Shloka 6

The Extent of Questions: Deathbed Rites, Kāla (Time), and Karma-Vipāka Rebirths

Devanagari script

तिलदर्भैश्च भूम्यां वै कुटी ऋतुमती भवेत् / पञ्च रत्नानि वक्त्रे तु येन जीवः प्ररोहति

Transliteration

tiladarbhaiśca bhūmyāṃ vai kuṭī ṛtumatī bhavet / pañca ratnāni vaktre tu yena jīvaḥ prarohati

Translation

భూమిపై నువ్వులు మరియు దర్భలను ఉంచితే కూటి విధిగా పవిత్రమై సందర్భానికి యోగ్యమగును. అలాగే నోటిలో ఐదు రత్నాలు ఉంచాలి; వాటివలన జీవుడు ముందుకు ప్రస్థానమగును.

Word by Word

• तिल: sesame
• तिल: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• दर्भैः: with darbha-grass
• दर्भैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भूम्याम्: on the ground
• भूम्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• कुटी: a hut/booth
• कुटी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ऋतुमती: seasonal/menstruating (ritumatī)
• ऋतुमती: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋतुमती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier)

• भवेत्: should become/be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Quantifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्च (अव्यय/संख्याशब्द)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-अव्यय (numeral, indeclinable)

• रत्नानि: gems
• रत्नानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वक्त्रे: in the mouth
• वक्त्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis particle)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (Masc./Neut.), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• जीवः: the being/soul
• जीवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्ररोहति: grows/sprouts forth
• प्ररोहति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुह् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

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

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Immediately around death/antyeṣṭi preparations

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Proper saṃskāra and ritual materials (tilā, darbha, pañca-ratna) support the departed’s subtle progression.

Vedantic Theme: Subtle-body (liṅga-śarīra) journey is influenced by karma and saṃskāra until knowledge liberates.

Application: Prepare the rite-space with sesame and darbha; place pañca-ratna in the mouth per tradition before cremation/ritual handling, following competent guidance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual enclosure

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: descriptions of antyeṣṭi accessories—darbha, tila, and mouth-rites; pañca-ratna usage in death rites (internal thematic parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Jiva

FAQs

What is the importance of sesame (tila) and darbha in Garuda Purana death rituals?

This verse presents tila and darbha as ritual supports placed on the ground to make the rite-space (kuṭī) properly fit and sanctified, reflecting purity and correct observance in preta-related ceremonies.

Why are “five gems” placed in the mouth according to this verse?

The verse states that placing five gems in the mouth is intended to aid the jīva in “prarohati”—rising onward—symbolically supporting the departed being’s progress in the post-death journey described in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow funeral and remembrance rites with careful materials and disciplined procedure, treating the ritual space as sacred and performing acts meant to support the departed—while also using the reminder to live responsibly so one’s own journey is unburdened.