixing or misplacement.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.4.135 (human form with kuśa on kṛṣṇājina); Garuda Purana 2.4.134 (puttalaka context)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of asthi-sanchayana in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats asthi-sañcaya (bone-collection) as a defined, orderly rite, specifying a counted set of stalks and their placement on the limbs, emphasizing ritual completeness and correct procedure after cremation.

How does this verse explain the post-death ritual sequence?

It situates bone-collection as a structured step within antyeṣṭi-related observances, where symbolic items (stalks) are counted and arranged limb-wise, reflecting the careful reconstruction/representation of the body for rites offered to the departed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow post-cremation rites with precision and reverence—keep the process organized, consult competent tradition-bearers, and treat the departed’s rites as a disciplined duty (dharma), not a casual formality.