Shloka 32
Dharma–Adharma Marks; Daśāha, Piṇḍa Formation, Śrāddha Calendar, Śayyā-dāna, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Rules
धन्विना लक्ष्यमुद्दिश्य मुक्तो बाणस्तदाप्नुयात् / यथा श्राद्धं यमुद्दिश्य कृतं तस्योपतिष्ठति
dhanvinā lakṣyamuddiśya mukto bāṇastadāpnuyāt / yathā śrāddhaṃ yamuddiśya kṛtaṃ tasyopatiṣṭhati
ధనుర్ధారి లక్ష్యాన్ని గూర్చి విడిచిన బాణం ఆ లక్ష్యానికే చేరినట్లే, యముని ఉద్దేశించి చేసిన శ్రాద్ధం కూడా ఆయనకే చేరి ఫలితాన్ని ఇస్తుంది.
Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinatā-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey
Ritual Type: Ekoddishta
Beneficiary: Pitr
Timing: Whenever śrāddha is performed with explicit uddiśya/saṅkalpa; verse highlights the ‘aiming’ principle rather than a calendar date.
Concept: Saṅkalpa (aimed intention) determines the recipient of ritual fruit, like an arrow reaching its target when properly aimed.
Vedantic Theme: Intention (bhāva/saṅkalpa) as a determinant in karma’s fruition within vyavahāra; ritual efficacy depends on right ‘addressing’.
Application: State the saṅkalpa clearly (name, lineage, relation, intended recipient); perform śrāddha with focused mind rather than distracted routine.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: conceptual target of saṅkalpa; Yamaloka implied
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: saṅkalpa, devatā/adhikāri addressing, and śrāddha delivery explanations
FAQs
This verse teaches that ritual efficacy follows the intended recipient: as an arrow reaches the aimed target, a Śrāddha performed ‘addressed to’ a specific being (here, Yama) reaches and benefits that being.
It uses a direct analogy: intention functions like aiming; the act of offering is like releasing the arrow; the specified destination (Yama) is the target that the rite ‘attends upon’ and thereby becomes effective for.
Perform rites and prayers with clarity and sincerity of purpose—name the intended recipient and keep the mind steady—because focused intention is presented here as the key factor that directs the fruit of the action.